I woke up one morning sweating and decided to sleep flat on the floor. I woke up a few hours later, with drippings from my nose. I quickly wipe it with the back of my hand and thinking it is just the allergic reactions that I normally had.
Until late in the afternoon, I realized that my little drippings has turned into a full blast cold and I have been sneezing like crazy. At that point of time I wish I can leave my nose near the gutter and let it drips for as long as it wants too. As night falls, I feel horrible because my body starts aching and check my body temperature, it shows that I am having a fever. Worst still, the next day I am having my final exam and I am not fully prepared. Thank god, my friend is willing to drop by with her WIRA and picks me up to sit for the exam because when I wake up in the morning, I don't feel good at all and the exam hall is blocks away from my apartment.
That is the second day of my ordeal with the cold, fever and final exam. I have been fighting, tossing and turn on my bed for 5 days now and still the fever has not left me. Now I am suffering from minor sore throat and my stomach is rumbling wanting to be filled in with food. With everything nearby is closed.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Words of wisdom to remember
There are several accounts in life that would make my life easier if I abide by the word of wisdom. It cuts the chase and save myself from being hurt by others. Some of the words of wisdoms are..
1. Marriage is a base to a stronger relationship.
My dad once told me that holy matrimony and blessings from parents from both sides are important to build a stronger relationship. If the base is not strong enough, how can it support other things that will be built on it. He was right. My marriage run into trouble a few months after we got married and collapsed before it hits 3 years.
2. Your friends reflected your attitude
My friends colour my world in many ways. I become lazy, stronger, happy and sad most likely because of them. They are also leaving behind big scars and happy moments in my life. I am pretty much influenced by my friends directly and indirectly. To be safe, it is not wrong to painstakingly select who are my best friends.
3. If your friend talk bad about others, he / she may likely be talking bad about you as well. Keep your distance from this type of person. A real back-stabber.
4. To those muslim, do not leave your 5 times a day prayer. If you keep in touch with god, he will always keep in touch with you. You will always be look up high by others. But if you forget him, he will forget about you and your level is far lower than those animals and are not worth of any respect. A rich merchant from Indonesia leave me with this advice and I do appreaciate and remember it until now.
5. If your friend did not stand beside you. Then she / he is not your friend. A friend will always support each other.
I'll add some more... later
1. Marriage is a base to a stronger relationship.
My dad once told me that holy matrimony and blessings from parents from both sides are important to build a stronger relationship. If the base is not strong enough, how can it support other things that will be built on it. He was right. My marriage run into trouble a few months after we got married and collapsed before it hits 3 years.
2. Your friends reflected your attitude
My friends colour my world in many ways. I become lazy, stronger, happy and sad most likely because of them. They are also leaving behind big scars and happy moments in my life. I am pretty much influenced by my friends directly and indirectly. To be safe, it is not wrong to painstakingly select who are my best friends.
3. If your friend talk bad about others, he / she may likely be talking bad about you as well. Keep your distance from this type of person. A real back-stabber.
4. To those muslim, do not leave your 5 times a day prayer. If you keep in touch with god, he will always keep in touch with you. You will always be look up high by others. But if you forget him, he will forget about you and your level is far lower than those animals and are not worth of any respect. A rich merchant from Indonesia leave me with this advice and I do appreaciate and remember it until now.
5. If your friend did not stand beside you. Then she / he is not your friend. A friend will always support each other.
I'll add some more... later
My first day in UNISEL
After knowing that my husband was held in police custody. My world simply falls apart and I am tired of all the excuses that he gave. I am penniless and exhausted mentally and physically. I need a break from all the torments that I received ever since we got married.
I took a daring and drastic decision. I am leaving my job, my little baby to further my studies in Unisel. I only have RM300.00 and the university required me to pay an amount of RM1270 for the tuition fees and three months hostel rent. I gambled and went to Selangor by train on 26 July 2005.
I arrived in Rawang train station around 5.40 a.m. and waited until 7.00 before walking slowly to the bus stop. When I arrived at the bus station, the bus driver told me to catch a bus in Sungai Buloh. I took a 'commuter train' to Sungai Buloh and learn from the staff at the train station that I have to cross a busy 6 line street to get to small and dilapidated bus stop across the road.
As I try to cross the busy street. An 'Aka' help me to walk together quickly across the road. There I met an indian uncle sending his son to further his study in 'Biotechnology'. Together we went to Unisel catching the same bus and same taxi until we finally reached the registration hall.
Over there the uncle waited for our luggage since we are not allowed to bring in parents and our luggage with us. There are long queues and I waited patiently though I am obviously tired from the overnight journey.
I begged the bursar officer to let me register with only RM150 paid cash and promised him to pay once I received my salary and withdraw cash from the Employee Provident Fund. He finally agreed. I got myself registered and went to my room. The hostels are beautiful, I love the apartment once I saw it.
When I arrived, my roomate is already there. Her family is very friendly to me and nice. They help me returned to the train station and catch the train that night. They even pay for my dinner and bought some fruits as a gift for my mother.
I arrived home at 7.00 a.m. and went to work as usual. Two days later I resigned officially from my post and went to Unisel as a student. Starting 1st August 2005, mark my first day in class as a student.
I took a daring and drastic decision. I am leaving my job, my little baby to further my studies in Unisel. I only have RM300.00 and the university required me to pay an amount of RM1270 for the tuition fees and three months hostel rent. I gambled and went to Selangor by train on 26 July 2005.
I arrived in Rawang train station around 5.40 a.m. and waited until 7.00 before walking slowly to the bus stop. When I arrived at the bus station, the bus driver told me to catch a bus in Sungai Buloh. I took a 'commuter train' to Sungai Buloh and learn from the staff at the train station that I have to cross a busy 6 line street to get to small and dilapidated bus stop across the road.
As I try to cross the busy street. An 'Aka' help me to walk together quickly across the road. There I met an indian uncle sending his son to further his study in 'Biotechnology'. Together we went to Unisel catching the same bus and same taxi until we finally reached the registration hall.
Over there the uncle waited for our luggage since we are not allowed to bring in parents and our luggage with us. There are long queues and I waited patiently though I am obviously tired from the overnight journey.
I begged the bursar officer to let me register with only RM150 paid cash and promised him to pay once I received my salary and withdraw cash from the Employee Provident Fund. He finally agreed. I got myself registered and went to my room. The hostels are beautiful, I love the apartment once I saw it.
When I arrived, my roomate is already there. Her family is very friendly to me and nice. They help me returned to the train station and catch the train that night. They even pay for my dinner and bought some fruits as a gift for my mother.
I arrived home at 7.00 a.m. and went to work as usual. Two days later I resigned officially from my post and went to Unisel as a student. Starting 1st August 2005, mark my first day in class as a student.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Poem analysis for My Mother
The tone for the poem ‘For My Mother’ is regret. The daughter is regretting that she could not be with his mother because she is busy with her job. This is can be seen in stanza two from the first line until the last line of the stanza. ‘ A different daughter, or mother, would surely have shared a life of common happiness’. The second tone for this poem is a tone of appreciation. The daughter appreciates her mother and tries not to hurt her feelings. This is stated in stanza one, line one to seventeen. ‘ I sent a letter, careful to say nothing….’.
There are two imageries in this poem. The first imagery is sight which is in stanza one, line eight and eleven,(see). The second imagery is auditory, the word ‘talk’. This is stated in stanza three, line four,(talks).
There are five symbols in this poem. The first symbol is a symbol of rememberance that is symbolizes through letter. This can be seen stanza one, line one “I sent a letter”. The second symbol is check which symbolizes the love and care or as a caregiver. This is stated in stanza one, line five, “I sent a check”. The third symbol is the symbol of memory and rememberance. The fourth symbol is hemming that can be found in stanza three, line six “hemming the days..”. The word hemming means sewing or putting things together by sewing them. In this poem, the narrator is doing all the chores so that by the end of the day, everything will end well and to make sure that everything goes on smoothly. The last symbol in this poem is the word “seed”, stated in stanza three, line ten to eleven “another day, gone to seed” which means that there are another day to start.
There are two imageries in this poem. The first imagery is sight which is in stanza one, line eight and eleven,(see). The second imagery is auditory, the word ‘talk’. This is stated in stanza three, line four,(talks).
There are five symbols in this poem. The first symbol is a symbol of rememberance that is symbolizes through letter. This can be seen stanza one, line one “I sent a letter”. The second symbol is check which symbolizes the love and care or as a caregiver. This is stated in stanza one, line five, “I sent a check”. The third symbol is the symbol of memory and rememberance. The fourth symbol is hemming that can be found in stanza three, line six “hemming the days..”. The word hemming means sewing or putting things together by sewing them. In this poem, the narrator is doing all the chores so that by the end of the day, everything will end well and to make sure that everything goes on smoothly. The last symbol in this poem is the word “seed”, stated in stanza three, line ten to eleven “another day, gone to seed” which means that there are another day to start.
