Tanjung Rhu

By;
Nurul Farahnabila
Emandy Liu
Valentine Jana

TSL 1034
Mdm. So Suez Pink
About the Author
 Born January 7, 1951 in Rangoon ,Burma, Minfong Ho
 is the daughter of an economist, Rih-Hwa and Liefung,

a chemist and writer.

 Minfong Ho was raised in both Singapore and Bangkok.

As both her parents are of Chinese origin, she speaks Chinese fluently
while also able to speak Thai and English
 She studied in Thailand and Taiwan before moving to the United States too attend Cornell
University in Ithaca, New York where she began writing.
 She wrote her first short story in an attempt to combat homesickness and she also realised
that American had false notions about life in Asia so she set out to change that through
her writing.
q
Theme
 Tradition vs Modernism
 Ah Ma was a very old fashioned woman who still does every single
thing traditionally. She still feed her chicken in the garden, she prays at
the altar and she still asked for permission from her late husband when
she does things.
 Mr. Li on the other hand is a modern man in terms of his ways and ideas.
He doesn’t really prefer traditional ways although he oes not interfere her
mother’s traditional ways
Characters
 Mr Li
• A successful bussinessman
• Has a happy childhood in Tanjung Rhu
• Close relationship to his mother but doesn’t openn up easily
• A modern man in his ways and ideas
• A tolerant man
• Meticulous
• A strict person
 Ah Ma (Mr. Li’s mother)
• A very traditional person with strong religious beliefs and values Chinese
ancestors worship
• Meticulous when it comes to her prayers
• Determined to do things in her own way
• Proud of her son’s success but often lost in memories – yearns to see
Tanjung Rhu
 Ying (Mr. Li’s daughter)
• A loving person. She took care of her grandmother in hospital.
• Modern – speaks English to her parents, takes traditional customs and
ritual lightly
• Loves helping her grandmother to pray when she was young.
• Persuasive – tries to persuade her grandmother to let her do the praying
Settings
 Place
• Tanjung Rhu – where Mr. Li used to live
• Altar – where Ah Ma performs prayers and ritual
• Hospital – Ah Ma was sick

Characterisation
• A workaholic life (Mr. Li)
• A traditional life (Ah Ma)
Literacy Devices
 Simile
• Eyes like colourless stone

 Imagery
• Altar is the line between life and death

 Proverb
• She has eaten more salt than have you eaten rice
Issues
 The younger generation do not appreciate old tradition
 The younger generation only care about being modern