KS Maniam Removal In Pasir Panjang Essay

As the first-generation descendant of indentured Indian labourers brought in to service the rubber plantations of British colonial Malaya, Maniam knows too well the scathe and losses attendant on that emplacement of cultural, linguistic, geographic and temporal displacement. Early stories such(prenominal) as Ratnamuni, and The Third Child and r sense in Pasir Panjang capture the nuances and particular cereal of diasporic Indian bread and butter, replete with its headaches, failures and feelings of betrayal as its members cling desperately to familiar, long-ago rituals that be fast losing their currency in the late cultural location.ThemesTradition vs Changes perspectives on impinging changes which have taken place in modern Malaysia and Singapore societies. Power congener human relationship in dissimilar strata and racial aspects.ConflictsSettingPhysicalPenang in post independence time footling townspeoplesfolksfolkspeoplespeople Pasir Panjang (refer to the text how th e writer describes the town the shop, the instruct, the buildings etc) The roadway its significance impact to the town peopleSocial settingMulti-racial associationNathan, Ramasamy representing the Indian, Ah Seng and CRC the Chinese community, the students etc The housing emergence on the former(a) aspect of the river representing changes The CRC (Chinese Recreation Club) representing the impostPlots (themes)A subtly paced contrast of this life with the more speedy changes brought round by urban development. on that point is a risible strand running through out(a) the story, the give because it is played by seriousness, concerning Nathan (protagonist) the prepare teachers resignation from CRC. Nathan sent in his resignation from the CRCThe reaction of CRC concerning his decisionCRC flex their rules to admit him, and send successive deputations to enliven him to re fall in. The building of the road Leng Lengs destruction and new(prenominal) children who were also killed on the comparable road after its completion brings in the sarcasm of the story (changes come with a price) This highway/road causes fit in the slow-paced townIronically up to now tragic is the case of Leng Leng the orphan male child which in turn a humorous in the case of Ah Seng the shop keeper, who fears he will lose his customers (being superstitious) Nathans anger with Li Hwa ( 1 of his students) show his desire to be out of the small town and join the development on the different side of town Nathan made his frequent get word to the jetty, watching the development on the other side of the river. As readers, we analyze from his observation, how the development springing but again development is partly shown in the darker side of betterment (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 twain became friends and unneurotic contemplate the invasion of the mod with a peculiar mixture of interest and dismay. There is the case alienation when Nathan who s beaten(a) up by newer gangster elements who came with development. Cheng the school clerk came to nurse his wound and so a visit by dowse Guan, a CRC member together with Li Hwa, lightens up his misery. Li Hwa showed her charitable and treasure 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 desire each other initially.Important points to view atLanguage and style tertiary someone narrative but we see the atmosphere and environment through the principal(prenominal) protagonist, Nathan It indirectly brings us to dive into his emotion and conflict with the surrounding and himself. Irony and singular elements implanted the portrayal of the old 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 w here 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 setting accentuates the theme of power relation, how each casing deals with their conflicts.CharactersTheir role and geniusisticsNathanThe protagonistA school teacher he showed lack of pains at times but perpetrate himself to his work He bit of a loner and indifferent especially with his students He desired changes and wanted 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 land of a kind Catch 22 clause) He mixed well with other races though his efforts in mixing nearly looks superficial (except with Yahaya)Leng LengAn orphan mute male child who got his name from his frenzied activity street boys, not a pest etc (read pg 154 for acute description of him) Very fond of Nathan an d he will try to run others through his comical antics He was killed a t the opening of the new road by a speeding car. His short-lived character represent innocence and naivety (nave) who was caught surrounded by tradition and changes)Ah SengA member of CRCHe owns a shop in townSuperstitiousFriendly to NathanA symbol of tradition he showed mix-feeling about the proficiency of the road Always trying to send word NathanLi HwaCuriousSensitive pie-eyed willForgiven selfNaveYahayaA stranger that Nathan metA mysterious personProbably a gardener care Nathan, he went to the jetty to see the other side of the world Friendly and sess companion with NathanHe knew about the flyblown underworld where he constantly reminded Nathan to hold up away from the development at the other side of townRamasamyHe bought lands the developer well-favored mouth RamasamyHe brought changes into town