Industry versus Inferiority
This is the fourth stage in Erikson’s psychological task. This stage Erikson sometimes referred to as asexual or the latency period. In this stage the children began to have the development of a sense of competence or industry, they are absorbing in the ‘tool world’ of their culture or also known as the workaday world – which prepares them the learning experiences they gained nurtured with the help of cooperative peers and instructive adults. Children operating at t
In the previous stage, children like to experiment with new things around them but in this stage, the children become industrious and will try to accomplish their task successfully and wanted to gain recognition for creating new things. Children at this stage focused on accomplishing their tasks correctly. The problems that might arise in this stage are, some children might leave the age level from six to eleven years old without this sense of industry. They might have the feeling of failure at everything. The feeling of failure includes academic achievement, hobby, sports, positive relationship with teacher and developing friendship. For example, it is important to develop positive peer relationships. Peer rejection tends to carry over from primary school age to secondary school and it may later among the factor that become the factors in academic difficulties and problem in adjusting themselves later in life. This social skills and attention to social problem solving may contribute to developing student competence in making friends and developing social skills. Another problems that might occur at this stage is the crisis of inferiority when they children perceive their skills or status among peers to be inadequate. This perception arises because of failures at establishing competence in some specialized way such as establishing friendship. Inferiority can also yield regression to the hopelessness of over-concern about the opposite-sex parents. The success of the inferiority will lead to an obsession with work, which gives the children the status and identity. As quoted from Erikson, “If the overly conforming child accepts work as the only criterion of worthwhileness, sacrificing too readily his imagination and playfulness, he may as an adult become a slave of his technology. (Erikson, 1968a, p. 289). When the children have developed some sense of competence, the children are then ready to cooperate in some part of the culture that surround them.
In the previous stage, children like to experiment with new things around them but in this stage, the children become industrious and will try to accomplish their task successfully and wanted to gain recognition for creating new things. Children at this stage focused on accomplishing their tasks correctly. The problems that might arise in this stage are, some children might leave the age level from six to eleven years old without this sense of industry. They might have the feeling of failure at everything. The feeling of failure includes academic achievement, hobby, sports, positive relationship with teacher and developing friendship. For example, it is important to develop positive peer relationships. Peer rejection tends to carry over from primary school age to secondary school and it may later among the factor that become the factors in academic difficulties and problem in adjusting themselves later in life. This social skills and attention to social problem solving may contribute to developing student competence in making friends and developing social skills. Another problems that might occur at this stage is the crisis of inferiority when they children perceive their skills or status among peers to be inadequate. This perception arises because of failures at establishing competence in some specialized way such as establishing friendship. Inferiority can also yield regression to the hopelessness of over-concern about the opposite-sex parents. The success of the inferiority will lead to an obsession with work, which gives the children the status and identity. As quoted from Erikson, “If the overly conforming child accepts work as the only criterion of worthwhileness, sacrificing too readily his imagination and playfulness, he may as an adult become a slave of his technology. (Erikson, 1968a, p. 289). When the children have developed some sense of competence, the children are then ready to cooperate in some part of the culture that surround them.
Parenting Styles
As a future teacher, it is important for us to know the parenting styles of our students. Currently as studied by the researchers, there are two important differences among parents in the way they relate to their children.
First is their expectation and second is their responsiveness. Their expectations influence their children greatly. Some parents set high expectations on their children and want these expectations are met. Others set low expectations on their children and rarely encourage and support them by any means.
Second is parent’s responsiveness. Responsive parents will interact with their children frequently and try to accept the level of their children. On the other hand unresponsive parents tend to be rejecting or negative towards their children. Using expectations and responsiveness as a guide, researchers have identified four parenting styles and the patterns of personal development associated with them. Those are authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved.
Authoritative parents are firm but caring. They encourage children to be independent but still places limits and controls on their action. They explain reasons for rules, and are consistent. They have high expectations on their children. The characteristics of the children of the authoritative parents are with high self-esteem, confident and secure and willing to take risks and are usually successful in school. This type of parenting style combines both high expectation and responsiveness is the most effective for giving the children healthy and personal development. Authoritative parents provide their children with challenge, structure and support in their lives.
Authoritarian parents are usually stress conformity. They are restrictive and punitive and are detached from their children. They give out rules to their children but do not explain their reasons. They also place firm limits and controls on their children and allow little verbal exchange. These parents do not encourage their children to give verbal give-and-take. The characteristics of the children from this type of parents are usually withdrawn from their peers. They worry more about pleasing their parents than solving problems. They are usually are defiant and lack of social skills. They also tend to be anxious about social comparison, fail to initiate activity and with poor communication skills. Problem posed by this type of parenting is often miscommunication between parents and child. Authoritarian parents are rigid and often unable to communicate with their children and negative characteristics that are posed by these children as above.
Permissive parents or indulgent parenting style usually give their children a total freedom. They are highly involved with their children but place few limits or restrictions on their behaviours. They have limited expectations of their children and make few demands on the children. These parents will often let their children do what they want to and get to do it their way because they believe the combination of nurturant support and lack of restraints will produce a creative, confident child. The characteristics of their children are usually immature and lack of self-control. They are usually impulsive and unmotivated in class. Problem posed by this type of parenting is, they are emotionally responsive but fail to set and maintain high expectations on their children. In result these children will usually don’t learn to control their own behaviour and the parents too do not take into account the development of the whole child.
Uninvolved parents usually have little interest in their children’s life. They do not involved in their children’s lives. They hold few expectations on their children. The characteristics of these children are lack of self-control and long-term goals. They also hold the belief that other aspects of their parents’ lives are more important than they are. They are easily frustrated and disobedient in class. Problem posed by this type of parents is that the parents aren’t providing neither structure nor emotional support. The children of neglectful parents usually are socially incompetent in which they have poor self-control, don’t handle their independence well and aren’t achievement motivated.
Children that grow in a healthy parent-child relationship will promote personal development by helping children acquire a sense of autonomy, competence and belongings. This type of relationship also support the development of personal responsibility where one possess the ability to control one’s own action based on developing values and goals. According to W. Doyle (1986), the interaction styles of effective teachers are similar to those of effective parents, and the description of authoritative parenting strongly parallels recommended classroom management practices for teachers. These teachers will usually have high expectations for their students, but they’re simultaneously supportive. Like authoritative parents, these teachers are firm but caring to their students. They establish rules and limits and they expect their students to develop and practice self-control.
Bibliography
1. Santrock, John W. (2001) Educational Psychology. Mc-Graw Hill : Boston p. 86 – 89.
First is their expectation and second is their responsiveness. Their expectations influence their children greatly. Some parents set high expectations on their children and want these expectations are met. Others set low expectations on their children and rarely encourage and support them by any means.
Second is parent’s responsiveness. Responsive parents will interact with their children frequently and try to accept the level of their children. On the other hand unresponsive parents tend to be rejecting or negative towards their children. Using expectations and responsiveness as a guide, researchers have identified four parenting styles and the patterns of personal development associated with them. Those are authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved.
Authoritative parents are firm but caring. They encourage children to be independent but still places limits and controls on their action. They explain reasons for rules, and are consistent. They have high expectations on their children. The characteristics of the children of the authoritative parents are with high self-esteem, confident and secure and willing to take risks and are usually successful in school. This type of parenting style combines both high expectation and responsiveness is the most effective for giving the children healthy and personal development. Authoritative parents provide their children with challenge, structure and support in their lives.
Authoritarian parents are usually stress conformity. They are restrictive and punitive and are detached from their children. They give out rules to their children but do not explain their reasons. They also place firm limits and controls on their children and allow little verbal exchange. These parents do not encourage their children to give verbal give-and-take. The characteristics of the children from this type of parents are usually withdrawn from their peers. They worry more about pleasing their parents than solving problems. They are usually are defiant and lack of social skills. They also tend to be anxious about social comparison, fail to initiate activity and with poor communication skills. Problem posed by this type of parenting is often miscommunication between parents and child. Authoritarian parents are rigid and often unable to communicate with their children and negative characteristics that are posed by these children as above.
Permissive parents or indulgent parenting style usually give their children a total freedom. They are highly involved with their children but place few limits or restrictions on their behaviours. They have limited expectations of their children and make few demands on the children. These parents will often let their children do what they want to and get to do it their way because they believe the combination of nurturant support and lack of restraints will produce a creative, confident child. The characteristics of their children are usually immature and lack of self-control. They are usually impulsive and unmotivated in class. Problem posed by this type of parenting is, they are emotionally responsive but fail to set and maintain high expectations on their children. In result these children will usually don’t learn to control their own behaviour and the parents too do not take into account the development of the whole child.
Uninvolved parents usually have little interest in their children’s life. They do not involved in their children’s lives. They hold few expectations on their children. The characteristics of these children are lack of self-control and long-term goals. They also hold the belief that other aspects of their parents’ lives are more important than they are. They are easily frustrated and disobedient in class. Problem posed by this type of parents is that the parents aren’t providing neither structure nor emotional support. The children of neglectful parents usually are socially incompetent in which they have poor self-control, don’t handle their independence well and aren’t achievement motivated.
