Saturday, July 9, 2011

Are you still playing your flute?


ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?
Zurinah Hassan


Are you still playing your flute?
When there is hardly time for our love
I am feeling guilty
To be longing for your song
The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo
Uncovered by the breath of an artist
Composed by his fingers
Blown by the wind
To the depth of my heart.

Are you still playing the flute?
In the village so quiet and deserted
Amidst the sick rice field
While here it has become a luxury
To spend time watching the rain
Gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops
Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers.
Are you still playing your flute?
The more it disturbs my conscience
to be thinking of you
in the hazard of you
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate
my people disunited by politics
my friend slaughtered mercilessly
this world is too old and bleeding


Masihkah kau bermain seruling
walau waktu telah terlewat untuk kita bercinta
aku semakin terasa bersalah
melayani godaan irama
lagu yang tersimpan pada lorong halus buluh
dikeluarkan oleh nafas seniman
diukir oleh bibir
diatur oleh jari
dilayangkan oleh alun angin
menolak ke dasar rasa.

Masihkah kau bermain seruling
ketika kampung semakin sunyi
sawah telah uzur
waktu jadi terlalu mahal
untuk memerhatikan hujan turun
merenung jalur senja
mengutip manik embun
menghidu harum bunga.

Masihkah kau bermain seruling
ketika aku terasa mata bersalah
untuk melayani rasa rindu padamu
di kota yang semakin kusut dan tenat
adik-adikku menganggur dan sakit jiwa
bangsaku dipecahkan oleh politik
saudara diserang bom-bom ganas
dunia sudah terlalu tua dan parah.

Di sinilah berakhirnya percintaan kita
kerana zaman sedang menuntut para seniman
hidup di luar dirinya.
~ Zurinah Hassan
http://zurinahhassan.blogspot.com


 Synopsis

This poem is told from a first person point of view, where the persona, reminisces her feeling of guilt, missing the beautiful melody of the bamboo flute played by her beloved long ago. She later questions and wonders if the flute is still being played now, as the village is now under populated and the paddy field is in a deplorable state. She mentions that, nowadays, relaxing and savoring the beauty of nature is a rare luxury. In the final stanza, she questions for the third time, whether her beloved is still playing the flute.  This time around, she admits that she couldn’t help but on the contrary, she feels guilty to be thinking of their love at their difficult times. The hardships portrayed here are unemployed young men, people disunited by politics and a ‘dying’ world.

Setting
The poem is set in a rural Malay village, which is undergoing a change. It is a quiet and deserted village. The paddy fields looked barren. Nevertheless, the ‘luxuries’, such as watching the rain, gazing at the evening rays, collecting dew drops and enjoying the fragrance of the flower, still exist in the rural.

Themes

·         Adapting to changes. This is inevitable. We need to adapt to all kinds of social, economic and political changes. In this poem, the flutist is aloof to changes happening around him.  
·         Love and appreciate the arts.
·  

Moral Values
·         Aware of your family commitment.
Everyone needs to take responsibility to the changes that take place in life and act accordingly. The flutist does not succumb to the changes around him. He clings on to his roots. He is not aware of his family commitments. The persona, his former lover has progressed in life while he still leads his conventional lifestyle.  

·         Get your priorities right.
Eg: Village nowadays is left quiet and deserted. Rice fields are left barren, but the flutist continues to play his flute. He needs to realize there is time to play and time to work. Hence, one must get his priorities right.

Source : 
Curriculum Development Division.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Teaching children

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte

          If children live with criticism,
               They learn to condemn.
          If children live with hostility,
               They learn to fight.
          If children live with ridicule,
               They learn to be shy.
          If children live with shame,
               They learn to feel guilty.
          If children live with encouragement,
               They learn confidence.
          If children live with tolerance,
               They learn to be patient.
          If children live with praise,
               They learn to appreciate.
          If children live with acceptance,
               They learn to love.
          If children live with approval,
               They learn to like themselves.
          If children live with honesty,
               They learn truthfulness.
          If children live with security,
               They learn to have faith in themselves and others.
          If children live with friendliness,
               They learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

         
Copyright © 1972/1975 by Dorothy Law Nolte

         
Translation to Bahasa Melayu....


