Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Island Voices


Quotes


Paper


1. "Timbered ceiling and panelled walls and sunken circular sitting-room which was to be carpeted in rich amber." (pg 2)


2. "See what's happening to my husband.He's cracking up!He talks to himself, he doesn't eat, he has nightmares, he beats the children.Oh, he's finished!" (pg 7)


The Martyrdom of Helena Rodrigues


1. "She was the mistress in the use of Christian martyrdom on the domestic front." (pg 10)


2. "Georgie is such a good boy." (pg 17)


Sundowner


1. "No doctor, Tuan, bur the biban says Tijah is alright." (pg 23)


2. "But that's a way of life with them.It's always been that way..." (pg 25)


Tanjong Rhu


1. "I am not, Ah-Wah, having my eyes sliced open." (pg 30)


2. "Those see-far glasses of yous, can they see Tanjong Rhu?" (pg 31)


Evening Under Frangipani


1. "I don't suppose you have much in the way of soup at home." (pg 59)


2. "I'm so glad you've converted to Christianity." (pg 59)


Lee


1. "Are you my dad?" (pg 85)


2. "Don't you remember anything about your country?" (pg 86)


A History of Tea


1. "What's the matter, Chinese not good enough for you?" (pg 109)


2. "Very difficult for travellers I hear, terrible food, expensive." (pg 112)


A Dream of China


1. "The Chinese are as bad as the Jews when it comes to making money!" (pg 127)


2. "There's no poing discussing the past." (pg 129)


Release


1. "I'm not going to pay for her." (pg 139)


2. "Now, don't worry any more.I understand.I'll take care of it.Just leave it to me." (pg 147)


An Obituary for Fifth Aunt Come


1. "She was my aunt but I didn't make it a point to be her niece." (pg 149)


2. "Oh, it's you." (pg 154)


Corridor


1. "Who said I'm not happy?" (pg 164)


2. "Okay.Just for tonight." (pg 165)


Mid-Autumn


1. "But like that waste money, very gek sim." (pg 176)


2. "Tomorrow we'll go to the bank and open a separate bank account for you." (pg 185)


Hamid and the Hand of Fate


1. "No, no, every child is rezeki from the God, no matter what his condition is." (pg 195)


2. "He won't know what to do with a girl." (pg 195)


The Move


1. "They have to be retired! I've sat on them since I was a baby!" (pg 204)


2. "Ah So! You are finally moving!" (pg 209)


Pastime


1. "This is just a story, you understand?" (pg 213)


2. "Two years pass.He thinks he could forget everything and get used to his new life." (pg 215)

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posted by PeArLyN @ 3:32 AM 0 Comments

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Off Centre

5 memorable quotes from Off Centre :

1. Oh.Is that what they recommend? They might be right, you know. You musn't stress yourself.
(Act 2, Scene I, pg 48)

2. They are jealous because we are special.
(Act 2, Scene III, pg 64)

3. I am strong.Nothing can destroy me.
(Act 2, Scene III, pg 64)

4. Then why you want to control me?
(Act 5, Scene III, pg 129)

5. It's very crammed... all the people... I can't breathe.
(Act 5, Scene IV, pg 134)




Unravelling Off Centre , pg 91 :

Questions:

1. In your opinion, how key is the parent-child relationship to vinod's inevitable end?

In my opinion, Vinod's relationship with his parents might have played a part in Vinod's inevitable end but is not the main key to it.Vinod's parents are of high status and rarely sees him, causing him to be lonely and maybe even depressed.Other things which might have led to Vinod's inevitable end could be the fact that Saloma was becoming normal, making it feel as if she was leaving him behind.He wants to care for Saloma, give her love, give her good advice and to give her security as well.However, if Saloma recovers, it will be Saloma looking after Vinod and not the other way around.If so, it might cause Viond to be depressed and lead to his inevitable end.Another reason could be Vinod not taking his medication as he does not want his hands to shake and be thought of as weird be people.However,by not taking his medication, he will not recover and instead, get worse than he is now. Thus, leading to his inevitableend.Therefore,Vinod's relationship with his parents might have played a part in Vinod's inevitable end but is not the main key to it.

2 quotes from the book are :

"my parents are hoping I'll get well tomorrow and then go abroad to study the next day, graduate on Friday, do my Masters on Saturday and start work as Deputy Public Prosecutor
on Monday.They're very concerned, so I can rest on Sunday."
(Act 1, Scene III, pg 27)

"So, no need to take medicine all the time.If not my hands will tremble.Then nobody will talk
to me."
(Act 1, Scene III, pg 23)

2. 'Vinod's high expectations of himself caused his downfall.' To what extent do you agree with this analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy?

I agree with this analysis of vinod's predicament and tragedy to only a small extent.When talking to Mr Chow, Vinod's intelligence and wit exacerbates instead of helping him to reintegrate.His lucid mind leads him to question Mr Chow's practices and eventually causes him to lose his job.However,it is also his keen awareness of the effect of medication that stops him from taking the medication and ultimately leads to his suicide.When the robber taunted Vinod of his cowardice, Vinod went berserk and screamed.It could have caused his downfall too as he felt that he could not protect Saloma and fell deeper into depression. Therefore, I agree with this analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy to only a small extent.

2 quotes from the book are :

"You need a voice.A voice."
(Act 2, Scene IV, pg 78)

"Vinod lets out a piercing scream."
(Act 3, Scene III, pg 96)

3. Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play.

