PLOT FOR TANJONG RHU


 EXPOSITION

Mr Li is in the office looking out of the window
and counting the number of ships in the
harbour. He is troubled as he cannot pinpoint
what it was that he had left undone. The
binoculars remind him of his mother.
 RISING ACTION

Mr Li sees Ah Ma in the garden feeding the
chickens. He tries to give Ah Ma the binoculars.
She feels they are of no use to her until she
might be able to see Tanjong Rhu with them.
She agrees to use them in Mr Li’s office.
 CLIMAX

Next morning, Mr Li brings Ah Ma to his office.
He directs Ah Ma to look at the ships but she
stares blankly into the distance for Tanjong
Rhu and then says happily that she sees Mr Li
as a young boy playing and walking on the
beach in Tanjong Rhu with her.
 FALLING ACTION

Ah Ma is sick in hospital. Ying looks after her.
Mr Li wants to talk to her but he could not say
the words. Ah Ma becomes agitated and talk
about the key to her altar. Ying bends down to
Ah Ma’s ear and consoles her. Mr Li bends
down to soothe her.
 RESOLUTION

When he realises what he has to do, Mr Li goes
home and enters the altar room. He bows to
show respect to his dead parents but he cannot
find the key to the drawer where joss sticks are
kept.