WEEK 13

Raya for this year is very early not as the last raya. The length of raya’s holiday is only one week. So short. Instead of a very short time, a lot of homework and assignment had burdened me. This becomes a factor that reduced my desire to celebrate “Hari Raya Aidilfitri” with full heart. The routine that I do from dawn to dusk in first day of raya is closely similar to the past and the past such as perform ‘Solat Sunat Raya’, having ‘kuih raya’, get forgiveness from my parent, family, visit relative, old friend and that’s it. I’m sure all of us as a Muslim will do the same thing as what I’ve done.

Though my heart not in calmness, but it compulsory for me to include cookies, cake, ketupat nasi, rending, tapai to fulfill the content of kuih raya that I wish while the fasting month had started. Before doing anything, fresh orange juice or a glass of fresh milk should be with me. So, I will not regret if I cannot reach any glass of drinking water for the whole raya’s day. That the consequent of when that day become the busiest day than any day in a year.

The essential thing in raya’s day is what children like most. The ‘duit raya’. I didn’t really hope that I’ll get so much ‘duit raya’ for every raya since I was studied at secondary school. But, since the givers are sincerely to give their little or big amount of money as a contribution to me, then it’s ok. If don’t, I’m also not ok with that and it just to show how generous are the givers. Anyway, raya festive open 100% chances to me to eat any delicious food, savouri, desert and the colorful of the assorted cookies, to ask forgiveness, to see long-lost relative and also friend as well as to throw away the sadness by looking at the new ‘baju raya’.

WEEK 12

The film of the “ Color Purple ” seems to share a same theme with the short story “Mala”. The theme of the two stories is refers to sexual abuse towards women. At the beginning of the film, Cellie gave birth to her second child, a boy, as a result of her father that raped her. Further, Cellie’s young sister, Nettie also had been raped by Albert that is Cellie’s husband without her will. Both Cellie and Nettie are the victims of this sexual abuse.
Besides, men have a tendency to treat women like a slave. It can be proved by how Albert had made his wife to do the house chores. After their marriage, Albert gives a hardwork to her. For example, she has to clean their house surrounding, inside till outside, cooking and also taking care all of his children. It seems that Albert can’t live without Cellie. He even can’t find his socks and pick a suitable neck tie. He doesn’t know anything. She is asked to do the all the housework for all time and she is not allowed to get a rest although a few second only. Similar to Mala, she has to work for her husband at home as a housewife and at office as a secretary. She has to treat her husband’s client and that make her uncomfortable. She hates to wear make-up but she knows she is in her husband’s hand. She can’t do nothing about that. From the characterization that had been portrayed in two stories, I’m really respecting them because they are multi-tusking women.

WEEK 11

“Mala” written by K.S. Maniam is a story of woman’s role in society. In Indian society, woman is looked as a slave and has the lowest position in their hierarchy. Mala herself is the main character and her character give an overview to the reader that woman is not able to make their decision in something.
In addition, men are always underestimate women’s ability and they never care about women’s feeling. I’m sure men believe women either robot or some static object. As example, Mala’s husband, Sanker is very wicked. He does not allow his wife to pregnant. It is proved when Sanker had taken Mala to a doctor and permitted the doctor to put some metal inside her to avoid her from pregnant. She can’t voice out her dream to have her own children by comparing with other Indian women. Although Sanker act badly, she didn’t rebel and still believe that her husband is everything. Actually, she married Sanker to get freedom but she had taken the unlucky step. She exited the tiger’s mouth but then she enters the lion’s mouth again. Means she’s in cage again.
At the end, her life remains the same because she doesn’t have any choice. If she run away from her husband, she cannot run back home too. She always lives as a prisoner although it’s in home. The way she was treated is troubled her for the rest of her life.

WEEK 10

The ‘Tragedy of My Third Eye’ written by Suchen Christine Lim is the most difficult and hardest story regarding to my reading. To sum up the story is Ping, the six years old girl had suffered so much although she still young, immature and inexperienced to face any hardship. Her fate is not as lucky as the other children at the same age of her. At first, she lived with her grandmother happily but things turn out differently after she live with her mother. Besides, her mother tortured her like she is not her daughter and its more to the outsider. Her mother cannot stand to know that she live happily and comfortably with her grandmother till she took Ping to her home.