English  to Malay translation

           Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan kritikan,
               Mereka belajar untuk mengutuk.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan permusuhan,
               Mereka belajar untuk melawan.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan cemuhan,
               Mereka belajar untuk menjadi pemalu.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan rasa malu,
               Mereka belajar untuk merasa bersalah.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan dorongan,
               Mereka belajar keyakinan.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan toleransi,
               Mereka belajar untuk bersabar.
          Jika anak hidup dengan pujian,
               Mereka belajar untuk menghargai.
          Jika anak hidup dengan penerimaan,
               Mereka belajar untuk menyayangi,
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan kelulusan,
               Mereka belajar menyukai diri mereka sendiri.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan kejujuran,
               Mereka belajar kebenaran.
          Jika anak hidup dengan keselamatan,
               Mereka belajar untuk mempunyai kepercayaan di dalam diri mereka dan lain-lain.
          Jika kanak-kanak hidup dengan keramahan,
               Mereka belajar dunia adalah tempat yang bagus untuk hidup.

SOME IMPORTANT EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT



 
 

ISSUE


EXPLANATION

EVIDENCE
1. Rory’s
    responsibility of
    taking care of
    grandpa
Rory is aware of his responsibility of taking care of his granda despite his young age.
Why couldn’t people realise that I was all my granda had….and….Granda was all I had too. If they put Granda into a home….where would I go?
 
 




1. My granda never forgot to take his pills; because I made
     sure he took them.
1.  Sometimes living with my granda was like having a baby
    in the house.
2.  Did she see me sneak into the bakers’ at the corner for
    two hot pies? Did she know already that Granda never
    had my lunch ready? Granda relied on me to bring him
    his lunch everyday. I had to go home at lunch time. I had
    to make sure he was taking his pills.
3.  My granda had taken care of me all my life. Now, when
    he was getting old and forgetful and was never quite
    well, now it was my turn to look after my granda.
4.  But if it wasn’t my responsibility, then whose was it?
5.  Are you alright Granda? As long as I’m with you.(ch 26)

2. Rory treats his  
     grandpa like a
     young child.

1. ‘Now sit down, Granda, and behave yourself.’
2. The trouble is , he just doesn’t know how to handle my
     granda like I do. You’ve got to throw the insults right
     back at him, and my dad can’t do that. Every time my
     granda insults him, he just keeps apologising to him.
    (chp 33)

3. Rory recognises
    Granda’s
    carelessness with
    fire.

1.  ‘You were on fire, granda. I put you out.’ It hadn’t
      been the first time either… granda had set something
      on fire with that pipe of his. He never put it out
      properly. He always left it to smoulder.
2.   Left electric ring switched on and burned a pot.
3.   Granda’s coat is accidentally set on fire when he is in
      school for Parent’s Day.

4. Concept of Family

1.  There was only Granda and me. Were the two of us
      enough to make a family?
2.  We still had each other (chp 12)
3.  He can behave anyway he wants. He’s the best   granda
      in the world. (chp 12)
4.  I wanted to tell him that I had done this for both of us,
     so we could be together, the way we were meant to be.
     I wanted to tell him that I would anything so we could be
     together. Anything. (Chp 14).
1.  No, Granda, we’re a team. Together. There was no other way. (chp 17)

5. Granda’s pride

1.   I moulded him into the boy he is today.
2.  “You’re a great boy Rory…I don’t deserve ye”
3.  ‘The only son I’ve got now is you, Rory. You’re the best
       boy that ever lived. I don’t need anybody else, and
       neither do you.’

