Short story: Tragedy of My Third Eye by Suchen Christine Lim

1. Compare the story: "Tragedy of My Third Eye" by Suchen Christine Lim with the news about child abuse in the newspaper.

I have read the story: Tragedy of My Third Eye, written by Suchen Christine Lim. The story is interesting. I do really like and enjoy myself reading the story. It is about a girl named Ping. She is a kind of girl that can be said as a pity or sympathy young girl because of she always was being bullied and discriminates by the people around her like her schoolmates, teacher and also by the women that she called as her mother. From the story, we can found the reason why she was bullied by her classmate who is because of she couldn’t speak English and refused to be Linda’s slave. Because of that also, she was being ignored and excluded by her other classmates and also was being heated and disdainful by Linda’s father because of her mother’s occupation, which is something like a prostitute. I can’t say that, Ping was abused by her mother, but there is a scene in the story where while her mother bathes her where she threw cold water over her and also at part where she was being forced to eat. I think that part it can’t be said as child abuse because child abuse is something that hurt you. For my opinion, that part is just like a normal actions from mother towards her daughter. But, I’m also do not like her mother because she didn’t play her role as a mother like preparing her breakfast, sent and took her to school because of she still young and it is quite dangerous for a young girl like her walking alone by herself to school. Although for me she did not abuse Ping, but she still not a good and nice women to be followed or take as example for the young generations, especially towards Ping.

I have picked news that about a child abuse from the internet, which is an article from New York Region. The news is about Nixzmary, the 7-year-old girl whose killing in 2006 horrified New Yorkers and upset the city’s child welfare system, was mainly assaulted by her stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, 29. She lived with Ms. Santiago’s five other children and the couple in a three-bedroom apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She was the family scapegoat and was frequently eaten and tied to a chair in a room equipped with a litter box for a toilet. One evening in early January 2006, she was accused of taking a container of pudding from the refrigerator without asking and of jamming Mr. Rodriguez’s computer printer. He confronted her, beat her viciously, held her head under cold running water and left her in a bedroom. A few hours later she was dead. The last words of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, moaning in pain, gasping for air, were “Mommy, Mommy, and Mommy”. When Ms. Santiago finally went to use a neighbor’s phone to call 911, Nixzmary had been dead for hours. Ms. Santiago is not, however, charged only with causing Nixzmary’s death. She could also be convicted of second-degree murder if the jury finds that Ms. Santiago, showing “depraved indifference” to Nixzmary’s life, helped Mr. Rodriguez create a “grave risk of serious physical injury” to her by failing to get her prompt medical attention. (Mr. Rodriguez, who was acquitted of second-degree murder, was charged more narrowly.)

So, from the both story, what we can found is that I think the child abuse news, the second story is sadder and more inhumanity compared to the first story, “Tragedy of My Third Eye”, by Suchen Christine Lim. When I read the news, it really makes me sad and crying because of all the cruelty done towards the girl until her death. As a human being and the most important thing is that as a parent we should be protects our child and loves them, not torture and be cruel with them. My opinion towards this case is that the girl is really very pity and both of her parents should be punished as heavily as it supposed to be for what they had done to her. It is to avoid the same thing from happened again. We also as the people should be more concern and be alert with our surroundings, so that there is no other Childs or kids that are going to be the next victim for abusing case.

Short story: Victoria and Her Kimono by M. Shanmunghalingam

1. Describe about the language in Victoria and Her Kimono by M. Shanmughalingam

I have read this story, which entitled Victoria and Her Kimono, written by M. Shanmughalingam. I found that this story is quite interesting and not too bored. In this story the writer embrace a few cultures like Indian, English and Japanese. For my opinion, the style of writing in this story is quite interesting. This story is like a historical story which is happened during the Japanese and British colonial in Malaya. The language that were being used in this story is also not too hard to be understand. But, there are still some few words that I’m still need to find the meaning in the dictionary because I can’t guess the meaning from the sentence. At the beginning of the story is quite hard for me to understand, but after I’ve finished read the whole story, I’ve understand what is all about. Overall, there is not much high lexis word that was being used in this story, just a few words only. But, the language is not very complicated, mostly the writer just used the simple words and it is suitable for the level of Malaysian people to read it.