Children that grow in a healthy parent-child relationship will promote personal development by helping children acquire a sense of autonomy, competence and belongings. This type of relationship also support the development of personal responsibility where one possess the ability to control one’s own action based on developing values and goals. According to W. Doyle (1986), the interaction styles of effective teachers are similar to those of effective parents, and the description of authoritative parenting strongly parallels recommended classroom management practices for teachers. These teachers will usually have high expectations for their students, but they’re simultaneously supportive. Like authoritative parents, these teachers are firm but caring to their students. They establish rules and limits and they expect their students to develop and practice self-control.
Bibliography
1. Santrock, John W. (2001) Educational Psychology. Mc-Graw Hill : Boston p. 86 – 89.
Basic Grammar Rules
There is a rule for every structure in English.
Direct object can exchange places with indirect object.
Never put an adverb between a verb and its direct object.
Adverb of frequency is always after the verb to be.
Adverb of frequency often go between the subject and the verb.
Adverb of frequency should always go between the main verb and its auxiliary verb or between two auxiliaries.
At the end of the line, its manner, place and time.
Travel verb use place, manner and time.
Use the most precise adverb first.
Word order for adjectives are opinion, shape, age, colour, origin and material.
Adjective of the same type should be separated by ‘and’.
When there are more than 2 adjectives of the same type ‘and’ should be placed before the last adjective.
Adjective (but not adverb) can follow ‘be’, ‘become’ and verbs of perceptions.
Adverb can be used before adjective as intensifiers.
I is the subject.
The object is me.
Talk about the other person first.
Use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are the same.
Use ‘since’ for a point in time.
Use ‘for’ for a period of time.
Direct object can exchange places with indirect object.
Never put an adverb between a verb and its direct object.
Adverb of frequency is always after the verb to be.
Adverb of frequency often go between the subject and the verb.
Adverb of frequency should always go between the main verb and its auxiliary verb or between two auxiliaries.
At the end of the line, its manner, place and time.
Travel verb use place, manner and time.
Use the most precise adverb first.
Word order for adjectives are opinion, shape, age, colour, origin and material.
Adjective of the same type should be separated by ‘and’.
When there are more than 2 adjectives of the same type ‘and’ should be placed before the last adjective.
Adjective (but not adverb) can follow ‘be’, ‘become’ and verbs of perceptions.
Adverb can be used before adjective as intensifiers.
I is the subject.
The object is me.
Talk about the other person first.
Use reflexive pronouns when the subject and object are the same.
Use ‘since’ for a point in time.
Use ‘for’ for a period of time.
Analysis on a Quid of Sirih and a Bowl of Water
The story ‘A Quid of Sirih and a Bowl of Water’ is a story about a family of pawang with a son who is studying medicine in the university to be a doctor one day. The setting, the symbol of a pawang and the conflict that occurs between the father and son about modern versus traditional healing has conveyed a deeper thought. When analyzing the story, our group found several interesting ideas that we would like to share regarding the time and the setting of the story, the kampung malay lifestyles, the father and son character, modern versus traditional and the element of irony in the story.
The story was written long ago somewhere during the time when the development of science and technology is being introduced and taking place in the society. Modernism at that time is unavailable in the kampong, the setting in this story, due to lack of basic infrastructure such as roads and telephone access in rural areas. Although the kampong people are lack of these basic needs, they go to clinics and hospitals in the cities if they have the means usually some amount of money. Farid, one of the characters in the story, manage to go to school and later further his studies in the university. This shows that kampong people are accepting the modern advancement and yet still holding to their belief in pawang. We can guess that it take place long time ago. This can be seen in page 95, paragraph 5, line 1, “Father! I want twenty-cents to buy a book and pencil.” From this sentence, it suggest to us the time it happen somewhere down in the past when books and pencils can be bought at only 20 cents.
The lifestyles of the local kampong people can be seen through their daily activities and meal. The foods are of original Malay dishes such as daging rebung, roasted chicken, yellow pulut. These meals are easy to get within their community and if they were to buy those items, it would cost less. The writer probably wants show that people during that time are not yet influenced by the ‘fast food culture’ where the dishes are homemade and they are people of limited means. Their daily activities such as rearing chicken as part of their income and source for food. They also cultivate greens in the orchard (kebun) and smoke local cigarettes that can be seen in page 95, paragraph 11, line 2,
“The old man was calmly rolling a palm leaf cigrette.”
They also practices helping between one another as part of their lifestyles, as quoted in page 96, paragraph 12, line 2,
“Give whatever help I can. Isn’t that our way in the kampong? Always helping one another?”
As we look into their daily lifestyles, we realized that these people are going through a hard time earning their money. Yet the money that they got is very limited to support themselves and their family.
The climax of the story is the conflict that occurs between Farid and his father. As we examined it closely the conflict might have sparked from the humiliation he received from the teacher when he was in school long time ago. This can be seen in page 94, paragraph 6, line 2.
“Last time it was you who made fun of me. “Son of Pak Seman the water-seller. Don’t believe in pawangs. They’re all quacks…”
The conflict also occurs because of Farid’s attitude of being such a self-centered person. He only think about himself worried so much as to what people might think or say about him being a doctor while his father is ‘pawang’ and feel ashamed to have a ‘pawang’ for a father. Page 96, paragraph 2, line 4.
‘“Think a little, father. What will people say. I want to be a doctor. And here you are – a ‘pawang’! Doesn’t the conflict between your world and mine bother you at all?” He took a deep breath.
“So you are ashamed to have a ‘pawang’ for a father?” retorted Pak Seman. There is a hint of mockery in his smile.
Farid was silent for a while. He felt like telling him frankly, “Yes, I am.”’
As quoted in the paragraph above, it shows that he is not just rude and ungrateful by looking down at his own father. He is also a contrast to his father’s character. His father cares for his family and people around him such as the teacher and the kampong people. Farid on the other hand being self-centered and ignorant, he fails to see that his father’s job do more than citing verses to a bowl of water’ His father is a responsible, kind hearted and generous man. His job as a ‘pawang’ is a source of income to the family and helps those villagers who are in need. He did not set any payment but accepted any alms given by these people. This shows that Farid failed to recognize the good intention that his father had offered to the villagers all this while. He also failed to see that his father become ‘pawang’ as one way to support the family which sends him to the university. In another word he is carrying out his responsibility as the head of the family and function as a good villager.
The conflict also arises due to Farid’s ignorance of his father’s job as ‘pawang’. Several misunderstandings of the son regarding his father’s job as ‘pawang’ can be seen from the way he define the ‘pawang’ job. He thinks that what his father is saying are bunch of nonsense. As quoted in page 94, paragraph 16, line 2,
‘Pak Seman had finished his incantations. Whatever it was been muttering Farid did not bother to find out. Most likely some silly verses, he thought.”
To him his father also promotes superstitions among the villagers, as in page 97, paragraph 2, line 1,
‘“But why encourage their superstition?”’
Due to his lack of knowledge about his father being a ‘pawang’, he also sees his own father as a threat. He thinks that his father’s job as ‘pawang’ will only serves to hinder the progress made by the government like going to the clinic as seen in paragraph12, line 2,
“…your old-fashioned ways are preventing our kampung people from accepting changes.”
The story foreshadows the conflict that will occur in the story that is about logic versus beliefs, this can be seen in page 96, paragraph 2 line 1, when the mother tries to pacify his anger from not being able to get the chicken. She believes that if the dish ‘daging rebung’ is well prepared, it tastes similar to the roasted chicken. He snapped at his mother by saying that there is no logic at all. In the story later again the logic become the issue in comparing between his father’s job as ‘pawang’ with the medical technology that has been proven to cure diseases as can be seen in page 96, paragraph 7, line 1,
“We are living in the age of science and technology, not of magic and spells. Today we have hospitals. We have doctors. We have all kinds of medicine for all kinds of diseases. You can’t go on prescribing cold water anymore… Can’t you see there’s no logic in all this?”
In sequence to this part of the story, it brings us to the logic that justifies the reason behind his father’s job as ‘pawang’. The main theme in this part of the story is having trust in a person. In order for something to happen, one must believe and trust them. The father believes that his job as a ‘pawang’ can help the villagers to solve their problems, health and needs. He believes that it is also similar to the doctor’s aim that is to help their patient with their health problems. The only difference is that the ‘pawang’ serves in kampong where the doctors at that time serves in cities. If there is doctor in the kampong area, the doctor will also serve the same purpose that is to help the villagers. That is why Pak Seman is hoping that Farid will become a doctor one day and serves the villagers health’s need better than a ‘pawang’ like himself. But, it is the fate that decides in the end whether their effort is successful or not.
“To see you one day become a doctor. What I am doing is only temporary – while waiting for you to graduate.”