Saloma's transformation in the play first started when she met Emily at the half way house.Even though she starts out using the mantra Emily taught tentatively, she does turn out to be the stronger character between her and Vinod. For instance, although Vinod is the better educated one between the two, Saloma is the one who is set on writing to the newspaper to address the discrimination against mental patients. Her transformation continues when Vinod shuts himself in his room, making her desperate without him.What becomes the turning point for her, pushing her out to face the real world, is the bird in her room.Whether this is real or a figment of her imagination is not the point. Whether real or a metaphor for herself, the bird's predicament helps her to react and do something about herself.It is not known if the bird falls to its death or that it manages to fly to safety, but Saloma's anger at the bird endangering its own life by leaving its cage prompts her hunger to go out, even if its without Vinod. Mak might even be a reason for Saloma's transformation and survival. She is constantly reminding Saloma of her need to turn to god, an idea which Saloma accepts and even repeats to Vinod. Another plausible reason for Saloma's transformation is her use of medicine.Perhaps this provides some form of mental respite for Saloma in contrast to Vinod's unsettled mental state because he refuses medication. Thus, the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play.

2 quotes from the book are :

"No.You are strong.Say it.I am strong.Nothing can destroy me."
(Act 2, Scene II, pg 58)

"Saloma, let me tell you, anytime ah, anytime at all you think someone is saying bad things
about you, be strong. Tell yourself,"Huh!!They are jealous because I am special."Can you say that?Just try..."
(Act 2, Scene II, pg 55)

4. "Though a minor role in the paly, the character of Razali is key to the plot of Off Centre." To what extent do you agree with this assessment?

I agree with this assessment to only a small extent. Razali works as the security guard at the void deck and is also known as Bapak and is an almost surreal character.He starts to build a relationship with Vinod and Saloma, primarily because the void deck where the two of them meet is also Razali's place of work.He appeals to Saloma because of his fatherly demeanour when he addresses her fondly as 'anak' and refers to himself as 'Bapak'.Such terminology is often used in malay culture to denot respect as well as affection despite there being no blood relation.However Saloma's affection seems to run deeper almost as though he is indeed her father.His action in buying her curry puffs is by a surreal twist exactly what her deceased father promised her in her dream and connects Razali and her real father.For Vinod, Razali is even more.He is their guardian as well as their 'father'.However Razili himself is actually just doing his job as a security guard.His role is made bigger through no fault of his.He never claims to be either 'father' or guardian to either of them.Indeed when Vinod accuses him of not being there during the robbery, his answer is an almost pleading and honest protest and defence of his role.Therefore, I agree with this assessment to only a small extent.

2 quotes from the book are :

"You are the guardian!"
(Act 5, Scene I, pg 113)

"We are your children.You're not our father?"
(Act 5, Scene I, pg 113)

5. "Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyatta" means to "Give, Sympathise, Control". How did the major characters in the play exert control in their environment and/or their lives? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Vinod's presumptuous air of superiority pushes him to reject Saloma when she became stronger than him.Instead of bein happy for Saloma when she finally makes progress to be reintegrated into society, Vinod becomes unhappy, even distraught. He hurts her by hurling insults and discouraging her. Instead of applauding her effort, he reminds her acidly that she was the one who rekected the world in the first place, and rells her point-blank that she cannot live like other people because she is not normal to begin with.When Saloma tries to reason that people like her and Vinod can because of God's help, Vinod tells her that there is no such thing as God or heaven; people turn into worse than nothing because there is no afterlife.Vinod is so angry because he cannot believe in God. He no longer has faith and he abhors the fact that Saloma's faith is making her strong. He is so frustrated that he is angry with her, together with the rest of the world he hates.He admits to Saloma that he does not want her to become better, and actually feels happy having it said.Even when Saloma continues to extend her hand of friendship, offering help in job-hunting because Vinod has been dismissed wrom work, Vinod just does not want to care.He is fatalistic and resigns to the fact that he will never fit in society.His hurt from society has channelled his efforts into rejecting society.Now that Saloma is embracing the society, he feels immense disappointment and channels his efforts towards rejecting her as well.After the robbery, Vinod had insulted her and abused her by pulling her hair, hitting her and causing her to cry.Thus, showing how Vinod exerted control in his environment and his life.For Saloma, she exerted control in her environment and her life by taking her medication and finding a job, even though her mother, MAK, had said no to both of what she was doing and what she wanted to do.Therefore, showing how the major characters in the play exerted control in their environmend and/or their lives.

2 quotes from the book are :

"Then why you want to control me?"
(Act 5, Scene II, pg 129)

"I want to work.Then I can give money to you."
(Act 5, Scene II, pg 125)

6. Based on the text Off Centre, discuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.

Based on the text Off Centre, peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.For peer acceptance, it is needed for people to believe in themself and be brave.It is espically important for people with mental problems.Without peer acceptance, they may feel rejected from society and be stress.If they get too stressed, instead of getting better, they might fall deeper into their illness, such as depression or schizophrenia.For people without any mental illness, they need peer acceptance to feel reassured and to be encouraged to do better in things such as exams and presentations.Family support is also very important as children might need reassurance from parents.They will also need the support and guidance from their family so that they won't stray off the path and so things such as stealing and lying.If they were to be thrown to jail in the future, they might be stressed, leading to mental illnesses and affecting their mental well-being as well.Therefore, peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.

2 quotes from the book are :

"I want to work.Then I can give money to you."
(Act 5, Scene II, pg 125)

"Vinod, they love you.They want you to study because you are smart."
(Act 5, Scene IV, pg 134)

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posted by PeArLyN @ 9:49 PM 0 Comments