WEEK 5

This is week 5. Overall, all of us were exposed to the elements of the stories in Learning Class. Elements of the stories contain plot, character, characterization, setting, theme, POV, symbolism and irony. Some of the elements already known by me. Actually, I don't remember how to locate some idea to put it under symbolism and irony too. What I can define each element start with plot, is a sequence of actions or events which involves the characters in conflict. The basic components of plot are exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Climax or conflict, I think it is the most important part of every story since it was in the highest level on the plot hierarchy. This part going to tell the reader how attractive, how interesting, how fascinating or how bored that every story. Second, character can be the human, animals, or fantasized beings that are created by the author to act within a story for the author’s purpose. Character has been divided into two. Such as protagonist and antagonist. Characters have round, dynamic, flat and static character and also can be two of it. It is both round and dynamic, round and static or flat and static. Afterwards, characterization can be clarified as the methods used by the author to create or reveal the characters in a story. Ordinary methods are by what character says or thinks, does, and what other characters say about the character. After that, setting is the place where and when the story takes place. Then, theme is the central idea or central message of the story. It indicates the fundamental ideas around which the author was writing. Moreover, POV is the prospective from which the story told. It consists of three third person. Likewise, symbolism is a symbol represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than itself. Lastly, irony is a device that develops meaning by putting together seemingly contrasting concepts or ideas. It is when we expect one thing but the opposite occurs. Irony occurs when there is a different between what is stated or believed, and what actually the truth is.

WEEK 4

Miss Syida gives brief explanation about History of Malaysian. Literature in Malaysia has several types such as legends, folktales, short stories, novels and poems. Legends are very close to historical which folktales tell about the nature, animals and moral values. Short stories and folktales are quite similar with each other, in order to give the reader some valuable moral value. Novels can be categorized in love, anthology, historical, or fiction. In addition, poem is piece of writing but it can be very compact, meaningful, and touching. There is 3 generation of literature writers in this country. Firstly, those who are above sixty. Secondly, for those who age between forty-five and sixty and lastly, those between thirty and forty-five. First generation is vividly remembered the era of the Second World War. They can be classifying as the golden group that rich with experienced. Then, second generation, the group of people that experienced the situation and condition through reading and listening to their parent stories. Third generation who are still too young. They’re not care much about the Colonial Era. The way of their writing is more to free writing and focusing on their surrounding. Other than reading short stories, we had been asked by our lecturer to watch a movie. The title is “Empire of the Sun”. This film conveys the situation in war. It takes place in Shanghai, China and the main character is a boy name Jamie. Jamie was there with his family, as his father work at this city. Japan conquered China and at the same time their family had to runaway from this war situation. At that time, Jamie was separated from his family and his new challenging life was begun. He must watch many kind of people that come from different background and personality. He had been through a long journey and experience many king of things. For instant, he had been sent to one terrible place with no enough food, drink, medicine and spaces to sleep. Everyday, he watched people die in terrible ways in front of his eyes. Meanwhile, he gets a new friend that is the son of the Japanese army. That’s help him a lot from being so lonely. He such a clever boy because he has the ability to communicate, understands and make friend with Japanese in order to survive. At last, Japan has lost in their war and Jamie found back his family in a dramatic scene.

WEEK 3

It's quite hard to start again any activity or action that we left for a few days. I've to finish 'Bugis' until the end to get to know the idea of what the writer really want to tell. In addition, I've to do the reading to reach my target and cover the whole short stories. So, I help myself with listening to my favourite song which is Mandarin Song while continue the reading until the sixth short stories, Victoria and Her Kimono by M.Shanmughalingam. Along the path of the reading, I found that I'm the one who can't get the point in first reading. I'm always keep telling myself to have a second time of reading. Hence, I stop the reading at the middle to go back to the past. Besides re-read them, I've asked my friend about what she understand to avoid misunderstanding of the real idea of every stories.

WEEK 2

Before I open the Reading Book, I'm very sure that I can finish to read it at least 3 days, but I was totally wrong. I judged the book by looking at its physical. It was so thin from outside. This time, I open and read the introduction. First time to read, I don't know nothing. What is this? I asked myself. As I know, I'm the one who also interest in "Literature", but really hard to fall in love with any literature sources before I'm able to see how interesting that the writing is. However, I become clearer than a few second before. It's all about the history of Malaysian Literature. After finish the first part of the book, I turned to second part. The second part and the last part is the short stories itself. It contain 12 short stories, begin with " Bugis". Bugis was written by Alfian Sa'at. While I just reach the fifth paragraph, I became sleepy.