‘Pawang’ also becomes the symbol of hope. When all the helps from science and technology have no positive effects on them, they will turn to ‘pawang’ as their last resort to help them achieve their needs. This can be seen from page 94, paragraph 12, line 1,
“Farid did not waste any time. “All this is for someone, I suppose,” he asked cikgu Ali with a knowing smile.
“My sick child.” The reply was short. Cikgu could picture his child lying prostrate at home. His face darkened with anxiety.
“Have you taken him to the hospital?” Farid was really eager to know.
“I have,” he answered weakly.
And continuation in page 95, paragraph 2, line 1,
“Cikgu Ali nodded as he listen. He accepted the water reverence, hoping that it will cure his child.”
In the paragraphs quoted above clearly show how a teacher who is well respected and even mocked at Farid before turn to Farid’s father as his last hope to find a cure to his sick child. He only turn to Pak Seman with hope to cure the child when he had sent his child to the hospital but his child did not heal and therefore all the hope with the high technology is gone.
The villagers will also turn to ‘pawang’ when they are in hope of achieving something or need to put in some luck. This can be seen in page 100, paragraph2, line 1,
“Tumin has been accepted in the army,” declared Pak Dali proudly.
“How wonderful!” Remarked Mak Limah.
“May be it’s the blessing of your water,” Pak Dali laughed happily.
In these lines, we can see that the kampung headman turn to Pak Seman for some blessing for his son as an addition to their effort. He hoped that his wish to see his son to be accepted in the army will come true.
The writer closes the story with the element of irony in the story which is the a father, who is the bread sole winner of the family, that earns his living from becoming a pawang, sends his son to study medicine in university so that one day he will become a doctor and it turns that his son becomes ungrateful. Second, the ungrateful son who despises his father’s job as a ‘pawang’ relies on his father’s money to send him back to the university. As quoted in page 101, the last paragraph, line 1,
“My mumbo-jumbo conjured that up, if you want to know.”
The story was written long ago somewhere during the time when the development of science and technology is being introduced and taking place in the society. Modernism at that time is unavailable in the kampong, the setting in this story, due to lack of basic infrastructure such as roads and telephone access in rural areas. Although the kampong people are lack of these basic needs, they go to clinics and hospitals in the cities if they have the means usually some amount of money. Farid, one of the characters in the story, manage to go to school and later further his studies in the university. This shows that kampong people are accepting the modern advancement and yet still holding to their belief in pawang. We can guess that it take place long time ago. This can be seen in page 95, paragraph 5, line 1, “Father! I want twenty-cents to buy a book and pencil.” From this sentence, it suggest to us the time it happen somewhere down in the past when books and pencils can be bought at only 20 cents.
The lifestyles of the local kampong people can be seen through their daily activities and meal. The foods are of original Malay dishes such as daging rebung, roasted chicken, yellow pulut. These meals are easy to get within their community and if they were to buy those items, it would cost less. The writer probably wants show that people during that time are not yet influenced by the ‘fast food culture’ where the dishes are homemade and they are people of limited means. Their daily activities such as rearing chicken as part of their income and source for food. They also cultivate greens in the orchard (kebun) and smoke local cigarettes that can be seen in page 95, paragraph 11, line 2,
“The old man was calmly rolling a palm leaf cigrette.”
They also practices helping between one another as part of their lifestyles, as quoted in page 96, paragraph 12, line 2,
“Give whatever help I can. Isn’t that our way in the kampong? Always helping one another?”
As we look into their daily lifestyles, we realized that these people are going through a hard time earning their money. Yet the money that they got is very limited to support themselves and their family.
The climax of the story is the conflict that occurs between Farid and his father. As we examined it closely the conflict might have sparked from the humiliation he received from the teacher when he was in school long time ago. This can be seen in page 94, paragraph 6, line 2.
“Last time it was you who made fun of me. “Son of Pak Seman the water-seller. Don’t believe in pawangs. They’re all quacks…”
The conflict also occurs because of Farid’s attitude of being such a self-centered person. He only think about himself worried so much as to what people might think or say about him being a doctor while his father is ‘pawang’ and feel ashamed to have a ‘pawang’ for a father. Page 96, paragraph 2, line 4.
‘“Think a little, father. What will people say. I want to be a doctor. And here you are – a ‘pawang’! Doesn’t the conflict between your world and mine bother you at all?” He took a deep breath.
“So you are ashamed to have a ‘pawang’ for a father?” retorted Pak Seman. There is a hint of mockery in his smile.
Farid was silent for a while. He felt like telling him frankly, “Yes, I am.”’
As quoted in the paragraph above, it shows that he is not just rude and ungrateful by looking down at his own father. He is also a contrast to his father’s character. His father cares for his family and people around him such as the teacher and the kampong people. Farid on the other hand being self-centered and ignorant, he fails to see that his father’s job do more than citing verses to a bowl of water’ His father is a responsible, kind hearted and generous man. His job as a ‘pawang’ is a source of income to the family and helps those villagers who are in need. He did not set any payment but accepted any alms given by these people. This shows that Farid failed to recognize the good intention that his father had offered to the villagers all this while. He also failed to see that his father become ‘pawang’ as one way to support the family which sends him to the university. In another word he is carrying out his responsibility as the head of the family and function as a good villager.
The conflict also arises due to Farid’s ignorance of his father’s job as ‘pawang’. Several misunderstandings of the son regarding his father’s job as ‘pawang’ can be seen from the way he define the ‘pawang’ job. He thinks that what his father is saying are bunch of nonsense. As quoted in page 94, paragraph 16, line 2,
‘Pak Seman had finished his incantations. Whatever it was been muttering Farid did not bother to find out. Most likely some silly verses, he thought.”
To him his father also promotes superstitions among the villagers, as in page 97, paragraph 2, line 1,
‘“But why encourage their superstition?”’
Due to his lack of knowledge about his father being a ‘pawang’, he also sees his own father as a threat. He thinks that his father’s job as ‘pawang’ will only serves to hinder the progress made by the government like going to the clinic as seen in paragraph12, line 2,
“…your old-fashioned ways are preventing our kampung people from accepting changes.”
The story foreshadows the conflict that will occur in the story that is about logic versus beliefs, this can be seen in page 96, paragraph 2 line 1, when the mother tries to pacify his anger from not being able to get the chicken. She believes that if the dish ‘daging rebung’ is well prepared, it tastes similar to the roasted chicken. He snapped at his mother by saying that there is no logic at all. In the story later again the logic become the issue in comparing between his father’s job as ‘pawang’ with the medical technology that has been proven to cure diseases as can be seen in page 96, paragraph 7, line 1,
“We are living in the age of science and technology, not of magic and spells. Today we have hospitals. We have doctors. We have all kinds of medicine for all kinds of diseases. You can’t go on prescribing cold water anymore… Can’t you see there’s no logic in all this?”
In sequence to this part of the story, it brings us to the logic that justifies the reason behind his father’s job as ‘pawang’. The main theme in this part of the story is having trust in a person. In order for something to happen, one must believe and trust them. The father believes that his job as a ‘pawang’ can help the villagers to solve their problems, health and needs. He believes that it is also similar to the doctor’s aim that is to help their patient with their health problems. The only difference is that the ‘pawang’ serves in kampong where the doctors at that time serves in cities. If there is doctor in the kampong area, the doctor will also serve the same purpose that is to help the villagers. That is why Pak Seman is hoping that Farid will become a doctor one day and serves the villagers health’s need better than a ‘pawang’ like himself. But, it is the fate that decides in the end whether their effort is successful or not.
“To see you one day become a doctor. What I am doing is only temporary – while waiting for you to graduate.”
‘Pawang’ also becomes the symbol of hope. When all the helps from science and technology have no positive effects on them, they will turn to ‘pawang’ as their last resort to help them achieve their needs. This can be seen from page 94, paragraph 12, line 1,
“Farid did not waste any time. “All this is for someone, I suppose,” he asked cikgu Ali with a knowing smile.
“My sick child.” The reply was short. Cikgu could picture his child lying prostrate at home. His face darkened with anxiety.
“Have you taken him to the hospital?” Farid was really eager to know.
“I have,” he answered weakly.
And continuation in page 95, paragraph 2, line 1,
“Cikgu Ali nodded as he listen. He accepted the water reverence, hoping that it will cure his child.”
In the paragraphs quoted above clearly show how a teacher who is well respected and even mocked at Farid before turn to Farid’s father as his last hope to find a cure to his sick child. He only turn to Pak Seman with hope to cure the child when he had sent his child to the hospital but his child did not heal and therefore all the hope with the high technology is gone.
The villagers will also turn to ‘pawang’ when they are in hope of achieving something or need to put in some luck. This can be seen in page 100, paragraph2, line 1,
“Tumin has been accepted in the army,” declared Pak Dali proudly.
“How wonderful!” Remarked Mak Limah.
“May be it’s the blessing of your water,” Pak Dali laughed happily.
