Litr 102 - ASEAN Literature

Leader: Atienza, Mary Grace B.

Members: Ali, Jobelle Ann R.
Boongaling, Glydel S.
De Guzman, Shyrica Mae D.
Diamante, Kristel Lei C.
Loteriña, Glorine Mae B.
Macuha, Imma Jerome A.
Mendoza, Christine M.
Requiño, Don Cliffferson M.
Valdueza, Leslie Ann D.

Instructor: Mr. John Carlo D. Quiane

 Close Proximity by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay

Characterization:
1. How is Ma Thaw as a daughter? Daw Pan U as a mother? And U Po Sein as father?
The characters on the story have their own different personalities that does not
match well with each other which resulted to an uncommon relationship between the
family members which is evident on the entire flow of the story. Ma Thaw as a daughter
is someone who diligently follow her parents despite their difficult personality. Even
though she is fed up on the everyday scenario on their home, she does not leave and run
away from it which shows that she is a good daughter. However, it is just devastating that
she was always caught in between her parents on their never ending issues with each
other where she can’t even express her opinions because of the Asian norms between
parents and child. On the other hand, Daw Pan U as a mother is somewhere between the
scale of being a good parent and a selfish one. She is a good parent in a way that she still
manages to stay in their home in order to give her daughter a complete family, yet, she
also has a selfish and stingy quality within her. This is characterized on how she can’t let
go of her issues on her husband which also affects her relationship with her daughter.
Lastly, U Po Sein as a father has a difficult relationship with her daughter. As what Ma
Thaw stated, there was a time wherein she still did not know U Po Sein as her father
maybe because he was always away from home. Also, their bond was not formed quite
well since her father also has the same negative quality just like her mother. These are the
reason why Ma Thaw does not grow up on a normal environment where family members
are expected to love each other dearly.

2. What matters most to Daw Pan U and U Po Sein ?

"A family that prays together stays together " A well-known quotation that we can
use but we need to revised it into this. " A family that stays together need to pray
together".
A prayer sticks to the bond of the family whom are believing in the power of love.
But how can you pray for others and you can't even pray for someone whom you are
with. What really matters to every one of us? Being together with separated goals or
being separated with the same goal?
What really matters most to Daw Pan U and U Po Sein? Is it material things. The
food, their separated things or something that is not alive? For me, it's their daughter. No
material things can replace their daughter. They are together for her. Yes there are
circumstances that they can't live a happy life in their house as their pride comes in. But
as they are with their daughter, even separated, the love and care they give is
incomparable. In what way? Imagine yourself tied in someone you're not happy and fell
in love with but because of what you are holding in, you became strong even in the years
of shyness with someone.
Daw Pan U and U Po Sein are the downfall of Ma Thaw because of how they act.
But their love for their daughter in separate ways and in deeper understanding. As they
kills their daughter because of their words with each other. The space of responsibility
and being a parent is in there, again in a wider range of appreciation with all the words
 the author implemented. And in the house your fruit from your body is what always
really matters.