Malaysian english writers

1. Discuss about Malaysian English writer.


There are plenty of Malaysian English writer out there. Some of them are K.S Maniam, Che Husna Azahari and many more. From what can i say about our Malaysian English writers is that they are not that bad and all of them can be compared standing the same stage as the Singaporean writers. Each one of them have their own credibility and quality as a writer. What make our writers can stands the same stage as the Singaporean writers is that their works or their writings itself. Most of our writers had received some awards in the international level for their impressive and wonderful works in writings. Our Malaysian writers also we can see that majority of them comes from a very good background of education and most of them got their qualification from the overseas universities. So, we can't say that our Malaysian English writers are lower standard compared to Singaporean writers. Now, we talk about their style of writings. Based on what i have read, our Malaysian writers are very concern and understand about their viewers or readers which is the Malaysian peoples, where they know how to write their story based on the standard or level for Malaysian people. Although they used the simple words and sentences in their writing, but they managed to composed or wrote a very wonderful and excellence story, which leads them to winning some awards in the international level. From what I can see ,our Malaysian English writers also like to wrote stories about the real life or situation that happened in our society, which is based on what happened among the Malaysian people itself. Maybe they want to exposed and share with the people out there more about our country Malaysia, maybe more on the aspects of its people, culture and so on. Overall, i think we should proud of our Malaysian English writers for what they have done towards on increased up our country name in the international level. We also should give them full supports and encourage them to keep up their good works and also their efforts on up hold our Malaysian writers to be well known throughout the world.

Discuss about polygamy

From my understanding, polygamy here means that a man married with more than one woman. In Islam, man is allowed to polygamy, but with limitation that men can only have up to four wives at any one time. Although men are allowed to polygamy, but they must deal with their wives as fairly as possible, doing everything that they can to spend equal amounts of time and money on each one of them. Usually, the wives have little to no contact with each other and lead separate, individual lives in their own houses, and sometimes in different cities, though they all share the same husband. For me, there are advantages and disadvantages in polygamy itself. Personally, I don't like polygamy even sometimes it gives benefits to us, especially towards women itself. It is because from what I can see, men nowadays do not practice the real concept of polygamy. Most of them can't play their role as fairly as they should among their wives. Usually, they married because of they want to fulfill their desire towards women. Other than that, nowadays we also can see that the women or the wife, spent less time with their husband because of their husband has to spare his time with other wives. So, the wife can be said that she got less attention and of course will get jealous with other wives too and this leads to misunderstanding and inconvenience feelings among the wives. Me myself also, will get jealous and can't just stand there, see my husband laughing, smiling, and hugging and so on with other women although they are in legal relationship. I have to admit that, polygamy also has its advantages itself likes the women itself are being protected, respects and loved by the men. Honestly, I can't accept polygamy in my life, but I'll try my best to accept it, if the men can really be fair and responsible in doing his role as a husband among all his wives and if it is purposely to protect the women itself.

Short story : Mala by K.S. Maniam

1. Do you think Mala loves Sanker & Sanker also loves Mala?

From my opinion, both Mala and Sanker love towards each other. As we know that she married with Sanker is because she could not stand with people that always talked a bad things about her and that makes her family, especially her parents felt ashamed and mad with her. Therefore, to stop all those things from happened again, she take a decision by married with Sanker although her parents do not agree with the marriage. But, there is a part in the story stated that before Mala got married, she said that there's was a certain breeziness about Sanker that she liked, likes his confidence and sense of responsibility. At the end of the story also stated that she also want to have baby. Therefore, from there we can see that there is a feeling towards Sanker, maybe a little feeling of love. Then, from Sanker side, I think he also loves Mala. Although they never met and know each other very well before they got married, but from the story, we can see that Sanker does not hate Mala. Instead, he cares about Mala and he ever said to Mala after they moved to Kuala Lumpur that their life would change after they have more money. Therefore, there is a promise from Sanker to Mala shows that he is cares and responsible toward Mala life and means that he does not want Mala to have a difficult and hard life when living with him. Sanker also ever said to Mala that they would have children when they are better off and it shows that Sanker really valued their marriage. If he does not love Mala, he will never mention about having children. There is also a part where Sanker persuaded Mala that she must learn to take care of herself when he was absent and it shows his worried and concern towards Mala. Other than that, to show that Sanker loves Mala is after they had a quarrel on a night, Sanker willingly pleaded Mala on the next morning. For the conclusion, there are many evidences shows that they love each other and they still can develop the feeling of love in their life day after day.

2. Predict the story..

After hang out with Lucy, she went back home. At home, Sanker already is waiting for her and ask for a talk. Then, he say sorry and apologized for what had happened yesterday and Mala also do the same thing. After that, they continued their life like usually, Mala doing her works and become better than before and Sanker become busier with his new projects. Day by day and time passing by very quickly. It has been two years they have been married. Sanker’s business has already become successful. They had moved to a new place, in their own house. Sanker bought a big bungalow and a new car for Mala. He also bought Mala new clothes and brought her for a vacation or also called as honeymoon. Mala also already has her own business and become a very successful businesswomen like her husband, Sanker. Both of them busy with their own jobs. Now, they had a better and happy life. They become happier when the doctor says that Mala was pregnant. Nine months later, Mala give her birth and they were gifted a baby girl. Since then, Sanker always spend his time with his family. Then, they also always went back home to their hometown or village to visit their family. Mala’s family also felt happy to see they live in a nice and comfortable life and the people there also do not say bad things about her anymore. Then, Mala and Sanker lives happy ever after with their new family.

