Ishveer Singh 4/4
December holiday assignment
Literature
Pastime
Conflicts(Internal)
An internal conflict in the story is that the story which Tai Poh claims that is not true (but might potray his life as well), might be true. It could be that he does not want to tell Mr Lee the truth because he is too shy to talk about his past, so he tries to potray it as fiction.
Conflicts(External)
An external conflicts is the story told about Tai Poh, the one about a young man who decides to fight in the jungle
Climax I think that the climax of the story is when Mr Lee decides to tell his own little story about a security guard which might also reflect on Tai Poh’s life. It adds more suspense to the story from this point.
Resolution
The resolution of the story is a revelation. Nothing much happens other than the conversation ending, but, it has made both of them realize certain things about their lives and that some things about their lives and that some things are best kept as stories.
Characters
Tai Poh: Mysterious (tells a story which could be about himself but claims it is fiction pg 215)
: Creative (pg 212)
: Shy (pg 212)
Mr Lee : Attentive (pg 216)
: Creative (pg 2!7)
: Persistant (pg 217)
Man mention in Tai Poh’s story: Brave (pg 213)
: Ambitious (pg 213)
: Reckless
Evening under Frangipani:
Conflicts(internal)
Prakash was unsure and unconfident about himself during the interview. He was stressed and worried whether he was the right person for the job.(page 49)
He feels that without a job, he doesn’t contribute much to the community. He also thinks that he doesn’t belong to the community.(page 65)
Conflicts (external)
The conflict between Prakash and Elaine’s mother. Elaine’s mother was being unfriendly and sarcastic with Prakash.(page 58-60)
Climax
The climax of the story is when Prakash and Elaine broke up. There is a twist in the story because everything change. Elaine doesn’t love Prakash anymore.
Resolution
Open ended story. Both Elaine and Prakash had went their separate ways. (page 84)
Characters
Prakash: not a conversationalist (page 27)
: easily amused (page 62)
: Mindful (page 69)
: Respectful and patient (page 80-81)
Elaine:hardworking(pg 68)
sensitive(pg 62)
moral and solitary(pg 53)
Elaine's mother:Not religious and sarcastic(pg 59)
successful(pg 54)
The most interesting part was when Prakash joked while making out with Elaine. Its was both interesting and weird because who would joke while making out? It also changed the whole atmosphere from sweet and lovely to hostile and anger.
Lee
Conflict (internal)
There is an internal conflict with the father in the story. He does not want Lee to have dual loyalties but he also does not want his daughter to be unhappy so he allows Lee to go to an American school. (pg 101)
Conflict (external)
There is an external conflict between Lee and her father. The both of them have rather contradicting cultural views. Lee is more supportive towards western culture while her father supports traditional Chinese culture. Lee`s father often tries to encourage his culture view on her but Lee would always refuse to accept it. (pg 102 and 103)
Climax
The climax of the story is when Lee went to the family reunion at her grandmothers flat. It allowed her to meet up with her family members and learn more about her culture. It was also a chance for her father to get feedback from his relatives about what he should do with his daughter`s education which would later decide which crowd she moved along with later in the story. (pg 100)
Resolution
I think the type of resolution for this story would be a revelation. At the ending both Lee and her father realise that they both have something in common. They were willing to accept each other`s cultural differences and views. (pg 106-107)
Characters
Lee: descriptive (pg 88-89)
: Likes to use vulgar language (pg 90)
: Likes to criticise (pg 95)
Father: traditional (pg 103)
: Parochial (pg 102)
: Easily irritated (pg 97& 98)
Lee`s grandmother: Kind (pg 100)
: Concerned (pg 100)
: Traditional (pg 99)
The most interesting part was the family reunion. At this point of the story, a contrast is obvious between Lee and her other relatives in terms of culture. It shows how different she is from Singaporeans and gave her relatives, particularly her aunt, to judge and review her negatively. The reunion also showed that Lee had very little knowledge on Asian heritage which might have surprised her father.