In these lines, we can see that the kampung headman turn to Pak Seman for some blessing for his son as an addition to their effort. He hoped that his wish to see his son to be accepted in the army will come true.
The writer closes the story with the element of irony in the story which is the a father, who is the bread sole winner of the family, that earns his living from becoming a pawang, sends his son to study medicine in university so that one day he will become a doctor and it turns that his son becomes ungrateful. Second, the ungrateful son who despises his father’s job as a ‘pawang’ relies on his father’s money to send him back to the university. As quoted in page 101, the last paragraph, line 1,
“My mumbo-jumbo conjured that up, if you want to know.”
Conflicts in the story "Firefly" by Bernie Tan
CONFLICTS IN “FIREFLY” BY BERNIE TAN
One major theme, and also the major conflict that occurs that we can see in this story is the conflict within Bernie in dealing with loneliness. Bernie Tan is struggling with loneliness ever since she was six-years-old. Born as the youngest child in the family, she is often left out by her other siblings due to age factors and thinking that she is the pet of their parents as she gets to sleep in their parent’s bedroom.
She is also a victim in between the parents rivalry. Her parents fighting with each other also confuses the her and adding more to her depression, desperation for attention and loneliness as she wrote,
“I couldn’t understand why my parents hated each other. I didn’t know what to say to her. At that point I didn’t know whether to love my mother more and my father less.” P. 14
Her loneliness is also contributed by her mother, who is a busy woman, often neglected her emotionally as she gets her time divided between her responsibility as a wife, mother and a teacher and therefore couldn’t spare much time with her. Most of the time, the precious time that could be spent between them snatched by her mother’s obsession towards her career. Her mother’s lack of communication skills with the children only help to make Bernie feel even more depressed with loneliness as she couldn’t find solace in a person that would stand by her and support her throughout her life.
Bernie describes one of the conflict afflicting her is the conflict between the mother and the daughter. Bernie clearly points out the problem between her and her mother is her mother’s attitude towards her career as a teacher. She describes the character of her mother in the story as a woman with high commitment to her work and I would term as ‘workaholic’ as shown in the story in p. 13
“Back home, she would cook, wash, mark books prepare charts – stacks of them – and quarrel with Pa. I would go to sleep alone, tired of waiting up for her. She was always so busy and so worn out.”
She also describes her mother as versatile as she divided her time and attention in doing her things. Bernie whom is lonely from waiting for her all day in school is frustrated from not gaining the attention that she needs from her mother as described in page 12. The attention that she wants is being divided between her and other chores that her mother did.
“She’d have her Pepsi, feed me, mark books and chitchat with other teachers – all at the same time. Mom was very versatile and that was annoying. I wanted her to pay attention to me.”
The mother’s character in this story is also described as an ‘authoritatarian’ type of mother where she would give orders and will not accept any excuse not to do it and will not explain the reason as well. She is very punitive and strict in giving orders, ‘do it or else’ type of attitude. She did not allow any comments from the children and have very little communication with her children as illustrated by the author,
“But my mom was a tyrant. With all of us…. Once mom made half boiled eggs. Paul and Augustine refused to eat it. They hated half boiled eggs. Mom screamed at them and… the eggs landed on their heads and they had to stand in front of the house in their school uniforms with eggs dripping down their faces.” p. 8
Since she is so absorbed with her career and responsibility at home, she does not have much time spent with her own children. Added with her strict and authoritative character, communication between her and her children is very little and there is very small bond exists between them. Bernie describe her character during her childhood as ‘a beat-up, frightened child.’
Bernie is also having conflict in becoming the child of a teacher and as a headmistress. She bears the high expectation of her mother to be the best students and to follow suit like her brother and sisters. Besides as a teacher and later as the headmistress on her, in the class and even in the school she is pressured by the expectations to be the best in the school and to show the best examples to others. She hated those expectations out of her and again hated being evaluated by people and the community around her. She only wished to be herself as quoted,
“… Mom expected me to be the best student. I attempted to answer every question… Mom knew I like to use big words, so she purposely made me spell ‘giraffe’ in front of the whole class.” P. 14
And again in page 19.
“Every time someone giggled, I would think they were giggling at me. I was suspicious every time I heard my name mentioned. I hate being called Mrs. Tan’s daughter. I wanted to be just me, Bernadette and not the headmistress’s daughter.”
She did have some close friends and nuns as teachers that are close to her that help ease her need for an attention and alleviate some of her loneliness. Unfortunately, her friends only came by her in a brief moment during school days and once the school days are over, she is again overwhelmed with loneliness. The depression caused by the loneliness that afflicts her later give breed to a new conflict with drugs and alcohol. The loneliness and pressures that she had to bear later leads her to find comfort in abusing alcohol and drug because it frees her temporarily from her cage and pressures as quoted,
“Alcohol seemed like the answer to my deep introversion. I could get out of ‘my cage’ anytime and not be afraid.”
Her addiction to drugs and alcohol is a place for her to find solace. Drugs and alcohol are also serves as the only way for Bernie to gain attentions from her parents. Unfortunately, her cries for attention from abusing drugs only gained attention a brief moment but the drugs later torn her life apart. Again, everyone will desert her and she is again left with loneliness again but this time it is taking toll on her sanity and health.
Conflict in this story is mainly the conflict within herself as she struggles to cope with loneliness due to her mother’s attitude, her parent’s rivalry, siblings isolation, the pressure to fulfill the expectations by her mother, and the major one, with drugs and alcoholism.
As a conclusion, from reading all three texts, we realize that all three texts have shared some common conflict. The conflict starts within the person itself. Whatever conflict might have created deep inside a person, will later sparked into other parts of his or her life and might later inflict others. Conflict can be viewed like fire. An unresolved dissatisfaction, anger or trauma may grow from tiny bits of sparks into a full blown raging fire and this is what happen in all three stories. We believed that the author in all three book intentionally would like to convey the message of how conflict might have affected us and people around us in real life if it is not distinguished through love, devotion to god, being forgivable and compassionate to other human beings and animals.
One major theme, and also the major conflict that occurs that we can see in this story is the conflict within Bernie in dealing with loneliness. Bernie Tan is struggling with loneliness ever since she was six-years-old. Born as the youngest child in the family, she is often left out by her other siblings due to age factors and thinking that she is the pet of their parents as she gets to sleep in their parent’s bedroom.
She is also a victim in between the parents rivalry. Her parents fighting with each other also confuses the her and adding more to her depression, desperation for attention and loneliness as she wrote,
“I couldn’t understand why my parents hated each other. I didn’t know what to say to her. At that point I didn’t know whether to love my mother more and my father less.” P. 14
Her loneliness is also contributed by her mother, who is a busy woman, often neglected her emotionally as she gets her time divided between her responsibility as a wife, mother and a teacher and therefore couldn’t spare much time with her. Most of the time, the precious time that could be spent between them snatched by her mother’s obsession towards her career. Her mother’s lack of communication skills with the children only help to make Bernie feel even more depressed with loneliness as she couldn’t find solace in a person that would stand by her and support her throughout her life.
Bernie describes one of the conflict afflicting her is the conflict between the mother and the daughter. Bernie clearly points out the problem between her and her mother is her mother’s attitude towards her career as a teacher. She describes the character of her mother in the story as a woman with high commitment to her work and I would term as ‘workaholic’ as shown in the story in p. 13
“Back home, she would cook, wash, mark books prepare charts – stacks of them – and quarrel with Pa. I would go to sleep alone, tired of waiting up for her. She was always so busy and so worn out.”
She also describes her mother as versatile as she divided her time and attention in doing her things. Bernie whom is lonely from waiting for her all day in school is frustrated from not gaining the attention that she needs from her mother as described in page 12. The attention that she wants is being divided between her and other chores that her mother did.
“She’d have her Pepsi, feed me, mark books and chitchat with other teachers – all at the same time. Mom was very versatile and that was annoying. I wanted her to pay attention to me.”
The mother’s character in this story is also described as an ‘authoritatarian’ type of mother where she would give orders and will not accept any excuse not to do it and will not explain the reason as well. She is very punitive and strict in giving orders, ‘do it or else’ type of attitude. She did not allow any comments from the children and have very little communication with her children as illustrated by the author,
“But my mom was a tyrant. With all of us…. Once mom made half boiled eggs. Paul and Augustine refused to eat it. They hated half boiled eggs. Mom screamed at them and… the eggs landed on their heads and they had to stand in front of the house in their school uniforms with eggs dripping down their faces.” p. 8
Since she is so absorbed with her career and responsibility at home, she does not have much time spent with her own children. Added with her strict and authoritative character, communication between her and her children is very little and there is very small bond exists between them. Bernie describe her character during her childhood as ‘a beat-up, frightened child.’