Short Story - Hungry Ghost by Hwee Hwee Tan

We were both searching for the same thing, me through my books, and him…I guess he wanted me to relieve from the agony of hell by offering him food, hugging his grave…(pg 65).

1. What was the narrator searching for?

I think the narrator is searching for the truth about the life after death and the forgiveness for all the bad things or sins that was done by the narrator during her life after death, so that her fear is lost and she is not going into or relieved from the hell. It is because the narrator knows that he is going to the hell because he stole something in her life. Same things goes to her grandfather where he wants the narrator to relieve him from the agony of hell by offering him food, hugging his grave and burning money for him to spend. So, that’s what I think the narrator is searching for.

2. In your perception, why does the grandfather…..“wanted me to relieve him..” and relieve from what?

From my opinion, the grandfather says “wanted me to relieve him” is because the grandfather has told the narrator about the punishments on every sin that was done by the human after death. So that, the grandfather hopes the narrator already understand about what he is going to tell or explain by bring the narrator to all the places and will helped him relieved from the hell after he died to avoid him go through all the punishments in the hell.

3. What do “offering food”, “hugging grave” and “burning money” symbolize?

From the story, “offering foods” symbolize for prepare the death person favorite foods for them to eat after they died like what the narrator’s mother did to her grandfather where her mother prepared all her grandfather’s favorite foods like Bee Hoon: hard-boiled eggs soaked in soy sauce, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Guiness Stout by place the foods on the altar for her grandfather to eat. Next, “hugging grave” here symbolize for a pray for the dead person like what the narrator’s grandfather wants her to do to him after he died which is to relieved him from the agony of the hell. Then, “burning money” is symbolized as pocket money for the dead person to spend on during their vacation on earth. For example, the narrator’s mother will light on each of ghost money one by one from the temple, then drop the burning paper into an empty Graham Crackers tin for her grandfather to buy new clothes, a car and a condominium. All those things are usually done during the Hungry Ghost Festival which was celebrated every August by the Chinese people because there is a believed that the dead person was released from the hell to enjoy themselves on earth for a month.

Short Story - The Interview by Gopal Baratham

1. According to Mason, “Deprivation is largely an attitude of mind”. Discuss this quote by Mason and describe what deprives you?

From my opinion, what Mason means by ”Deprivation is largely an attitude of mind" is our mind plays a very important roles when someone or himself faced with hardship, especially when you're been a Japanese prisoner of war where all your needs were taken away from you. It can be say also as our mind set when we face with difficulties and suffers like our freedom, foods and etc that were taken away from Mason by the Japanese army. On that kind of situation, we must thinks positive, be patient and do not easy surrender or give up because we need to stay calm and strong to keep on our life even though you’re not very sure about your future or your life after this whether you’re going to die or been released by the Japanese or not. It is because when something that you needed in your life like foods were taken away from you, it makes your mind weak and or can be said that it’s controlled your mind. So, it makes you can’t think wisely and rationally because you don’t get the energy and power to keep on your life and keep thinking on how you’re going to survive from that place. So, I think that are what Mason mean by that sentence.

2. Mason also realizes that “how little is really absolute necessary for life and even happiness”. What “necessary” for Mason’s life at that time? What is necessary for you to have in life?

From my opinion, “necessary” here means your needs in life such as foods, drinks, clothes, living, freedom and etc or can be said as a lifestyle. It is because in the real life, I mean not during the war period of time, we’re sometimes don’t think about the important of those things in our life. Sometimes, we as a human never felt grateful of what have been given or rewarded to us. For example, me, myself sometimes like to waste my foods when I eat it. So, the situations become very different when you’re in the war or prison when all those things were taken away from you. Then you’ll realize how much you need and important of those entire things in your life on that time. For me, the necessary in my life are as usually that people needs likes foods, drinks, clothes, living, peace, freedom and etc. For me, all those things are really important because we do really need all those in this century. As we all know, we needs foods and drinks because we needs energy to keep on our live. Other than that, we need living because of we need a place to live in to avoid us from danger. We also needs peace and freedom, so that we can perform or carry out our daily activity as a human being in this world to make sure that we get a good or better life for ourselves or our family. We also free to do anything and go everywhere that we want if there is peace and freedom in our life. For example, like what had happened in Iraq, people there live in scared and suffered because there’s no peace in their country. So, they can’t do their daily activity likes going to job because afraid that they might be killed while they’re on their way to their office. So, from here we can see that it is really important or necessary to have peace and freedom in our life nowadays.