3. Do the characters have fears and limitations?

Yes they have fears and limitations. Let's fix as character by character. Ma Thaw
is the most affected in the situation in their house and that is her fear. Day by day, a
hundred times, more minutes passes by , the hurtful words from her parents kills her. She
always doing her part. Being a good daughter with separated parents in the same house.
She ended up making a move, for her family but as her parents takes their prayers, the
sadness shutters her. The darkness came as she loses hope from the love that she wanted
a long time ago. Because of what happened to her parents, she is scared to have a family.
And as a only child it is difficult to face all the problems alone. It's difficult to be in the
place that even a peace of love can fit in.
Her fear in everything she do for her family is undeniably sad. As she faced
everything is limited. Her family can't be in happily ever after. The barriers of continuous
shyness or being independent is the limited part of her. Even a simple family hug she
can't even have.
Daw Pan U has strong affirmation but a fearful ambiance of caring. In the story
she doesn't even want to be with his husband. Hard headed one, I was thinking if she is a
good mother, yes she taking care of his daughter but the love in their house is fading as
time passes by, or I may say, is there any love for the first place. There is no statement
that is referring how their love began. It's just that she was married and having a birth to
their only daughter. Maybe a loving mother because she chose to stay because of her
daughter but as a good wife, a sort of, because she still cares for U Po Sein. She is the
light in their house, but she is also the darkness why Ma Thaw is encountering with. Her
words makes her daughter feel that love is not the way to have a better life. Money and
being independent is the way to be a human and to live in this world. Her pride is like a
tower even she is offering to their Buddha. The presence of how prayer works can't be
determined on how they acted. Even you have a beautiful prayer and how long it was.
The attitude towards one another is a must. Yes you kept on praying but the soul and
spirit you keep on feeding in, is destroyed on how you faced others. Does humanity really
works. Or you are just praying cause you have to pray?
As she limit herself to be with her husband, she is also limiting herself to feel
some love that a family must have. She can't be happy as she can't lower herself and let
her husband ruled with respect. She can't be in a place of being a mother and a wife if she
can't move what she needed to. A difficult part of growing with a pride. The highest sin
above all.
And lastly the father, U Po Sein is a caring one because he stayed for the greater
good in the first place but he is always scared of being apart in his daughter. Imagine
because of his presence for the needy ones he converted to someone whom their place
wanted to have. Someone who has a power to take away the sickness. But it doesn't says
how he became a father. Like a normal father, he stand with masculinity. What he speaks
is what you need to follow. But his wife doesn't care about him, so he decided to separate
their ways in their own house. As I've said there is no love connections between him and
his wife. Maybe a little love but living with a person you doesn't love is a difficult thing.
But as you revise or think another sequence, maybe they really love each other, like in the
 saying the more you hate the more you love. And as they hate each other their daughter is
thinking if in his 75 years does love really appears? Or any connections. It's his birthday
as he offers to Buddha. We can see that he is also a religious one but like her wife. He
really doesn't know why we are praying. Just for other people? Just for ourselves. With
the quotation of "May all creatures be blessed, but not that person in my house!" Does it
is a real prayer? Does he stand as a good father? He stated how he suffered because of the
family of her wife but his pride is also high like her wife. Yes, he is just staying for his
daughter and shyness in their relationship became stronger ruins how their house was
build. He is the column that his daughter might stand with but he is also the column with
a pest , his daughter can't fit in.
Barriers of being a human full of pride at age of 75 is isn't good. You're limiting
yourself to enjoy what you have to. The materials that you are using are useless as you
die. Even you take care of everything you have. The fulfilment of love is what you can
carry in the greatest place. The foods, needs, they are just people thingy or basic needs
but as love as the fonder. The limitation, the fears of every character embraces the word
LOVE. Love in the material things, love in what you have, love you fruitfully in, and the
love that is needed to spread for togetherness. It's is sad that they really don't know how
to use love for foundation to overcome being prideful and avoid limitations.

4. Table the characters’ dialogues and actions and tell their mental their mental
health.

Character Dialogue Action

Ma Thaw 1) " Oh mother, I really
didn't hear anything, it's
raining so hard. I couldn't
get the fire to light. I
closed the door so the
smoke won't blow into the
house.
1) The daughter feels cold
because of the rain
outside. She wasn’t able to
create a light so she closed
the door.

2) "Yes, mother, it's washed, 2) The daughter was

it's ready." obedient because she
finished washing the rice.