Bernie is also having conflict in becoming the child of a teacher and as a headmistress. She bears the high expectation of her mother to be the best students and to follow suit like her brother and sisters. Besides as a teacher and later as the headmistress on her, in the class and even in the school she is pressured by the expectations to be the best in the school and to show the best examples to others. She hated those expectations out of her and again hated being evaluated by people and the community around her. She only wished to be herself as quoted,
“… Mom expected me to be the best student. I attempted to answer every question… Mom knew I like to use big words, so she purposely made me spell ‘giraffe’ in front of the whole class.” P. 14
And again in page 19.
“Every time someone giggled, I would think they were giggling at me. I was suspicious every time I heard my name mentioned. I hate being called Mrs. Tan’s daughter. I wanted to be just me, Bernadette and not the headmistress’s daughter.”
She did have some close friends and nuns as teachers that are close to her that help ease her need for an attention and alleviate some of her loneliness. Unfortunately, her friends only came by her in a brief moment during school days and once the school days are over, she is again overwhelmed with loneliness. The depression caused by the loneliness that afflicts her later give breed to a new conflict with drugs and alcohol. The loneliness and pressures that she had to bear later leads her to find comfort in abusing alcohol and drug because it frees her temporarily from her cage and pressures as quoted,
“Alcohol seemed like the answer to my deep introversion. I could get out of ‘my cage’ anytime and not be afraid.”
Her addiction to drugs and alcohol is a place for her to find solace. Drugs and alcohol are also serves as the only way for Bernie to gain attentions from her parents. Unfortunately, her cries for attention from abusing drugs only gained attention a brief moment but the drugs later torn her life apart. Again, everyone will desert her and she is again left with loneliness again but this time it is taking toll on her sanity and health.
Conflict in this story is mainly the conflict within herself as she struggles to cope with loneliness due to her mother’s attitude, her parent’s rivalry, siblings isolation, the pressure to fulfill the expectations by her mother, and the major one, with drugs and alcoholism.
As a conclusion, from reading all three texts, we realize that all three texts have shared some common conflict. The conflict starts within the person itself. Whatever conflict might have created deep inside a person, will later sparked into other parts of his or her life and might later inflict others. Conflict can be viewed like fire. An unresolved dissatisfaction, anger or trauma may grow from tiny bits of sparks into a full blown raging fire and this is what happen in all three stories. We believed that the author in all three book intentionally would like to convey the message of how conflict might have affected us and people around us in real life if it is not distinguished through love, devotion to god, being forgivable and compassionate to other human beings and animals.
Conflicts in the story "A matter of Aesthetics" by Lisa Ho King Li
CONFLICT IN A STORY “A MATTER OF AESTHETICS”BY LISA HO KING LI
The short story, A Matter of Aesthetics’ has a combination of three conflicts. Those are the conflict within oneself, conflict with the family members and also the conflict with the society.
In this short story, the main character, Anna has a conflict within herself where she was decided to marry a dentist when she grows up. She makes the decision to marry a dentist because she was very attracted to a dentist who helped her mother to make a set of new teeth after she was kicked by her father. A dentist spoke fatherly and softly to Anna and her mother. Anna feels she was desperately fallen in love with the kindness of the dentist which comes with beauty of the teeth. Her false assumption eventually lead to obsession to look for a husband who is also a dentist with good set of teeth. This is stated in paragraph 1 line 1, “When she was nine, she decided that she would never marry anyone but a dentist who had good teeth…” and in paragraph 19 line 3 until 8, “The dentist had spoken to her in fatherly manner…”.Besides that, she has a conflict where she hated her father very much because her father are not responsible and always kicked her mother in front of her. Her father always beat and almost killed her mother and deserted her and her mother after she has made a new set of teeth.
Anna is also in conflict with herself when she knows that her husband, Dr Lum is actually having a macabre hobby which is collecting a shrunken human heads. Then she realized that her husband was appreciating an epicurean tastes and beauty of a shrunken human heads just like her who likes the beauty of the teeth. This statement is stated in paragraph 25 line 1, “Dr Lum had a macabre hobby. He too, was a man of epicurean tastes and beauty…”
The second conflicts in the story A Matter of Aesthetics’ are the conflict between Anna and the society. Anna has a problem when she feels uncomfortable and hated her friends at school. This is shows that she is a lonely girl and didn’t have many friends because she doesn’t like to mingle around with her friends. Besides, her friends always make fun of her when they know that she wish to marry a dentist. She only has one friend who visited her after her husband’s death. This is stated in paragraph 13 line 3 to 4, “ And she saw a bits of food particles stuck between yellowish teeth…….and she hated them…” and also in paragraph 13 line 8, “And she hated them with the same intensity she had hated her father…”. This is also can be seen in paragraph 11 line 1, “Ha! ha! ha! Here comes the bride. Anna wants to marry a dentist…”
Other than that, Anna is considered has a conflict with the society when she turns down the suitor’s proposal for three times just because she wants to find a dentist as a husband. This is shows that she couldn’t accept other people to be a part of her life except a dentist that she admired most. This statement are proven in paragraph 22 line1 until 5, “ Anna was proposed to three times by suitors who were not a dentist and all three times she had turned down their fragile offers…”
The last conflicts from a story, A Matter of Aesthetics’ by Lisa Ho King Li are the conflict between Anna and her family members. Anna was the only daughter in the family and she doesn’t have any siblings. She has a conflict with her father who is not a responsible father. She felt angry and she hated her father so much because her father always bit and almost killed her mother. Besides, her father never cared about both of them and that’s why she became very choosy and only chooses a dentist as a husband. This is because she thought that a dentist is always being kind to other people like to her and her mother as stated in paragraph 18 line 2, “He had been kind, and he offered to save whatever teeth left…” and in paragraph 20 line 3, “In the brilliant whiteness and symmetrical evenness of those teeth, she saw grace, purity and refinement…”.
The short story, A Matter of Aesthetics’ has a combination of three conflicts. Those are the conflict within oneself, conflict with the family members and also the conflict with the society.
In this short story, the main character, Anna has a conflict within herself where she was decided to marry a dentist when she grows up. She makes the decision to marry a dentist because she was very attracted to a dentist who helped her mother to make a set of new teeth after she was kicked by her father. A dentist spoke fatherly and softly to Anna and her mother. Anna feels she was desperately fallen in love with the kindness of the dentist which comes with beauty of the teeth. Her false assumption eventually lead to obsession to look for a husband who is also a dentist with good set of teeth. This is stated in paragraph 1 line 1, “When she was nine, she decided that she would never marry anyone but a dentist who had good teeth…” and in paragraph 19 line 3 until 8, “The dentist had spoken to her in fatherly manner…”.Besides that, she has a conflict where she hated her father very much because her father are not responsible and always kicked her mother in front of her. Her father always beat and almost killed her mother and deserted her and her mother after she has made a new set of teeth.
Anna is also in conflict with herself when she knows that her husband, Dr Lum is actually having a macabre hobby which is collecting a shrunken human heads. Then she realized that her husband was appreciating an epicurean tastes and beauty of a shrunken human heads just like her who likes the beauty of the teeth. This statement is stated in paragraph 25 line 1, “Dr Lum had a macabre hobby. He too, was a man of epicurean tastes and beauty…”
The second conflicts in the story A Matter of Aesthetics’ are the conflict between Anna and the society. Anna has a problem when she feels uncomfortable and hated her friends at school. This is shows that she is a lonely girl and didn’t have many friends because she doesn’t like to mingle around with her friends. Besides, her friends always make fun of her when they know that she wish to marry a dentist. She only has one friend who visited her after her husband’s death. This is stated in paragraph 13 line 3 to 4, “ And she saw a bits of food particles stuck between yellowish teeth…….and she hated them…” and also in paragraph 13 line 8, “And she hated them with the same intensity she had hated her father…”. This is also can be seen in paragraph 11 line 1, “Ha! ha! ha! Here comes the bride. Anna wants to marry a dentist…”
Other than that, Anna is considered has a conflict with the society when she turns down the suitor’s proposal for three times just because she wants to find a dentist as a husband. This is shows that she couldn’t accept other people to be a part of her life except a dentist that she admired most. This statement are proven in paragraph 22 line1 until 5, “ Anna was proposed to three times by suitors who were not a dentist and all three times she had turned down their fragile offers…”
The last conflicts from a story, A Matter of Aesthetics’ by Lisa Ho King Li are the conflict between Anna and her family members. Anna was the only daughter in the family and she doesn’t have any siblings. She has a conflict with her father who is not a responsible father. She felt angry and she hated her father so much because her father always bit and almost killed her mother. Besides, her father never cared about both of them and that’s why she became very choosy and only chooses a dentist as a husband. This is because she thought that a dentist is always being kind to other people like to her and her mother as stated in paragraph 18 line 2, “He had been kind, and he offered to save whatever teeth left…” and in paragraph 20 line 3, “In the brilliant whiteness and symmetrical evenness of those teeth, she saw grace, purity and refinement…”.
