The following are the novels studied in the literature component in English Language

Captain Nobody – Dean Pitchford

Dear Mr Killer – Anne Schraff
Sing to the Dawn – Minfong Ho

Choose any one of the novels above and answer the question below.

1) The importance of family unity is shown in the novel. With close reference to the text, give
evidence from the novel to support your answer.

The importance of family unity in Sing to the Dawn by Minfong Ho is a close-knit family gives
a strong foundation to an individual. There are many problems that people face in their daily life. It
helps tremendously when there is a loving and caring family in the background.

Dawan and Kwai want to improve their lives by getting an education. They have many plans
and dreams which cannot materialise unless they get a scholarship to further their education. When
Dawan gets the scholarship, Kwai is disappointed that he didn’t get it. But he overcomes his feelings
and learns to accept the fact that his sister can further her studies and do as much good as he can.
He makes that sacrifice for his sister. Squabbles are normal among siblings but what is important is
doing the right thing when problems arise. There is love and kindness in the family.

Dawan’s parents want the best for their children. The father thinks that girls do not need to
have too much education but he eventually changes his mind and allows Dawan go to the city
school. Her mother and grandmother of course want her to be educated and try their best to help
her. Her grandmother plays a pivotal role in convincing Dawan that she will be fine I n the city. Just
as the lotus unfolds its petals, Dawan too will get a chance to develop her abilities and succeed in
life. Her encouragement is very important to Dawan as it sets her off to the city and to a new life.

Strong bonds hold family together despite the problems that crop up now and then. A
closely-knit family does not fall apart but comes back together with a renewed strength. Problems
will pass.
2. One needs a great deal of courage to go through life. With close reference to the text how far is
this true of the main character.

　　　　Based on the novel Sing to the Dawn, there are many lessons that we can learn.

　　　　The lesson that I learnt is one needs a great deal of courage to go through life. It is easy to say
that life is unfair and to give up easily. This is only a weak excuse.

　 　 　 　 Dawan proves that one has to be strong and fight for what one wants in life. She is offered a
scholarship to study in a city school but she faces many obstacles to pursue her dream. Her father
beliefs that only boys should be educated and thus disapproves of her studying and does not allow
her to study.

　　 　　 Even her bother, Kwai is unhappy she got the scholarship. He wishes that he should get it. But
Dawan has her own dreams and she wants to achieve it no matter what. Her cousin Noi also lets her
down by saying that life in the city is evil and not suitable for girls. The old monk she relies on also
thinks the same and thinks girls should not be educated.

　　　　Her mother is afraid to support her.Her grandmother and Bao is very supportive and encourages
her to fight for her right to study. Dawan talks to her brother and speaks of her dream. Finally, Kwai
realizes that Dawan should be given the opportunity to further her studies.

　　　　In conclusion, Dawan stays determined all the time to go to the city school and does not give up
although she faces many challenges.
3. Describe a significant event in the novel that you have studied and explain how it affects the
characters.

A significant event in Sing to the Dawn by Minfong Ho is Dawan’s encounter with Bao after
seeing the old monk. The meeting with the monk was a disaster as he was unhelpful and fixed in his
old-fashioned views. She goes to the market place and meets Bao.

When she tells Bao what happened, Bao tells her that the monk isn’t important and that she
should pursue her own ideas and not give up. She then tells Dawan to release a bird and see what
happens. Bao tells her to act like the bird and soar far and wide. Just then her brother, Vichai,
comes and scolds Bao for not taking money for her birds. He hits her, much to Dawan’s dismay. Bao
releases the remaining birds and he hits her again.

Kwai appears on the scene and grabs Vichai’s arms to stop the abuse. Bao is upset to find
one of the sparrows dead and feels miserable.

She recognizes Kwai and scolds him for trying to help her when he failed to help his own
sister. Kwai gets annoyed and wants to hit her but Dawan will not have it. He pushes her aside and
she falls, hurting her ankle. Kwai tries to help her but Dawan, in frustration, tells him off harshly.

At that point, cousin Noi comes to tend to her bleeding leg. Noi tells her that it is painful to
get in the way of men and warns her that she may get hurt more in life.

This incident triggers the change in Kwai who decides that he should not stand in the way of
Dawan. He talks to her and they make peace. Dawan’s determination to go to the city is reinforced
and she accepts the offer with her father’s consent.

This incident shows the strength of Bao’s character and the change in Dawan. It is also
important as it clears some of the feelings that caused a rift between Dawan and Kwai.
4. Do you like the ending of the story? Give reasons to justify your answer.

