LITERATURE COMPONENT FOR FORM 4

Short Story

Tanjung Rhu
Retold by Kay West

Table of Contents
The Writer
Synopsis
Elements
Activities
Beyond The Text
Assessment
Answer Key
Glossary
Panel of Writers

LEAVING
 The Writer

Minfong Ho
The authors name is Minfong Ho. She was born in Rangoon, Burma in 1951
but was raised in Singapore and Thailand. Minfong Ho received her BA in
Economics and History and M.F.A in creative writing from Cornell University,
Ithaca, New York.
Her first book, Sing to the Dawn, became a staple literature text for
secondary school students in Singapore. She won the prestigious American
Library Association Caldecott Honour Award for her picture book, Hush!
Minfong Ho is usually recognised for her sensitivity and understanding of the
characters she portray as well as of the Asian life. Currently she lives in America
with her lovely husband, Dennis and three children , Danfung, Meimei and
Christopher.

Now I know more

about the writer.

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TANJUNG RHU

Synopsis

Mr. T.W. Li who is a rich, successful and modern businessman has

just lost his loving mother Ah-Ma. As he mourns her death, he recalls some
important events before her demise most significantly revolving around a pair of
binoculars purposely for her to see better because she didnt want an operation.
He had bought his mother a pair of binoculars so that she could
see farther as she had cataracts. Her only concern is she wants to see Tanjong
Rhu ,a place where she starts her living with her beloved family while Mr. Li was
growing up. His father owned a small shipyard there before it was torn down
about thirty years ago.
When Mr. Li finally convinced his mother to use the binoculars, he
was upset when his mother still could not accept the reality. She still could not
see the ships at the harbour, just in front of his office instead in her minds eye
she saw Tanjong Rhu in the past. She could see when Mr. Li was still a young boy,
in his dirty shirt with no shoes throwing stones into the sea and counting the
fishing boats near the shipyard. Sometimes he will accompanying her digging
for crabs along the beach. He became impatient with his mother who seemed
adamant to hold on the past and had no interest in the present.
He refused to listen to her stories but now in the present he realised
that he regrets for his actions towards her mother as now he too longs to go
back to his childhood in Tanjong Rhu. He finds that his memories are vague and
there are so many things that he does not remember clearly. But now there is no
one to answer his questions as the person who always shares the memories with
him, his mother, has passed away.

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TANJUNG RHU

Elements

Setting
Time Setting:
Goes back and forth between the present (after the death of Ah-Ma) and the
past (before Ah-Mas death)

Background Setting:
Tanjong Rhu, Singapore:
- A shipping port where Mr Li grew up
- Present condition : Filled with tall buildings and skyscrapers
- Past condition (80 years ago) : Only had small shipyards where fishing
boats were built.
-

Mr Lis office:
- 18th floor above Shenton Way (a central business district).
-

Mr Lis House:
- A big house with many rooms, a garden and a swimming pool.
- An altar room where Ah-Ma usually worships her ancestor.
-

Hospital:
- Ah-Ma passes away in this hospital

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Characters
The main characters are Mr Li, Mr Lis mother (Ah-Ma) and Mr Lis daughter,
Ying.
The minor characters are Mr Lis wife, father, son, siblings and Helens tea
party friends.

1) Mr Li

Is called Ah Wah by his mother and Edward by his wife

A wealthy and successful man of 63 years old
Keeps his hair carefully dyed black except for a little grey
Is the eldest son of nine siblings
A respectful and responsible son although is sometimes impatient with his
mother
Has a habit of counting ships in the harbor
Likes numbers
Dislikes his wifes tea sessions
For the most part. Seems to fit into the modern society but find that he
misses his childhood in Tanjong Rhu, especially after his mothers death.
Sometimes feels that his daughter is too modern and disrespectful for his
liking
Seems to have everything in material but still feels that something is
missing in his life.

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 2) Mr Lis mother (Ah-Ma)

Small and thin with grey hair and a bent back

A mother of nine, grandmother of thirty-four and great grandmother of
seventeen
Has cataracts but does not want to have surgery to fix it
Speaks Cantonese
A traditional woman who still keeps chickens in the garden and practices
the old Chinese customs and rituals
Particular and meticulous when it comes to taking care of the altar and
performing his prayers
Yearns to see Tanjong Rhu, where she used to live years ago
A simple woman who is content what she has
Seems to belong in the past as she is often lost in memories and likes to
relate stories of the past

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3) Ying

Daughter of Mr Li and Helen

Has an older brother at Cambridge University
Is soon leaving for New York
Speaks English to her father and Cantonese to her grandmother
Loves her grandmother, whom she calls Popo, and is very close to her
Affectionate towards her grandmother
Takes the customs and rituals lightly and does not seem to acknowledge
the importance of it
Takes care of her grandmother at the hospital and gives her blood
Very anxious that her grandmother is dying.