Further, Ping's mother is very cruel towards her. She treated Ping harshly by always scolding her without cares of Ping's feeling. Ping have to study at school and her teacher always call her 'stupido' because she is not able to be an excellent student in their school. Ping gain trouble not only at home but at school, she have to face a very bias teacher and an arrogant student that is Linda. Inspite of she had been bullied by Linda and humiliated by Linda's father when he spit towards her, the other problem come one by one. Then, the action that had taken by Linda's father is totally unacceptable because as a grown-up man,he supposedly act like an adult that think first before take action. Also same thing with her mother that never behave as a mother and doing her responsibility to her daughter.

In fact of she is a daughter of prostitute, she get a bad luck for the rest of her life. In my point of view, it is unfair after all the predicament, she had accepted a lot of problem at a very young age and still happen again and again. Hence, third eye is a mirror that reflect another prospective of our life. What we saw with our own eyes, cannot be described using words. Sometimes, words don't have power to tell the pain inside the chest. Everyone has the third eyes to keep the secret or memories that we had gone through from the past.

WEEK 9

During the class session, all of us had made a presentation in each elements of the story. We are focusing on the differences between the short story, The Interview and the film of " Empire of the Sun". Each group turn to present one or two element of the story according to that short story and film. My group had chosen theme and setting.

What I found really interest in the elements of the story are only two. They are for symbolism and resolution. Starting with "The Interview", some of it's symbolisms are Japanese bow that represent the culture, shake hands show friendship, prison for suffering and watch to give view of time.

Additionally, in " Empire of the Sun" the sun can be seen clearly and regularly that portrayed Japan's flag. Any other symbolism are empire defined as power, car for wealth, sun glases is spirit and the last is the journey for the boy's life.

Furthermore, Empire of the Sun have closed ending in resolution part. For example, "He finally met his parent after the war end". In contrast, The Interview gave me as a reader the open ending. For instance, we did not expect that Hiro was the one that have been executed.

WEEK 8

The Interview is the third short story. It is all about a friendship between people who different culture that can become a friend although in the war situation. It begin when Mason become a defense and Hiro become the interrogator. Although Hiro is Japanese, he can speak English and thus it make their relationship become more tight. Mason and Hiro surely come from different background and both of them had to perform duties towards their own country. But, they really appreciate their friendship after willing to sacrifice their life more than anything. Everyone has their own selfishness but he kills that kind of feeling. For me, it is a big sacrifice for Hiro to his beloved friend to betrayed Japanese army by letting Mason free from the execution. After that, Hiro was punished as the same punishment that is going to get. The sacrifice that he did, only put him to end of his life. By keeping Mason's secret, he was executed at the end. Anyway, their friendship is everything. Hiro already knew about the effect. However, he doesn't afraid of it. This story will teach the reader commonly and myself aspecially of the true meaning of friendship beyond barrier.

WEEK 7

Semester Break. I went home at Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. I just bring along my laptop and my novel, A Walk To Remember. I had deciced to choose and use this novel for assessment task 4 that required me to review a book. I admit that I never read this novel although I really like it. My interest increase dramatically right after I watched its movie starred by Teen Idol, Mandy Moore and pop star, Shane West. I already started to read it two days before the holiday begin. Instead of start to read it, I realized that I have to make a preparation for further assessment to avoid any clash between any other subject. While I was at home, I used all of my holiday's time to finish it up. After read it all, I found a lot of differences between the novel and the movie. This movie is just based on the novel not adaptation from its original story. From my opinion, the words "based on" and "adaptation" are trully different. What I think is based on is the director going to use certain part of the true story which interesting and beautiful and he or she going to edit several part of it. For adaptation, the person who in charge with script of the story will use all the content of the real ones. Hopefully, it is accepted by everybody. Back to the novel, the writer is Nicholas Sparks. He writes the novel based on his own experience. he dedicated his work to his sister that died because of the chronic illness similar to what had been storied in the novel. And his work is really awesome!