3) "The firewood's damp,

3) Ma Thaw still used the
mother, it's not going to
wood even though it was
catch for some time...so I
damp. And she thinks it
thought this could help.”
will help and she will be
satisfied.
4) Mother, I'm just worried it
4) Her mother still does not
would get to late...it's just
listen to what she says.
lighting a fire... you're not
Ma Thaw is getting
using anything."
emotional because she is

Daw Pan U 1) "How could you not hear
the door? I've been
pounding so hard and why
is the door closed?"
2) "You right. Look at the
time, the rice pot isn't on
the fire yet. I heard you
get up ages go...have you
even washed the rice?"
3) "Stop this rubbish; don't
bring that fire to my stove.
I can manage my
own...take it back."
4) "See here, when did I ever
touch anything of his? If I
say I cut off someone I cut
off everything connected
to that person...I won't use
it, so take it away and go."
U Po Sein 1) "You know, daughter,
before you were born we
went to live with her
relatives and they worked
me without mercy. They
asked me to reap the
paddy and I have never
done anything like that
before...my hands were all
tom up and became
infected, dripping blood
and pus...she's not even
grateful that I suffered like
that, that inconsiderate
woman."
already worried.
1) Her daughter did not
immediately open the
door, no matter how hard
she knocked on it. And I
feel like she was angry
with Ma Thaw because of
that incident.
2) The pot was not
immediately set on fire.
3) What she said was very
painful and it was very
painful for a child that she
did not accept her
daughter’s offer.
4) Daw Pan U is very strict
when she does not want
something she really does
not want it. And she will
do everything just to get
rid of those connected to
it.
1) U Po Sein recounts the
past where he informs her
daughter of what
happened to him when he
was with her mother's
relative. What happened
to him there was very
difficult because he was
forced to work without
mercy. And it hurts for
him because even his wife
did not even help him
here.
 2) "Whenever I think of that
time I feel like crying; it's
only because I worry
about you that I am still
living in this house."
2) U Po Sein becomes
emotional when he looks
back on his past. U Po
Sein is really very kind
because even though his
not okay with his wife, he
still stays in their house
because he is also worried
about her daughter.

Emotional Appeal:
1. How do you feel about Ma Thaw and her parents?
I feel bad for Ma Thaw and her parents because they don’t have a strong bond
family. Her parents has misunderstanding between each other while Ma Thaw is also
affected by their attitude. As a family, even though there are some misunderstanding,
they should still think about other people’s feeling and show love as a parent to his child.
In the situation of Ma Thaw, eve her parents are always have quarrels, they still think
about each other and pray to God to be safe and to give thanks.

2. Read the lines that make you feel that way.

“May all creatures have neither hatred nor enmity; may they have neither
anxieties nor fears; may they keep themselves in well-being and prosperity.”
On hearing this blessing Ma Thaw felt a sudden sadness rise up in her heart, as if
she wanted to cry, and felt choked.

3. What is used by the author in those lines making you feel that way?
The author had used emotional appeal for the reader in making those lines. It’s as
if the character of Ma Thaw had felt sadness where the author described in the story “that
rise up in her heart” that she was hurt and wanted to cry. As she saw and heard her
mother’s prayer, she may have thought that it is the opposite of what is happening in their
lives. The author also used irony, where the character of Ma Thaw’s mother being
religious and prayerful, praying for goodness without hatred and anxieties, hates someone
such as her husband.

4. If it were not written that way, do you think you will still feel the same?
If it is not written in that way, I think I will not feel the same. From the plot of the
story to the character’s dialogue, the writer effectively delivered the message. The way he
narrates the story is clear and had appealed to the emotions. The short story mainly is
about family. The idea of learning to love and to be loved that starts from the family, was
opposite to what was shown in the story. The story’s theme is about hate,
misunderstandings and failed relationships that could happen inside a family. The story
tries to tell that bitterness and hate do not just happen outside of the house, but it could
also happen inside a home.
Theme:
1. What reality of life is shown in the story?
The story has many realistic feature, from parents arguing, to the damage it can
deal to their children. We can start by knowing their economic status. We can see that
the family of ma thaw are in the middle class level, with both parents now earning for
themselves. However, common middle class families often has trouble on financial state,
usually indicated by one parent, usually the father, steadily earning, while the other one,
usually the mother, stays at home.
In the past, Men were more likely be the one working for their family's finances,
while the wife often has to deal with the management of bills, while taking care of the
house and the children. However, this has some downfalls on middle class families,
because middle class men would unable to always sustain the families finance. This
problem became one of the disdainful memory of Daw Pan U, which led to a
deteriorating relationship.
Another reality of life shows how unprepared, immature and close minded some
lovers are. With very little openness to each other, and understanding of their lover's
attitude, this can result to a poorly made relationship which can damage not only both the
parents, but also their children.
For Ma thaw's scenario, we can say that detaching yourself from your family can
be a shameless act, if it was on an Asian perspective. Unlike the western culture where
children are set free from their parents at the age of 18 or adulthood, here in Asia, close
family ties are a culture. Which was why, the effect of her seeing her parents constantly
fight over and over again has shattered her culture identity as well as her mental health, to
a point where she has now need to detach herself, for the sake of herself.

