Online Task 2

Do we have a canon for Malaysian literary works? Let's say we do, who do you think are in it? Consider the fact that their works are well-known and most importantly included as part of the school syllabus- (both in BM and English)

Bahasa Malaysia

1.     Zakaria Salleh

Limpahan Darah di Sungai Semur for PMR level

2.     Mohamad Kholid Hamzah

Kabus di Perbukitan for SPM level

3.     Prof. Dr. Muhammad Haji Salleh

Anak Global for SPM level

English

1.     Kamaluddin Muhamad (Keris Mas)

Jungle of Hope for SPM level

2.     Datuk A. Samad Said

The Dead Crow for PMR level

3.     Prof. Dr. Muhammad Haji Salleh

Si Tenggang’s Homecoming for SPM level

4.     Lee Su Ann

The Curse for SPM level

The poems by Erica Jong raise some feminist issues. What are they?

The feminist issues raised by Erica Jong in her poems are sexuality, gender difference, freedom, marriage, and love.

Do you think they are suitable to teach at the secondary school level? Explain.

Erica Jong’s writing style can be considered bold in eastern culture and therefore they might not be a very good teaching material for the schools in our country in some people’s eyes. However, as they reflect truth and real issue about gender difference I think that they can be taught at secondary school for students of upper secondary level especially when the importance of sex education in school is genuinely highlighted nowadays.

Is Hillary Tham's poem more suitable?

Hilary Tham’s poem reflects feminism issue too but it is gentler and therefore is a more ‘local taste’ type of reading material. Compared to poems by Erica Jong, Hilary Tham’s would be more suitable to be taught to students at secondary level. Her poem, ‘Becoming a woman’ serves as a very good material for the students to understand better about the role and growth of a woman. It thus allows the female students to know themselves better as well as learning to become a self loving person and the male students to appreciate and respect the woman around them.

The short tale from the Native American group is about a girl who is unsatisfied with her life. How is this universal experience? Can it teach our students anything?

This issue about not be satisfied in life is very common disregard of nations, communities, races and genders. Human are more likely to be not content with what they have in their life as they yearn for perfection and standard living which differ individually. This American native story teaches the students to be grateful and content with the simple things. It also teaches the students not to value things solely on the outward appearance and but also take consideration on the inner beauty of the subject too. Besides that, it reminds the students to be wise and tactful in making decision on very important matters such as marriage in this American native story.

From your findings about his background, tell me about the dilemma he conveys through the poem CROSS.

This poem shows complexity of a person with confusions and difficulties in his personality. It explores the deepest emotions and troubles of a young man who was confused with his heritage as he could not decide whether he is black or white. Hughes, who was born to a black mother and white father, experienced emotional conflicts because of the racialism discrimination during that time when the black was regarded low status and was miss-threatened with injustice by the society.

I find "Dinner Guest: Me" laden with irony and sarcasm. Briefly state if you feel the same.

“Dinner Guest: Me” by Langston Hughes is full of irony and sarcasm and they can be seen from the following lines:

Stanza 1, Line 1 & 2

I know I am

The Negro Problem

Stanza 1, Line 9, 10 & 11

Of darkness U.S.A.—

Wondering how things got this way

In current democratic night,

Stanza 1, Line 14

“I’m so ashamed of being white.”

The irony and sarcasm in the poem was so strong when you read the above lines. And also when he mentioned that the racial issue is a very common and frequently asked question which at the end of his poem he gave the ironic answer to the issue discussed as he said the answer to the answer to the problem is to wait.

The experience in the poem Harlem is one that is true for many people. Do you agree?

Yes, I agree. Harlem’s poem is about the unequal treatment among the blacks and the whites. The case in relation to today’s society is unequal treatment to people in regard with wealth and social status and some who still have racial bias until today.

Langston Hughes fights for the voice of his people. What is the movement called?

New Negro Movement.