4.     I’m a lucky man, Rory. A lucky, lucky man. What did I
        do to deserve a boy like you? You’re the most special
        boy that ever lived. You’ve done all this for me?
5.     ‘I’ve not got a son, you’re my son. Nothing, nobody in
        between, eh?
6.    “We’re the news…..(ch25)

6. Others’ concern
     for Rory and his 
     duties

1.       ‘Rory can’t do everything. ..He’s only a boy…He needs help. (Doctor Nicol)
2.       (Darren’s mum) – “It worries my mum, Rory. She says that at your age you should be playing football. You shouldn’t have that mind of….responsibility.”
3.       (Val Jessup) – ‘You’re just a boy Rory. You can’t take the responsibility of your grandfather, not any more.’
4.       (Ruby) – ‘it was the boy we were thinking about. Same age as Tyrone.’

7. Granda’s failing   
    memory
Granda was always forgetting where he had put things away.
1.     My Granda was always putting it away ‘somewhere
        safe’ and then couldn’t remember where. (homework)
8. Granda was a hit
    with Rory’s
    friends.
Rory’s friends all loved Granda – they thought his exploits were hilarious.
1.     I was kinda proud that my granda was everybody’s
        Granda.
9. Rory’s sacrifice
Rory does not play football even though he is good at the game.
‘You’re a good little footballer. You should be in the team.’ ‘You were in the team once. ‘You should be in the team Rory.

‘Anyway, you know I can’t get to football practice. How would I get to the games? Who would look after my granda?’

10. Rory’s plight
       about
       Rachnadar
Rory knows that the old people’s hospital is the last place for his granada.
1.       My granda will never go into a home. It will kill him.
2.       “I’m never going back. I’d rather die of cold and hunger and be free!”(chp 19)

11. Rory wants to
       know about his
       father.


1.       ‘I’m wondering what my dad was like, Granda.’
12. Granda does not
       like Rory’s
       father (his son)

1.       ‘He was a spoiled brat of a boy!...I was too old to be his dad….we both spoiled him rotten. Anything he wanted he got, and when he got it, he threw it aside…..he did the same thing with your mother.’  He did it with you too. He couldn’t face responsibility.
2.       ‘When he left Rory, I told him never to come back. Told him I washed my hands of him. Never wanted to hear from him again. He was a waste of space. A waste of space!’

13. Friends in their
       life
1. Val Jessup
2. Mrs Foley is
    relieved with the
    idea of a social
    worker
3. Tyrone, Sammy
    and Ruby
4. Rab
- a socialworker, assigned to our case.
- ‘I’m glad about that at least. You do need some help.’
- What are you helping us for? – The police would have got
   you if we hadn’t.
- “You’re not criminals, are you? I mean, you’re not going
   to jump me and steal my cash, are you?”

14. Rory’s pact with
       God

‘Listen, Big Man, my name’s Rory. ….want him to wake up.’
(Ch 26) OK, Big Man, I need some help here. I can’t do this on my own.
The Big Man works quickly sometimes. I wasn’t alone. I had a dad. He had a son. And it was time he lived up to his responsibilities. (Chp 26)
15. Children’s home
       in Castle Street
Chapter 7 – Setting
Granda’s reaction:
Both Grandson and Grandfather look out for each other.
- ‘I’m only here till my granda gets out of hospital.’
- ‘No grandson of mine is going to Castle Street. Not when
   I’m alive.’
16. Rory’s trying
       times
Chapter 12
i.   The idea of Mrs Foley fostering loomed over me;
ii.  At Castle Street, Tess had to be watched constantly as I
     waiterd for her to launch herself at me again;
iii. At Rachnadar, my granda retreated further and further
     into a shell

17. Theme
Impact of the new world?


Kindness
(ch 28)





To find what he was looking for (Chp 33)
People then cared about each other. Looked out for each other. Now…nobody cares about anybody but themselves. It’s a horrible world Rory.