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Minor Characters:
1) Helen

Mr Lis wife
Often has a tea parties with her
friends
Seems to like socializing

2) Mr Lis father
Used to own a shipyard where
he built boats in Tanjong Rhu
Died at the age of 53
Upon his death, his wife offers
daily prayers to him in the altar
room and sometimes even talks
to him

3) Mr Lis son
Unnamed in the story
Soon to complete his studies at
Cambridge University

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QUALITIES OF THE CHARACTERS

1) Loving and devoted

Ah-Ma
Loves her family very much which is evident in the way she always speaks
fondly about them in her recollections
She also shows devotion when she performs her daily prayers to her
husband respectfully and meticulously at the altar
Ying
Yings love and devotion for her grandmother is evident in the way she
cares for her at the hospital.
Mr Li
Has deep love for his parents which is portrayed in how he cares for his
mother and how he misses his parents after their death

2) Traditional

Ah-Ma
She still keeps chickens in the garden although there is no need to
She takes special care in making sure the altar is arranged properly and
the daily prayers are performed correctly
She also speaks Cantonese although most of her family members are
speaking English to one another
Mr Li
Although seemingly modern in most aspects, is traditional to a certain
extent especially with regards as to how the younger generation behaves
in front of the elder generation
He always reprimands Ying when he feels that she is being disrespectful
towards her grandmother

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3) Respectful

Mr Li
Despite being impatient with his mother who is stuck in her old ways, Mr Li
never defies her and respect her wishes
This is the evident in the way he patiently waits for her to perform her
prayers even though he is already late for work
He also does not push her to have her cataract surgery if she is against it
He disapproves of the way his daughter speaks to her grandmother
because he thinks it is disrespectful
Upon his mothers death, he places her photograph at the altar next to his
fathers because he knows was what his mother would have wanted

4)Responsible

Mr Li
He does everything he could to ensure that his family has a good life
He works very hard to be successful in his business
He also ensures his mother has a proper burial upon her death
Ying
She is a responsible granddaughter by taking good care of her
grandmother at the hospital when she is very ill.

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Themes

1) Traditional values vs. modern behaviour:

The story focuses on the distinction between traditional values and practices
and modern behaviour. Ah-Ma represents tradition where she practices the
traditional cultural norms and beliefs of the Chinese Community. Mr. Li and Ying
on the other hand, represent the modern society. They do not really bother to
practice the traditional cultural norms and beliefs of the Chinese community.

2) The importance of remembering ones roots:

Mr Li tries to look like someone with a wealthy background, who has inherited his
money. He avoids talking about his past whereas his mother is happy when
remembering his childhood in Tanjung Rhu. He is uncomfortable being reminded
of the time when they were poor. He chooses to forget the happiness of being
close to his mother, and his siblings and the carefree day s he spent on the
beach in Tanjung Rhu. This causes him guilt and regret after his mothers death.

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Values
1) We must appreciate our family especially our parents
It is important to show and express our love for our parents and other
family members while they are still alive.
In the story, Mr Li finally realises that he wants to know more about his
childhood experience but by that time Ah-Ma was already very sick
and was bedridden in the hospital. Thus, he is unable to find out about
it. He regrets not asking his mother more questions about his childhood
when she was still around.
This teaches us that we should learn to appreciate our family
especially our parents before it is too late.

2) We should not forget our roots despite living in the modern era
We need to preserve certain aspects of our traditional practices and
family values so we will not lose our identity.
Mr Li does not practice the traditional custom of praying to ones
ancestors like his Ah-Ma but when she passed away, he puts her
photograph on the altar out of respect.
Mr Li speaks English to his family members and only speaks Cantonese
to his mother. He should speak more Cantonese with his family in
order to preserve their Chinese identity.

