As the first-generation descendent of apprenticed Indian laborers brought in to serve the gum elastic plantations of British colonial Malaya. Maniam knows excessively good the injury and losingss attendant on that place of cultural. lingual. geographic and temporal supplanting. Early narratives such as “Ratnamuni” . and “The Third Child” and “Removal in Pasir Panjang” gaining control the niceties and peculiar texture of diasporic Indian life. satiate with its frights. failures and feelings of treachery as its members cleaving urgently to familiar. long-ago rites that are fast losing their currency in the new cultural location.

Subjects:

Tradition V Changes – perspectives on striking alterations which have taken topographic point in modern Malaysia and Singapore societies. Power relation – homo relationship in different strata and racial facets.

Conflicts

Puting
Physical
Penang in station independency clip
Small town – Pasir Panjang ( refer to the text how the author describes the town – the store. the school. the edifices etc ) The route – its significance impact to the town people
Social scene
Multi-racial community
Nathan. Ramasamy stand foring the Indian. Ah Seng and CRC the Chinese community. the pupils etc The lodging development on the other side of the river – stand foring alterations The CRC ( Chinese Recreation Club ) – stand foring the tradition

Plots ( subjects )
A subtly paced contrast of this life with the more rapid alterations brought approximately by urban development. There is a amusing strand running throughout the narrative. the better because it is played by earnestness. refering Nathan ( supporter ) the school teacher’s surrender from CRC. Nathan sent in his surrender from the CRC

The reaction of CRC refering his determination
CRC bent their regulations to acknowledge him. and send consecutive commissions to press him to rejoin. The edifice of the route – Leng Leng’s decease and other kids who were besides killed on the same route after its completion brings in the sarcasm of the narrative ( alterations come with a monetary value! ) This highway/road causes upheaval in the slow-paced town

Ironically yet tragic is the instance of Leng Leng the orphan male child which in bend a amusing in the instance of Ah Seng the store keeper. who fears he will lose his clients ( being superstitious ) Nathan’s restlessness with Li Hwa ( one of his pupils ) show his desire to be out of the little town and fall in the development on the other side of town Nathan made his frequent visit to the breakwater. watching the development on the other side of the river. As readers. we see from his observation. how the development jumping but once more development is partially shown in the darker side of improvement ( e. g. harlotry. mobster elements etc )

Nathan met Yahaya a alien on the breakwater. who warned him about interfering with the across river development. They both became friends and together contemplate the invasion of the new with a curious mixture of involvement and discouragement. There is the instance disaffection when Nathan who s beaten up by newer mobster elements who came with development. Cheng the school clerk came to nurse his lesion

Then a visit by Hock Guan. a CRC member together with Li Hwa. lightens up his wretchedness. Li Hwa showed her charitable and regard for Nathan by giving him fruits The narrative ends with both Li Hwa and Nathan said sorry to one another – a stab of sarcasm as they both did non like each other ab initio.

Important points to look at:

Language and manner:

3rd individual narrative – but we see the ambiance and environment through the chief supporter. Nathan It indirectly brings us to plunge into his emotion and struggle with the surrounding and himself. Irony and amusing elements implanted – the portraiture of the old laterite route in contrast o the new route. the old slow-paced morbid town and the rapid development of the other side of town ( across the breakwater where Nathan stood about every eventide ) . Ah Seng fright of losing concern when the new route claimed its victim largely kids. The usage of multi racial background accentuates the subject of power relation. how each character trades with their struggles.

Fictional characters
Their function and features
Nathan
The supporter
A school instructor – he showed deficiency of forbearance at times but committed himself to his work He bit of a lone wolf and indifferent particularly with his pupils He desired alterations and wanted to be transferred out of the town to a bigger town An antique member of CRC ( he was admitted to the nine on particular status – on the footing of a sort Catch 22 clause ) He mixed good with other races though his attempts in blending around looks superficial ( except with Yahaya )

Leng Leng
An orphan deaf-and-dumb person male child who got his name from “his frenzied activity” “Street boys” . “not a pest” etc ( read pg 154 for graphic description of him ) Very fond of Nathan an vitamin D he will seek to affect others through his amusing jokes He was killed at the gap of the new route by a hurrying auto. His ephemeral character represent artlessness and naivete ( naive ) who was caught between tradition and alterations )

Ah Seng
A member of CRC
He owns a store in town
Superstitious
Friendly to Nathan
A symbol of tradition – he showed mix-feeling about the patterned advance of the route Always seeking to rede Nathan

Li Hwa
Curious
Sensitive
Strong will
Forgiven self
Naive

Yahaya
A alien that Nathan met
A cryptic individual
Probably a nurseryman
Like Nathan. he went to the breakwater to see the other side of the universe Friendly and smoking comrade with Nathan
He knew about the sleazy underworld where he invariably reminded Nathan to remain off from the development at the other side of town
Ramasamy
He bought lands – the developer
Large oral cavity Ramasamy
He brought alterations into town