The novel I have studied is Sing To The Dawn by Minfong Ho. This story is about Dawan, a 14
year old Thai girl from a small village who wins a scholarship to study at a prestigious city school.
However, she is faced with many obstacles by the patriarchal society she lives in who keeps telling
her that the scholarship is useless for a girl and that she should instead let her brother, Kwai take it
up instead. Personally, I absolutely loved the story's ending as it moved me and impacted me in
many ways.

First of all, I have learned to be brave and fight for my rights to achieve my dreams. I learned
this through Dawan's character. Towards the end of the story, Dawan is confronted by her angry
father, who is furious that she and Kwai did not tell him that Kwai came in second at school and
would have the chance to get the scholarship if Dawan forfeits it. Dawan stands firm with her
decession to go study in the city, and even dares to tell her father to not abuse his power as the
head of the family by denying her her rights. Eventually, the father changes his mind and allows
Dawan to go.

Next, I have also learned the importance of family and love. This is something I learned from
the character of Kwai. At the end of the novel, while their father confronts him and his sister, he
could have staked his false claim on the scholarship by exerting it is more beneficial to him as a boy.
His patriarchal father would have readily supported him as well. However, Kwai did not stoop to that
level because he loves his sister and he would never do such a thing to her. Although it seems he is
initially upset because he cannot go to the city school, he still waits by the bridge to say goodbye to
Dawan.

Finally, the biggest reason I love the ending of this story is it the story ends at a very
inspirational note. After facing countless obstacles, Dawan finally achieves her dream of studying at
the city school. This goes to show how believing in yourself and never giving up can go a long way.
Before she leaves the village, Dawan's grandmother gives her a lotus flower, which is symbolic of
Dawan's own growth from an innocent little girl into a budding strong young woman.

In conclusion, I think this novel should be read not just by young girls but by everyone. As a
girl, one can learn to strive within a patriarchal society. On the other hand, boys can learn to treat
girls as equals since they are human beings too and can contribute to society just as much as men
can.
5. In the novel you have studied, gender inequality prevails. Do you agree? Give reasons for your
choice with close reference to the text.

In the novel ‘Sing to the Dawn’ by Mingfong Ho, the story revolves around two siblings,
Dawan and Kwai. Dawan won a scholarship to study in the city, but her father disapproved of it as
she is a girl. He thinks that a girl should stay at home to cook, look after the family and that studying
is just a waste of time.  The story also shows how Dawan, a timid girl, is determined to fight for her
rights to study in the city even though many people did not support her. 

Gender inequality is a big problem and this book is a good example of fighting against it.
Dawan is a girl that lives in the countryside in Thailand. She is one of the few girls that go to school.
She has a chance of winning a scholarship to the city school but in her community, girls should stay
at home and do work instead of going to school. Dawan wants to break the status quo. This book
shows that gender Inequality still exists in some regions of the world but this is a problem that
should not happen, because girls or boys, we are all human beings and we should have the same
rights.

Dawan has had a strong character from the very beginning. Ho created an extraordinary
character and has placed her in the perfect time period. Dawan was born into a society that believes
that girls have no need to be educated. Then, there is an opportunity to continue your education by
taking a test. Dawan comes out first, over her brother. So Dawan had won the scholarship, not her
brother, like most people had expected. Of course, she would meet her father's objections, her
brother's bitter envy, and many other troubles along the way.

She faces the disapproval of her father who thinks that studying is not for girls and she
should give the scholarship to her brother as he came in second in the test. Dawan tried many ways
to convince her father to let her pursue her studies. Even though she failed many times, she
manages to convince her father in the end. When the bus arrived, she almost changed her mind
because she was going to miss singing to the dawn. After her grandmother convinces her, she
decides to go.

I like the process which Dawan went through to convince her father that he should give her
a chance to study because it contains a lot of suspense. When she approaches anyone for help, she
keeps on failing but she never gives up and continues so it makes me curious if she will succeed in
her mission. She is very determined to go against gender inequality.

My least favourite character is the head monk. I do not  like him because when Dawan asks
him to help her convince her father to let her pursue her studies, he refuses and even gives her an
earful as he also thinks that studying is not for girls. He is also practising gender inequality.

The story ended with Dawan sitting on the bus going to the city. When she passes the
bridge, she sees her brother, Kwai singing the song that they sing every dawn. Then, she sings
together with Kwai until she cannot see Kwai anymore. Next, she looks at the lotus flower her
grandmother gave her to convince her to go. As she sees it unfold, she becomes more convinced her
grandmother is right, she should go to the city to fully bloom into a mature woman, just like the
lotus unfolding.

We should not favour boys over girls. We must give both genders a chance.