SINGAPOREAN

LITERATURE
 SINGAPORE
• Is an island country and city-
state in maritime Southeast
Asia.
• With a multicultural
population and in
recognition of the cultural
identities of the major
ethnic groups within the
nation, Singapore has four
official languages: English,
Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.
• Singapore is famous for its melting pot of
food hubs, tidiness, and shopping centres.
• known variously as the “Lion City” or
“Garden City,” the latter for its many parks
and tree-lined streets—has also been called
“instant Asia” because it offers the tourist
an expeditious glimpse into the cultures
brought to it by immigrants from all parts of
Asia.
MERLION
• The Merlion's fish-like body
symbolises Singapore's origins as a
fishing village, known as Temasek—a
name which comes from same root as
the word tasek ('lake' in Malay). The
statue's head represents the city's
original name of Singapura (lion city
in Sanskrit).
HISTORY :

• Singaporean literature in English started

in Chinese community.
• With independence in 1965, new writing
such as critical essays emerged.
• Comprised of literary works written in 4
languages: English, Chinese, Malay, and
Tamil.
SINGAPOREAN POETRY

• Literary work in which special

intensity is given to the expression of
feelings and ideas by the use of
distinctive style and rhythm.
• Unclear which was the first work but
there’s a trace as early as 1830s.
F. S.M.R
• by Francis P. Ng (Teo Poh Leng)
• about the train ride from
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur,
Federated Malay States
• Railways, inspired by T.S. Elliot’s,
The Waste Land.
FINDING FRANCIS: A POETIC
ADVENTURE
• October 2010
• by Dr. Ericko Schuck and
Anne Teo
• First Generation of Singaporean Writers,
led by Edwin Thumboo; called
"Thumboo’s Generation"
• Thumboo wrote mostly lyrical poetry
based on personal experiences
• Edwin Thumboo is often dubbed as
Singapore’s Unofficial Poete Laureate
because of his poems with nationalistic
themes.
SINGAPOREAN DRAMA

• Drama is a mode of fictional

representation through dialogue
and performance.
• Its composition is in prose or
verse presenting a story in
pantomime or dialogue.
EMILY OF EMERALD HILL: A
MONOLOGUE
• by Stella Kon
• about an ageing
Peranakan matriarch
• character has been played
by men, as well as women
SINGAPOREAN FICTION

• Fiction is created from the

imagination and not presented
as fact.
• did not start in earnest until after
independence.
• comprises of short stories and
novels.
IF WE DREAM TOO LONG

• recognised as the first true

Singaporean novel
• by Goh Poh Seng
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

• Gained momentum in recent years due to

increased interest in the genre generated by
the First Time Writers and Illustrators’
Initiative
• According to the National Library Board,
prominent and prolific children’s authors
include Patricia Maria Tan, Chia Hearn
Chek, Ho MinFong, and Bassie Chua.
•Jessie Wee, one of the
pioneers of children’s
literature, rereleased her
popular Mooty
Mouse series with Martial
Cavendish in 2009
CHARACTERISTICS

• multilingual
• political
• personal (sexuality and
perspective of Singaporean
Life)
• cultural
• societal
SINGAPOREAN WRITERS

Joan Hon
• pen name: “Han May”
• known for fiction books
• “Star Sapphire
 Kou Pao Kun
• was a playwright, theatre director, and
arts activist in Singapore who wrote and
directed both Mandarin and English plays.
• His plays are characterised for their
dramatic and social commentary, use of
simple metaphors and multiculturalism
themes, and have been staged locally and
internationally.
Teo Poh Leng

• Also known as Francis P. Ng

• was a Malayan poet and teacher
who lived in Singapore, the then
capital of the Straits Settlements
• He was noted for having the first
book-length publication in English
by a person from Singapore
Goh Poh Seng

• was a Singaporean dramatist,

novelist, doctor and poet, was born
in Kuala Lumpur, British Malaya in
1936.
 Catherine Lim

• Singapore’s widely known author

• hailed as “doyenne of Singapore
writers”
• themes: Asian male, chauvinistic
gender-dominance
• The taxi man's story
 SINGAPOREAN STORIES
“Taximan’s Story”
• the irony is the fact that the taximan criticizes young
people of our generation for being too immature by hanging
out in places like Hotel McElroy; while he still goes there to
make an easy living as Hotel McElroy is a popular spot to
earn a living.
• This is an act of contradiction, and instead of ‘practicising
what he has preached’, he has gone against his stand and
decides to put money and to make a living over his own
beliefs and mind-set.