KS Maniam Removal In Pasir Panjang Essay

As the first-generation descendant of indentured Indian labourers brought in to service the dick plantations of British colonial Malaya, Maniam knows too well the trauma and losses attendant on that position of cultural, linguistic, geographic and temporal displacement. Early stories such as Ratnamuni, and The trio Child and Removal in Pasir Panjang capture the nuances and particular texture of diasporic Indian life, replete with its fears, failures and feelings of betrayal as its members cling desperately to familiar, long-ago rituals that are devalued losing their currency in the new cultural location.ThemesTradition vs Changes perspectives on striking changes which have taken place in modern Malaysia and Singapore societies. Power semblance human relationship in different strata and racial aspects.ConflictsSettingPhysicalPenang in post independence timeSmall townspeople Pasir Panjang (refer to the text how the generator describes the town the shop, the school, the buildin gs etc) The road its significance impact to the town peopleSocial settingMulti-racial communityNathan, Ramasamy representing the Indian, Ah Seng and CRC the Chinese community, the students etc The housing development on the other typeface of the river representing changes The CRC (Chinese Recreation Club) representing the usancePlots (themes)A subtly paced contrast of this life with the more rapid changes brought about by urban development. There is a comic edge running throughout the story, the better because it is played by seriousness, concerning Nathan (protagonist) the school teachers resignation from CRC. Nathan sent in his resignation from the CRCThe reaction of CRC concerning his decisionCRC stage set their rules to admit him, and send successive deputations to urge him to rejoin. The building of the road Leng Lengs death and other children who were also killed on the same road after its closure brings in the irony of the story (changes come with a price) This highw ay/road causes upheaval in the slow-paced townIronically yet tragic is the model of Leng Leng the orphan male child which in turn a comic in the case of Ah Seng the shop keeper, who fears he will lose his customers (being superstitious) Nathans impatience with Li Hwa (one of his students) show his desire to be out of the small town and join the development on the other side of town Nathan made his frequent call to the jetty, watching the development on the other side of the river. As readers, we see from his observation, how the development springing but again development is partly shown in the darker side of overture (e.g. prostitution, gangster elements etc)Nathan met Yahaya a stranger on the jetty, who warned him about interfering with the across river development. They some(prenominal) became friends and together contemplate the invasion of the new with a peculiar salmagundi of interest and dismay. There is the case alienation when Nathan who s beaten up by newer gangster elements who came with development. Cheng the school clerk came to nurse his woundThen a visit by Hock Guan, a CRC member together with Li Hwa, lightens up his misery. Li Hwa showed her charitable and respect for Nathan by giving him fruits The story ends with both Li Hwa and Nathan said sorry to one another a pang of irony as they both did not like each other initially. of import points to look atLanguage and style3rd person narrative but we see the atmosphere and environment through the main protagonist, Nathan It indirectly brings us to dive into his emotion and conflict with the surrounding and himself. Irony and comic elements implanted the portrayal of the honest-to-goodness laterite road in contrast o the new road, the old slow-paced morbid town and the rapid development of the otherside of town (across the jetty where Nathan stood almost every evening), Ah Seng fear of losing business when the new road claimed its dupe mostly children. The use of multi racial background accentuates the theme of power relation, how each character deals with their conflicts.CharactersTheir role and characteristicsNathanThe protagonistA school teacher he showed leave out of patience at times but committed himself to his work He bit of a loner and indifferent especially with his students He desired changes and cute to be transferred out of the town to a bigger town An ex member of CRC (he was admitted to the club on special condition on the basis of a kind Catch 22 clause) He mixed well with other races though his efforts in mixing around looks superficial (except with Yahaya)Leng LengAn orphan mute boy who got his name from his frenzied activity Street boys, not a pest etc (read pg 154 for vivid description of him) Very fond of Nathan an d he will exploit to impress others through his comical antics He was killed at the opening of the new road by a speeding car. His short-lived character represent whiteness and naivety (nave) who was caught between tradition and changes)Ah SengA member of CRCHe owns a shop in townSuperstitious sociable to NathanA symbol of tradition he showed mix-feeling about the progression of the road Always trying to advise NathanLi HwaCuriousSensitiveStrong willForgiven selfNaveYahayaA stranger that Nathan metA mysterious personProbably a gardenerLike Nathan, he went to the jetty to see the other side of the world Friendly and smoking companion with NathanHe knew about the sleazy underworld where he constantly reminded Nathan to stay away from the development at the other side of townRamasamyHe bought lands the developerBig mouth RamasamyHe brought changes into town