2. Which parts of the story reveal this?

The story told that Ma thaws parent, Daw Pan U, and U Po Sein, were maid and
doctor, which is a strong indication of middle class family, that requires no family blood
ties associated. The story then showed that Daw Pan U owns a shop which generates
income to not rely on her husband’s earning. From the past experience of Daw Pan U on
the appraisal that U Po Sein gave her while she was at Maternity, we can say that the
couple weren't earning that well.
Ma thaws parents are very stubborn and close minded, since they're very old,
when Ma thaw was born her parents were 40yrs+, which can explain the incapability to
understand other people and open up.

3. If you were Ma Thaw, how will you react to your parents?

It will be difficult for me because I am the one who are stuck and will be able to
manage/handle a difficult type of situation. Moreover, I will be sad and envy because my
parents are not okay unlike any other family/parents who are living happily together,
loving and caring for each other and still manage to forgive when they had a fight.

4. Why is it the title of the fiction?

 We all know that close proximity is defined as near to each other. In the fiction,
we can notice that the family were near to each other yet they are not okay. I think the
real reason why close proximity is the title of the fiction because the author wants us to
realize that even though you are near to the people who you love that doesn’t mean that
you’ll create a great bond or strong relationship because sometimes when you have been
with them for a long time they true identity revealed including their negative traits and
it’s up to you on how are you going to handle it.

Culture:
1. What cultural practices are shown in the fiction?
Family life is a major part of the culture and heritage of Myanmar. In the story,
even though U Po Sein and Dawn Pan U was not in good terms they were still living in
one house with their daughter who is already forty years old. It was just fine with them to
live in one house even if they are old because that is one of their cultural practices. Being
together as family. Also, people tend to live near each other in the village and are very
close and supportive. Children or any family members who go off to work in other places
tend to return home on a regular basis, a practice of the people of Myanmar. The other
cultural practice that has been shown is the own style of Myanmar in cooking and their
food preparation that would be the offerings to the monks. Monks are those boys that
have an obligation to collect all the offerings. It was seen in the fiction that the father, U
So Pien is turning seventy five and the rice that he should offer is full as his age number
which is a very unique culture of Myanmar. The culture of the annual food offering
ceremony is held on the full-moon day and it is a well-known event in the country.

2. Do you think Filipinos would adopt these?

The Philippines and Myanmar has its similarities and differences. And this
differences can be the reason why Filipinos will not adopt the culture of Myanmar. The
Philippines has a Christian majority and Burma has a Buddhist majority. But culturally,
the Filipino and Burmese peoples share traits of personal warmth and hospitality, even
pity.

3. As a future businessman, teacher, engineer, health worker, technician, craftsman,

etc., does knowing their culture be of any help?
Yes. Knowing others culture is beneficial and it is not bad if we study and learn
their culture. Knowing their culture may help us to be aware so that when we met them,
we have an idea on how they live because we know their culture. The differences
between cultures and practices on those in the workplace can also affect the unity of the
team as well as its performance. Being professional you must ensure that you are able to
learn the culture of other people and understand why people do things the way they do.
Moreover, workers can easily communicate and it will prepare them for interacting with
global-society, it can help them avoid culture shock and conflicts such as related to
diversity and misunderstanding in the workplace.