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.