People are kind Rory. I thought the whole world was going to the dogs, and then you meet kindness like this. It’s a wonderful world, Rory.’
A wonderful world – Passing us like the baton in a relay race. People who didn’t even know us, but who were willing to help anyway.

But we’re together . We’ll always be together. And I’ve found a family.

18. Running away
THE GREAT ESCAPE (chp 13)




THE SECOND ESCAPE ( CHAP 31)- Stone bus shelter

Chapter 32 – running for help.
‘If I were younger I’d run away from here somewhere where they’d never find me.’
Me and my granda were going to run away.
- Go to my mum’s caravan….Its dead secluded. Nobody would ever find you there.

No Rory, nothing’s changed. I’d rather be here in this cold bus shelter with you than anywhere else in the world. I want us to stay together as long as we can. Is that a deal? “It’s a deal Granda”

But I had gone to them. Because I had no choice.
19. Reverse Roles
Rory prepares to get his granda out of Rachnadar.
“Where am I going son?”…I looked up at him and a wave of love swept over me. My granda looked like a little boy, as if he were my baby brother, relying on me to make things better, just as I’d always relied on my granda.
“I’m getting you out of here.”
My granda was like a little boy, allowing himself to be led, without a word, without a question. Safe in the knowledge that I would look after him.
20. TV headlines
Val Jessup appears on TV.

Darren’s mum on TV

TV reporter – chp 26

‘We were in no trouble. The authorities were only worried about us both, especially my granda, whose health was a real concern.
“Come back son. Bring your granda. He can’t take this. He’s not well. You know that. You’ve got to come back.”
-  the question is how can an old man and a boy disappear like this? The answer had to be that people are helping them out. The public are very much on their side.
Mister McIntosh’s son has been traced to Liverpool.
21. Rory’s worry
He is worried that Sammy will be in trouble for helping them.
Rory learns a lesson never to judge anyone again.
‘Why should we? We haven’t kidnapped you. And you’re not escaped convicts. It’s a free country. You can go where you please.”
22. Ruby’s fortune
       telling

“Will they catch us?”
“No, they won’t catch you Rory”
“They won’t find you. It is you who will go to them. You won’t have nay choice.”
“Never.”
“Me and my granda, we’ll always be together , won’t we?”
“You will meet people who will help you. And there will be people you can’t trust. You’re looking for something, Rory, and when you find it, everything changes for you. ….And a terrible sadness will come first.
‘Because of that terrible sadness, Rory, you will find the thing you’re looking for.”


23. Public
       responses over
       the TV national
       news
Chapter 27 – Public responses about: how the system had let us down; how it was all society’s fault; the breakdown of community, of family, the failure of social workers; everyone was blamed.
1.       If the old man had any sense he’d bring the laddie back home. He’s missing school and goodness knows what terrible things could happen to him.
2.       I think it’s wonderful! They don’t want to be split up, so what choice did they have?
3.       Leave them be. Let them live and die together. They’ve not done anything wrong.
4.       wasting police time….
5.       Ruby’s response: “People are taking sides about you, arguing about the rights and wrongs of your case. That’s good. The more people who know your plight, the better chance of you staying together.”

24. Rory’s
       frustration
       (chp 30)
He hated his father for not coming up, asking to meet them.
I could have cried with frustration. I had thought I had figured it all out. Go to Liverpool. Let my granda’s son, my father, deal with it ….but now my granda knew my plan there was no way he would go there.
25. Rory meets his
      dad

“Rory, I’m your dad.”
“I was young, Rory, and stupid. Too scared to come back because my dad said he hated me. Didn’t want to see me again. But as soon as I saw the wo of you on the news. I got in touch with the plice. Honest. Just give me a chance to prove I can be a good dad again, a good son.


Source : Draft from "Catch Us If You Can"
Curriculum Development Division.

Hopefully this will benefit all SPM students ...