MR.

TANGS GIRLS
BY

SHIRLEY LIM

AUTHORS BACKGROUND

Biodata: Shirley Geok-lin Lim (1944) Born in Malacca Malaysia



Monsoon History (1994)

AUTHORS BACKGROUND


Works:
She is a professor in the English Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Taught internationally at the National University of Singapore. The National Institute Education of Nanyang Technological University. She was the Chair Professor at the University of Hong Kong.

Schools:
Infant Jesus Convent under the British colonial education system. University of Malaya, earned a B.A. first class honours degree in English. In 1969, entered graduate school at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts and earned a Ph.D. in English and American Literature in 1973.

PLOT
Climax Find a Husband

Rising Action Trying to Arouse

Falling Action Total Change

Exposition Saturday Tea Time

Resolution Kill

CHARACTERS & CHARACTERISTICS



Protagonist:

Mr Tang @ Ah Kong

A Chinese businessman who has two wives (and two households)  Responsible Plan for the week ahead (pg.93)  Pagan if Mr.Tang werent a pagan (pg. 94)  Traditional he is so Chinese (pg. 94)  Respectable man (pg.94)  Selfish finds husband without consulting (pg.96)

CHARACTERS & CHARACTERISTICS



Antagonist:

    

Kim Li

Ah Kongs 1st daughter, 17 years old, stabs her father.. Problematic Child Smoking (pg.85) Stubborn did not open up to her sister (pg. 86) Indecent wore tight blue school shorts (pg. 89)

Unpredictable happy about the arranged marriage (pg. 96)

CHARACTERS & CHARACTERISTICS



Minor Characters:

        

Mother Ah Kongs second wife Economic buy cheap materials (pg. 86) Good women @ obedient (pg. 98) Kim Mee Ah Kongs 2nd daughter Sensitive Kim Mee is so sensitive.. Crying..(pg. 96) Kim Bee Ah Kongs 3rd daughter Religious A Bible lay on her bed ; active in Church (pg. 91&94) Kim Yee Ah Kongs youngest daughter Possessive Always ask for her sisters clothes (pg. 88)

CHARACTERS & CHARACTERISTICS

 

Minor Characters: Ah Chee the family servant, Ah Kongs former mistress Jason Ah Kongs eldest son (1st household) Worked in the office Wanda Ah Kongs 2nd daughter (1st household) Studied in Melbourne Chan Kow Mr Tangs employee, 33 years old Kim Lis arranged husband to-be

 

 

 

LITERARY DEVICES


Imagery: It smelt of talcum and hairspray (page 91) He spat out the long shiny black seeds on the plate ( page 99)

Personification: it was dry hot day with sunshine bouncing off the straits (page 85)

Smoke gently trailing from nostril (page 86)

LITERARY DEVICES


Simile: her haunches curved and enveloped the pillow like a woman with her lover (page 91)

Like a bull sinking into the a mud bank (page 93)

Hyperbole: watched her sister`s vanish through the door (page 87)

LITERARY DEVICES


Metaphor : all his good little girls turning to bithces and likicng themeselves ( page 96)

Symbolism: Ciku fruit Because it grew so close to salty water the tree usually bore small bitter fruit (page 99)

Fish-woman (page 100)

THEMES
Polygamy Family Growing

up

ISSUES TO BE BURNED

Kim Lis depressions Growing up is becoming sexual Polygamy practices Arranged marriage Tradition before marriage (Chinese Culture) Mr Tang wanted his 2nd family to rely on him. (Mens nature to be family provider)

WRITERS MESSAGE
If we have problems regarding our life, it is best to share with other (friends & family).

PERSONAL RESPONSE


Do you like the story?

A:

No, because the story is telling about the

ungrateful daughter which is a very bad example to the youngsters.

B:

Yes, because it can educate me to respect

womens right where they also have feelings and problems in their process of growing up.

HOW DID THE STORY IMPACT YOU AS A YOUNG ASIAN?

The story had exposed us with the moral values, the culture and also gender issues.
Female should be decent in front of a male presence Respect family members privacy Chinese Culture and tradition about marriage no date Changes during the process of growing up