Release
Conflict (internal)
The internal conflict in the story is between Eileen`s desire to complain to the neighbours and her natural habit to ignore the situation. The evidence of her neglect is on pg 144 where she “tried as hard as possible not to notice anything about her neighbours”. However the constant build-up of disturbances from her neighbours has force her to take actions like on pg 145 when she decided to call the SPCA.
Conflict (external)
One of the external conflicts in the story is between Eileen and her husband, Philip. Eileen was unhappy with how Philip always stood up for the neighbours and not for Eileen. Philip had always tried ignored the atrocities committed by the new neighbours and end up letting them get away with things. Also, the fact that Philip cares more about his work to be bothered with Eileen`s complaints has also infuriated her. (pg 140-142)
Climax
I think the climax of the story is when Eileen finally decides to call for help from the SPCA and the police. This is the part of the story where things can become unpredictable. It allows the reader to wonder what will happen next as there are endless possibilities as to whether Eileen will finally get what she wants or if the neighbours will continue to provoke the hostile relationship between them. (pg 145)
Resolution
The resolution of this story is rather open ended. The story ends when the man murders the puppies and Eileen starts panicking. It allows the reader to guess what kind of outcome will occur. It also allows the reader to ponder about why the things happened the way they did and what kind of issues are shown in the story. (pg 148)
Characters
Eileen: Friendly(pg 139)
: Easily agitated (pg 141)
: Good at mothering (pg 143-144)
Philip: Easy-going (pg 141-142)
: Workaholic (pg 143)
: Gullible (pg 142-143)
Neighbours: Impolite (pg 140)
: Impulsive (pg 141)
: Self-Centred (pg 141)
An obituary for fifth aunt come late
Conflict (internal)
An internal conflict in the story is between the aunt’s temptation to learn how to read and her belief in the stigma that a dressmaker’s assistant could not be literate at that time. The evidence is on pg 155 where her grandfather held a law fiercely on the family that a dressmaker’s assistant should be allowed to read.
Conflict (external)
An external conflict in the story is between the aunt and her father. When the aunt was sick during her childhood years, her father had apparently lost patience with her and did not feel it was right to spend the family fortunes trying to cure her when he should be spending it on his boys. (pg 153)
Climax
The climax of the story is when the Japanese forces invaded and occupied Singapore. It added more excitement to the story and helped to change the lives of the main characters in the story. (pg 156)
Resolution
The resolution in the story is complete because the aunt has pretty much lived a full and fulfilling life despite some setbacks. Although the life she lived is not quite fortunate compared to the lives of people today, she did not worry about that fact and lived her life as what normal people did at that time. She also died peacefully and is survived by her family members.
Characters
Aunt: Obedient (she always did the chores her parents assigned her pg 152-153)
: Filial (She is willing to join another family so that her family can save money pg 153)
: Hardworking (she always helps the author’s grandmother by doing chores pg 149)
Aunt’s parents: Biased (they care more about their sons than their daughter’s pg 152)
: caring (sent the aunt to another family for a better life pg 153)
: Old fashioned (they prefer to have sons pg 151)
Dressmaker: Kind-hearted (he told the aunt not to go to work on realising the soldier’s
intentions pg 158)
: Business minded (offered discounts to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
: Welcoming (offered tea to the Japanese occupiers’ pg 157)
The most interesting segment in the story is when the aunt joined another family. It is pretty much the start of a new life for the aunt and a lot of unexpected things can happen from this point until the end of the story it has made me wonder whether the aunt will finally be treated fairly or whether she will still be treated as she was with her old family.
History of Tea
Conflicts (external)
An external conflict in the story is the opium wars mentioned in the story. The Opium Wars broke out with the English ready to go to war for free trade (their right to sell opium) against the Chinese government.
Conflicts (internal)
An internal conflict in the story is when Beverly mentions that she is going to China and is looking forward to it. This is despite the fact that she knows that most travellers find food terrible and expensive.
Climax
I think the climax of the story is when Beverly mentions that she was going to tour Asia. It gave the author of the story something to think about his own heritage and how he has never had a chance to explore Asia.
Resolution
The resolution of the story is more of a revelation in my opinion. Nothing much happens in the ending besides the fact that the conversation ends. It does, however, give the author the opportunity to think about his family tree, his relative and the history of tea that has an impact of his family.