Conflicts in "A Quid of Sirih and A Bowl of Water" by Khadijah Hashim
CONFLICT OF A STORY “A QUID OF SIRIH, A BOWL OF WATER” BY KHADIJAH HASHIM
In my point of view, the story “A Quid of Sirih a Bowl of Water” has a several conflicts that combining three elements which conflict with oneself, with family members and also with the society.
The first conflicts are the conflict between oneself. Farid have a conflict between himself being a son of pawang. He feels ashamed to be a pawang’s son while he is going to be a doctor after finishing his studies in medicine. Farid thought that he will be in his world of science and technology but his father still believe with the traditional ways of curing people such as magic, spells and mumbo jumbo. Farid being so angry to his father because of this conflict and he couldn’t accept the truth being a son’s of pawang although he could further his studies just because of his father’s money by healing patient.
The conflict also occurs because of this attitude of being such a self-centered person. He feels ashamed and scared if his friends will make fun of him if they know his father is a pawang as stated in paragraph 69 line 1 “I’m ashamed. A pawang’s son-who wants to be a doctor! If my friends found out they’d make fun of me…”and in paragraph 43 line 1 “Think a little father, father. What will people say. I want to be doctor. And here you are- a pawang! Doesn’t the conflict between your world and mine bother you at all?”. The other example is in paragraph 44 line 1 “So you are ashamed to have a pawang as a father…?”, “ …..yes, I am..”, stated in paragraph 45 line 2.
The second conflicts of this story are the conflict with the family members. Farid has a conflict between him and his family members such as his mother, his father and also his younger brothers and sister. Farid has a conflict with his mother when his mother told him not to say something bad to his teacher, Cikgu Ali. This is happened when Cikgu Ali came to his house asking for incantation water for his child. This is stated in paragraph 20 line 1 “Watch what you’re saying. The cikgu might hear you...”. The other conflict between Farid and his mother is when his mother compared roasted chicken with daging rebung. Farid was angry when he failed to find any chicken to make a roasted chicken, yet his vacation in kampung was almost over. This is can be proven in paragraph 9 line 1 “What sort of kampung is this? No chicken!” and in paragraph 12 line 1 “How can you compare daging rebung to roast chicken? Where’s your logic…?”.
Other than having a conflict with his mother, Farid also have a conflict with his which is the climax of the story. He is being rude to his father just because he feels ashamed having a father who work as a pawang. As a son, he shouldn’t be rude to his father no matter how angry he was but Farid was followed his emotions by using rude words to express his disagreement towards his father’s job. This statement is stated in paragraph 52 line 1 to 5, “You call this helping? Do you realized, father, your kind of attitude, your old fashioned ways are preventing our kampung people from accepting changes…”
The conflicts also occurred due to Farid’s ignorance of his father’s job as ‘pawang’. Several misunderstandings of the son regarding his father’s job as ‘pawang’ can be seen from the way he define the ‘pawang’ job. He thinks that what his father is saying are bunch of nonsense that could not function in anyway to help these kampung men. As quoted in page 94, paragraph 16, line 2,
‘Pak Seman had finished his incantations. Whatever it was been muttering Farid did not bother to find out. Most likely some silly verses, he thought.”
To him his father also promotes superstitions among the villagers, as in page 97, paragraph 2, line 1,
‘“But why encourage their superstition?”’
His father cares for his family and people around him such as the teacher and the kampung people. Farid on the other hand fails to see that his father’s job serves more than to himself but to the family and also extends to the whole village. This shows that he failed to recognize the good intention that his father had offered to the villagers all this while. He also failed to see that his father becoming a pawang is also one way to support the family, also a source of income, also the money used to send him to the university.
Besides his father and his mother, Farid also have a conflict with his siblings especially his younger brother, Zainal. Farid was arguing with his brother, Zainal about what he feels towards his father’s job. Otherwise, Zainal was on his father’s side and he
trying to give an advice to Farid not to be ashamed with his father’s job. Zainal also remind his brother, Farid , that he couldn’t entered the university if it’s not because of his father’s job as a pawang. This is stated in paragraph 70 line 1, “Allah! What’s to be ashamed of? Pawang can still be useful, bang…”, paragraph 78 line1,“What’s there to be ashamed of? Father doesn’t cheat people…” and in paragraph 76 line 1, “If you’re educated, it’s thanks to father’s stupid job…”
The last conflicts that have in this story are the conflict between Farid and the society. As we examined it closely the conflict might have sparked from the humiliation he received from the teacher when he was in school long time ago. He is humiliated in the class by his teacher and therefore holds the resentment towards the teacher and probably put the blame on his fathers job up until he faced the issue with him. We can see he is still in conflict with himself because of Cikgu Ali because he always makes fun of his father’s job being as a pawang but at last he still looking for his father asking for incantation water for his sick child. That’s why he didn’t like Cikgu Ali very much. This statement is proven in paragraph 16 line 2, “Last time it was you who made fun of me…well what happening now?”. Besides that, Farid also have a negative thinking to his Pak Long. He gets angry when he couldn’t get any chicken from his Pak Long to make a roasted chicken. He feels that his Pak Long being so stingy and don’t want to give him any even though he have a lot of roosters. This is stated in paragraph 7 line 1-2 “No. Roosters he has plenty but he wants them for breeding….Ah-he’s so mean!”.
In my point of view, the story “A Quid of Sirih a Bowl of Water” has a several conflicts that combining three elements which conflict with oneself, with family members and also with the society.
The first conflicts are the conflict between oneself. Farid have a conflict between himself being a son of pawang. He feels ashamed to be a pawang’s son while he is going to be a doctor after finishing his studies in medicine. Farid thought that he will be in his world of science and technology but his father still believe with the traditional ways of curing people such as magic, spells and mumbo jumbo. Farid being so angry to his father because of this conflict and he couldn’t accept the truth being a son’s of pawang although he could further his studies just because of his father’s money by healing patient.
The conflict also occurs because of this attitude of being such a self-centered person. He feels ashamed and scared if his friends will make fun of him if they know his father is a pawang as stated in paragraph 69 line 1 “I’m ashamed. A pawang’s son-who wants to be a doctor! If my friends found out they’d make fun of me…”and in paragraph 43 line 1 “Think a little father, father. What will people say. I want to be doctor. And here you are- a pawang! Doesn’t the conflict between your world and mine bother you at all?”. The other example is in paragraph 44 line 1 “So you are ashamed to have a pawang as a father…?”, “ …..yes, I am..”, stated in paragraph 45 line 2.
The second conflicts of this story are the conflict with the family members. Farid has a conflict between him and his family members such as his mother, his father and also his younger brothers and sister. Farid has a conflict with his mother when his mother told him not to say something bad to his teacher, Cikgu Ali. This is happened when Cikgu Ali came to his house asking for incantation water for his child. This is stated in paragraph 20 line 1 “Watch what you’re saying. The cikgu might hear you...”. The other conflict between Farid and his mother is when his mother compared roasted chicken with daging rebung. Farid was angry when he failed to find any chicken to make a roasted chicken, yet his vacation in kampung was almost over. This is can be proven in paragraph 9 line 1 “What sort of kampung is this? No chicken!” and in paragraph 12 line 1 “How can you compare daging rebung to roast chicken? Where’s your logic…?”.
Other than having a conflict with his mother, Farid also have a conflict with his which is the climax of the story. He is being rude to his father just because he feels ashamed having a father who work as a pawang. As a son, he shouldn’t be rude to his father no matter how angry he was but Farid was followed his emotions by using rude words to express his disagreement towards his father’s job. This statement is stated in paragraph 52 line 1 to 5, “You call this helping? Do you realized, father, your kind of attitude, your old fashioned ways are preventing our kampung people from accepting changes…”
The conflicts also occurred due to Farid’s ignorance of his father’s job as ‘pawang’. Several misunderstandings of the son regarding his father’s job as ‘pawang’ can be seen from the way he define the ‘pawang’ job. He thinks that what his father is saying are bunch of nonsense that could not function in anyway to help these kampung men. As quoted in page 94, paragraph 16, line 2,
‘Pak Seman had finished his incantations. Whatever it was been muttering Farid did not bother to find out. Most likely some silly verses, he thought.”
To him his father also promotes superstitions among the villagers, as in page 97, paragraph 2, line 1,
‘“But why encourage their superstition?”’
His father cares for his family and people around him such as the teacher and the kampung people. Farid on the other hand fails to see that his father’s job serves more than to himself but to the family and also extends to the whole village. This shows that he failed to recognize the good intention that his father had offered to the villagers all this while. He also failed to see that his father becoming a pawang is also one way to support the family, also a source of income, also the money used to send him to the university.
