The Jade Bracelet by Mary Frances Chong

The Jade Bracelet by Mary Frances Chong


1. What is the relationship between Mrs Wong and Mrs Lee?

They are sibling or maybe they are in-laws.

2. Is Mrs Wong a filial daughter? Give three reasons.

Yes because he is willing to take care of her mother without any complaint. This can be shown when Mrs Wong faithfully take cares of her mother for years.Besides that,she never permit any word of complaint.She also paid whatever price just for her mother's coffin even though she knows it will be cremated after that.

3. What is Ah Kow's real name? How is he related to the dying woman in the short story?

Ah Kow's real name is Fook Kee. Ah Kow is the son of the dying woman in the story.

4. Why is Sam Poh Tong mentioned in the short story?

Sam Poh Tong mentioned in the short story because it is the place where the grandmother will be send. Sam Poh Tong is a cave Buddish Temple.

5. What do you think the jade bracelet symbolises? Give your reasons.

I think the jade bracelet symbolises a person status. Jade is made from a precious stone and it is very har to obtain. That is why it costs a lot. A person who wears jade shows that he or she is a rich people. Apart from that, it symbolises a good health of the person who wear it. The energy in the jade bracelet helps to take extra care and protects the person who wear it. Moreover, people who wear jade have a good luck for years and longer life.


6. Do you think Siew May is naive? Cite your reasons with quotations.

Yes.This is show after grandmother passed away.
The quotation, "I want to go home...... Grandmother will be waiting alone!"

7. Did Siew May get the jade bracelet in the end? Why?

No, because her mother claimed that she is not supposed to own the jade bracelet. According to her mother, her uncle is the one who should own the jade bracelet because he is the only son in the family.

8. Do you like the story? Why?

No, because it requires a lot of thinking. I could not figure out who is the main character actually in this short story. I also could not determine what is the role of some characters in the short story such as Ah Kow and Mrs Lee. Apart from that, the dialogues are not understandable. In addition to that, I could not agree that in the end, Siew May did not own the jade bracelet.

Birthday by Lee Kok Liang

Themes

The abuse of young woman
- Grandmother treat the protagonist character very bad.
- Grandmother do not allowed her to eat after she had spilled the curry over Uncle Teng trouser.

Forgiving
- Uncle Tang is a forgiveness person because he is able to forgive the child accidentally action for spilled the curry.

Characters


The protagonist
- her parent had dead and the protagonist is take care by her grandmother
- obey to her grandmother

- being abuse by his grandmother and trapped in the house

- the protagonist's marriage has been planned by protagonist's grandmother

  example: the protagonist's grandmother planned an arrange marriage for her with Uncle Teng.

Grandmother
- protagonist's grandmother
- strict and sometimes fierce
- match maker
- kind to Uncle Teng


Uncle Teng
- kind person
- caring
- tolerate person
- forgiving man

C.B.
- a child
- enjoy joking with Uncle Teng .
   Example: laughing with Uncle Teng after they talk about C.B.'s future wife and modern girls.

Plot


Exposition

The protagonist was staring outside from the window looking at the baby who's mother was giving him a bath, when grandmother called her from the ground floor. 

Rising Action

It was her (the protagonist) 25th birthday. Uncle Teng from the northern village came to have a look on her for the possibility of marriage. 


Climax


At dinner time, she clumsyly spilled some curry on Uncle Teng's trousers. It was the cockroach that made her to spill the curry. She would be the spinster her whole life.


Falling action

The protagonist cleaned up the mess and at the same time, being scolded by Grandmother. Then, Grandmother did not allowed her to eat dinner.



Resolution
After the incident, the protagonist went to her room and rest. Grandmother then entered her room and called her as a "clumsy bitch".