3) We have to realise that money cannot buy happiness

Despite having everything provided by her son, Ah-Ma still yearns
about her past when she lived in a wooden house at Tanjong Rhu with
her family.
She remembers the past in great detail and even tries to share about
their past memories to Mr Li. Perhaps it was the time when Ah-Ma felt
truly happy even though she may lack other material things.
This teaches us that having money is not a guaranteed ticket for
gaining happiness.

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Literary Devices in the Story
The literary techniques of symbolism and images/ideas are discussed in this
worksheet -

1. Sight/binoculars - it is interesting that the binoculars meant to encourage his

mother to peer into the present was eventually used by Mr Li himself to have a
clearer glimpse of his past. Although the old lady's eyes were likened to the
blank windows of the skyscrappers, her vision of the past was vivid; in contrast to
Mr Li who could not see the essence (ie his childhood) of the view in front of him
even though he frequently peered through those skyscrapper windows and
even looked into his mother's blank eyes.

2. Keys to the cabinet - Towards the end of the story, Mr Li could not locate the
keys. However, the lighting up of the altar photographs seems to suggest that his
parents were 'happy' that he attempted to connect with his lost self and
rekindle the fading relationship with them.

3. Language - the oscillitating use of the English language and Cantonese is

effective as it acts as a barrier as well as a bridge between the three
generations.

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TANJUNG RHU ACTIVITY 1

Whats the BIG idea?

Aim

80 minutes
To understand theme and how it develops throughout the
text.

Materials

ASSESSMENT 1

Steps

Distribute a copy of the worksheet to

each students.
Notes

Students read and analyse the textual

evidence from the story. Students work
in groups of 4
Complete the diagram with correct
information.
and writing
their own plot
on a given
theme for
deeper
understanding.

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 TANJUNG RHU ASSESSMENT 1

Whats the BIG idea?

Complete the diagram.

TANJONG RHU

The big
idea/theme

What character say and do that demonstrate this

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TANJUNG RHU ASSESSMENT 2

Have I Understood?

Practice 2

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

You want to see better, dont you? he said quickly.

I am not, Ah-Wah, having my eyes cut open, she said.
I am not talking about the operation, Ah-Ma.
Cutting into my eyes with a knife!
This has nothing to do with the operation, he said and pushed the
binoculars into her free hand. Theyre special glasses, see-far glasses to help
you see things far away.
See-far glasses? What do I want to look at faraway things for? She went
on feeding the chickens,making soft little noises to them.

1. Who are the people talking in the extract?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________.

2. What are the see-far glasses that they are talking about?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________.

3. Why do you think the see-far glasses are very important to Mr. Lis mother?

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________.

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 Practice 3

Name:

..
Character/characteristic

Name:

..
Character/characteristic









Name:
Name:




Character/characteristic Character/characteristic










Name:
..
Character/characteristic

Name:



Characteristic
.










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TANJUNG RHU

Answer Key

Worksheet 2: Extract

1. Mr. Li and his mother (Ah-Ma).

2. It refer to the binoculars.

3. It will help Ah-Ma to see things far away.

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 Worksheet 1: Whats the BIG idea?
Complete the diagram.

TANJONG RHU

The big
idea/theme The importance of remembering
ones roots

What character say and do that demonstrate this

Mr. Li Mr. Li Mr. Li

He avoids talking about his He is uncomfortable being He chooses to forget the
past. reminded of the time when happiness of being close to
they were poor. his mother and siblings

What is important to learn

(the message you take)
We must not forget our roots.
Family is more important than wealth
and success.

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Worksheet 3: Characters

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TANJUNG RHU

Glossary

adamant firm, unshakeable

altar a platform or table used as a centre of worship

ancestor one from whom a person is descended, whether on

the fathers or mothers side

binoculars a hand-held device with special glasses used to magnify

objects so that they be better seen from a distance

bow to bend oneself as a gesture of respect

Cantonese a dialect used mainly in south-east china

cataract a medical condition that affects the lens of the eye and

caused blindness

harbour a place on the coast, where ships can anchor safely

joss sticks thin wooden sticks covered with a substance that burns

slowly and produces a sweet smell

shipyard a place where ships are bulit and repaired

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SHORT STORY

Panel of Writers

Pn. Nik Salwanee bt Nik Soh SMK Putera Jaya

Pn. Ida Rohayu bt Ismail SMK Saujana
Pn. Wan Mazuein bt. Che Mat SMK Saujana
Pn. Nurul Amirah bt Nasir SMK Bukit Nenas

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