Characters
Beverly: Smart (pg 111)
:Understanding(pg 111)
:Choosey(pg 109)
Aunt Sherrie: Addicted to tea (pg 111)
: Religious (pg 119)
: Not used to changes (pg 119)
Grandmother: Religious (pg 117)
: Traditional (pg 115)
: Calls people names (pg 112)
What I like about the story is that it shows us that everybody is connected somehow. Whether our race, skin colour or where we were born. Our lives intertwine with people we don’t even know.
Q1) In fifth obtuary come late the aunt shows alot of care which the author does not appreciate because she was young and nobody had respected that aunt.iIn Lee,Lee's grandmother always too care of him with motherly love.She saluted his ideas and supported him.
Q2)In Lee,Lee and her father have conflicts that are caused by their contradicting cultural views.In the end,they accept their cultural differences during a family reunion.In evening under Frangipani,Prakash and Elaine has conflict with Elaine's mother who always contradicted him.This caused Prakash to be unconfident in talking to Elaine and in the end they went their seperate ways.
Q3)In Lee Lee and her father accept their different cultural views.In evening under frangipani,Prakash fears to be with Elaine.In pastime,Tai Poh and Mr.Lee realise things about their lives and they have a understanding.In release Eileen finally has the courage to call the SPCA.
Q4)In fifth obituary come late the author does not appreciate her aunts care for her,and is not aware of how she was treated.In evening under Franpani Prakash does not know how to counters Elaine's mothers contradictions,he doesnt understand them so he gives up on them.
Q5)Tanjong Rhu-Mr T.W.Li a businessman working in the modern day society.in an office that overlooks present day Tanjong Rhu.He brings Ah-Ma to his office one day to look at the view from his office window with binoculars.Ah-ma is not happy because she doesnt like technology like binoculars and the fact that Mr.Li just looks at it from his window.Instead Ah-Ma prefers to visit Tanjong Rhu instead of looking at it from far,as she had actually brought up Mr.Li there.She is angry that Li. has forgotten about the good times thy had back in the village.This tells me that older people like Ah-ma think sentimentally mostly about the past.
The move-Madam Teo,a 71 year old woman has to move house after living in her old one for 30 years.There are alot of things that are old but have sentimental value in them.Her sons tell her to leave them behind and move on,she does,but except for one thing that she had grown from a cutting.The pomegranate tree which she had grown before her children were even born.The tree was big and definitely she couldnt bring it to her new home.The tree brought back memories,espicially when her children grew up.Now when thay have all grown up and can't remember much of their past the tree have no meaning to her children,but it still has to Madam Teo.the only choice Madam Teo had in the end was to cut a sapling off the tree and start it off again in her new home.
Literature Assignment
Q1)They are for profound purpoes actually,they are traditions.In both stories,there is a old generation present like Tay Soon's mother in paper and Ah Ma in Tanjong Rhu.These generation of people believe in traditions but i doubt the modern generation do.Some purposes were to respect and remember those that are not presently alive.Burning paper is to give them wealth and happiness in their afterlife.In paper,burning a house would be so that the deceased would have a good place to stay or rest,but they made a uniquely expensive house to burn as the deceased Tay Soon always wanted to live in an expensive house.
Q2)Presently,as young people now e we would find it a hindrance and nuisance as we may find it boring and time comsuming.But i beg to differ.When we grow up later on and our parents pass away we suddenly feel lost and and like there is no one always watching your back and supporting you.That would be the time when you reminisce the good times we had with them and soon we will start doing prayers and rituals too.
Q3)The elderly are not out of the contemporary world.It is by nature that their looks,the amount of time you have to spend with them,the amount of time you spend taking care of them,and the things you do to help them which make them seem like a hindrance to society.If they change their mentality,they can actually be helpfull to the society in many ways.
Q4)The past can really have a negative turnover for people.It can be negative and depressing and irritating especially trying to reminisce the good times you had with someone now that moment,that person is gone.The past can also be motivational to allow you to remember that life has to go on and it will improve your self-esteem and mentality.