Besides his father and his mother, Farid also have a conflict with his siblings especially his younger brother, Zainal. Farid was arguing with his brother, Zainal about what he feels towards his father’s job. Otherwise, Zainal was on his father’s side and he
trying to give an advice to Farid not to be ashamed with his father’s job. Zainal also remind his brother, Farid , that he couldn’t entered the university if it’s not because of his father’s job as a pawang. This is stated in paragraph 70 line 1, “Allah! What’s to be ashamed of? Pawang can still be useful, bang…”, paragraph 78 line1,“What’s there to be ashamed of? Father doesn’t cheat people…” and in paragraph 76 line 1, “If you’re educated, it’s thanks to father’s stupid job…”
The last conflicts that have in this story are the conflict between Farid and the society. As we examined it closely the conflict might have sparked from the humiliation he received from the teacher when he was in school long time ago. He is humiliated in the class by his teacher and therefore holds the resentment towards the teacher and probably put the blame on his fathers job up until he faced the issue with him. We can see he is still in conflict with himself because of Cikgu Ali because he always makes fun of his father’s job being as a pawang but at last he still looking for his father asking for incantation water for his sick child. That’s why he didn’t like Cikgu Ali very much. This statement is proven in paragraph 16 line 2, “Last time it was you who made fun of me…well what happening now?”. Besides that, Farid also have a negative thinking to his Pak Long. He gets angry when he couldn’t get any chicken from his Pak Long to make a roasted chicken. He feels that his Pak Long being so stingy and don’t want to give him any even though he have a lot of roosters. This is stated in paragraph 7 line 1-2 “No. Roosters he has plenty but he wants them for breeding….Ah-he’s so mean!”.
The Implication of Individual Differences Towards Learning
The Implication of Individual Differences: Physical, Cognitive and Social Aspects Towards Learning.
Aspect of environment
Sounds
Research has shown that some students learn more effectively by listening to the music. While some students can only learn in a quiet environment.
Lighting
Young children will need less light while learning. As they grow older, their need for better lighting will increase.
Temperature
The impact of temperature on the effectiveness in the learning process is different. But then, air-conditioned bedroom are much more comfortable and help in the learning process.
Emotional Aspects.
Motivation
Students with high motivation will become an effective learner and much more successful in their learning.
Determination
Some students can accomplish their task all at once while some need breaks in between and pauses before any task given can be accomplished.
Responsibility
Students that are responsible can produce job with better quality or experiencing better learning.
Structure
Some students like to do their task according to the teacher’s direction. While some students like to accomplish some tasks on their own initiative.
Aspects of Sociology
Some students like to study along and there are some that like to study in group.
Aspects of Physiology
Perception
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic – tactile
Visual students
These kind of students love to learn by looking at the charts, graphs and picture. They also like to read to themselves and solve the crossword puzzle and able to seek the objects in a short time.
Auditory students
Students that like to learn by pronouncing the words so that it can be heard.
Kinesthetic-tactile students
These kind of students can learn through the sense of touch and feel. They like to hold and manipulate the objects for better understanding.
Food and drinks
Research carried out by Dunn and Dunn shows that same students learn better if they are allowed to eat and drink.
Time
In general, students are fresher and active in the morning as compared to in the afternoon.
Movement
Some students learn better if they are allowed to move about the area rather than just sit in one place.
Psychological aspects
Every individual have their own learning styles and learning strength. In processing new input that are tougher, a person might be using his left or right brain. Our left hemisphere is processing items that deals with numbers, logic, language, formally and analysis. Right hemisphere is doing the function such as identifying the tables, pattern, creativity and synthesis.
According to Honey and Munford, 4 learning styles are :
Activist – like to look for new experience and discuss about their ideas.
Reflective – this kind of students like to analyze and review on their own.
Theories – objectivist and logic
Pragmatics – like to try new ideas
- like to invent new things.
Aspect of environment
Sounds
Research has shown that some students learn more effectively by listening to the music. While some students can only learn in a quiet environment.
Lighting
Young children will need less light while learning. As they grow older, their need for better lighting will increase.
Temperature
The impact of temperature on the effectiveness in the learning process is different. But then, air-conditioned bedroom are much more comfortable and help in the learning process.
Emotional Aspects.
Motivation
Students with high motivation will become an effective learner and much more successful in their learning.
Determination
Some students can accomplish their task all at once while some need breaks in between and pauses before any task given can be accomplished.
Responsibility
Students that are responsible can produce job with better quality or experiencing better learning.
Structure
Some students like to do their task according to the teacher’s direction. While some students like to accomplish some tasks on their own initiative.
Aspects of Sociology
Some students like to study along and there are some that like to study in group.
Aspects of Physiology
Perception
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic – tactile
Visual students
These kind of students love to learn by looking at the charts, graphs and picture. They also like to read to themselves and solve the crossword puzzle and able to seek the objects in a short time.
Auditory students
Students that like to learn by pronouncing the words so that it can be heard.
Kinesthetic-tactile students
These kind of students can learn through the sense of touch and feel. They like to hold and manipulate the objects for better understanding.
Food and drinks
Research carried out by Dunn and Dunn shows that same students learn better if they are allowed to eat and drink.
Time
In general, students are fresher and active in the morning as compared to in the afternoon.
Movement
Some students learn better if they are allowed to move about the area rather than just sit in one place.
Psychological aspects
Every individual have their own learning styles and learning strength. In processing new input that are tougher, a person might be using his left or right brain. Our left hemisphere is processing items that deals with numbers, logic, language, formally and analysis. Right hemisphere is doing the function such as identifying the tables, pattern, creativity and synthesis.
According to Honey and Munford, 4 learning styles are :
Activist – like to look for new experience and discuss about their ideas.
Reflective – this kind of students like to analyze and review on their own.
Theories – objectivist and logic
Pragmatics – like to try new ideas
- like to invent new things.
Gayong Night
When I entered martial arts, "Silat Gayong" many asked what is Silat Gayong and why the name is "Gayong"? In Malay, in a slightly different spelling and pronunciation 'Gayung' has also another meaning, a 'pail'.
The word "Gayong" means hitting or hitting from far. During old times, when two martial artists challenged each other for a friendly match, they will say "jom ber-gayong" or "lets gayong" to test their skills. They will try to use their skills, inner energy forces and try to hit each other from far and their ability are witnessed by the number of fallen trees that are hit by their energy forces. Cool isn't it. But nowadays Gayong aren't practising inner forces but merely through prayers and reciting verses from the holy Qoran that contains various secrets and power with Allah's will.
Last night witness another spectacular event when we Unisel students conducted a night known as Malam Gayong Perdana UNISEL 2007. The purpose is to celebrate UNISEL victory for bringing home several medals from the last 'Silat' tournament in University Malaya. We invited several other Gayong members from 3 different branches to join us that night. We show to the public some our routine exercises and demonstration on fighting using knife, machette, rattan (wood) and sarong. I participated in breaking the bamboo with my head while my friends broke the pieces of roof top punching it with their hand.
The climax of the event is when the female silat members were asked to jump on to pieces of sharp broken glass. I was the third person to jump on it and survived without a single scratch followed by others. It was really amazing. Few of my friends get a minor cut but none of us were seriously injured. My friend pulled a small piece of glass that stick under her foot but somehow it did not splinter her. I told her to keep it in a frame as a memory of tonight's event. The very last event was my teacher lying down on those broken glasses without any shirt on, on top of him holding a thick brick slate and a companion of his will brick the slate on his body by hitting it with a big hammer. The brick slate is broken and he survived without any injury. How he did it? I dont know.
Anyway we had a good time last night 16 June 2007. A day that is worth to be remembered by PSSGM Unisel members. Congratulations to all that have participated.
The word "Gayong" means hitting or hitting from far. During old times, when two martial artists challenged each other for a friendly match, they will say "jom ber-gayong" or "lets gayong" to test their skills. They will try to use their skills, inner energy forces and try to hit each other from far and their ability are witnessed by the number of fallen trees that are hit by their energy forces. Cool isn't it. But nowadays Gayong aren't practising inner forces but merely through prayers and reciting verses from the holy Qoran that contains various secrets and power with Allah's will.
Last night witness another spectacular event when we Unisel students conducted a night known as Malam Gayong Perdana UNISEL 2007. The purpose is to celebrate UNISEL victory for bringing home several medals from the last 'Silat' tournament in University Malaya. We invited several other Gayong members from 3 different branches to join us that night. We show to the public some our routine exercises and demonstration on fighting using knife, machette, rattan (wood) and sarong. I participated in breaking the bamboo with my head while my friends broke the pieces of roof top punching it with their hand.
The climax of the event is when the female silat members were asked to jump on to pieces of sharp broken glass. I was the third person to jump on it and survived without a single scratch followed by others. It was really amazing. Few of my friends get a minor cut but none of us were seriously injured. My friend pulled a small piece of glass that stick under her foot but somehow it did not splinter her. I told her to keep it in a frame as a memory of tonight's event. The very last event was my teacher lying down on those broken glasses without any shirt on, on top of him holding a thick brick slate and a companion of his will brick the slate on his body by hitting it with a big hammer. The brick slate is broken and he survived without any injury. How he did it? I dont know.
Anyway we had a good time last night 16 June 2007. A day that is worth to be remembered by PSSGM Unisel members. Congratulations to all that have participated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)