1.

Write on a character that show responsibility in her or his actions

Based on the Novel The Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character that shows responsibility in her
actions is Azreen Saleh. Azreen is not only a responsible sister and daughter but also a
responsible student and friend .
Firstly, Azreen as a responsible sister comes back immediately when she hears of her sisters
death although at that time she is about to sit for an examination that is important for her.
She postpones her examination in order of giving her sister her last respect.
Secondly, as a daughter she shows her responsibility firstly, when she spends the whole night
repairing her mothers favourite rattan basket that was broken by the heavy durians that she
and Madhuri has brought in. Subsequently, with Madhuris help she makes a new rattan basket
that looks like the one that she and Madhuri have broken. In addition to that, Azreen accepts
the offer to further her studies in London for the sake of upbringing her family social status and
thus could then save a lot of money to get a better treatment for her mother that is paralyzed
by the bull escape incidents that she .
Thirdly, as a friend and a student, Azreen shows her responsibility when she accepts to join
theschool hockey team as a substitution to Hock Seng that is injured. She does that even
though she knows that she will be the only girl in the team and this will tarnish her image as a
girl. In fact she plays very well and almost scores a goal. In addition to that, Azreen shows that
she is a responsible friend, when she brings a full basket of fresh vegetables and tomatoes to
The Old Lady of the forest to replace the one that she tramples earlier when she comes to The
Old Ladys house for the first time.
In conclusion, throughout the story, Azreen shows that she is a very responsible towards her
actions. In fact, I would like to have her as a friend as a friend as such is hard to come by.





2. Which character do you like the most?
The novel I have studied is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The novel is about the main
character,Azreen, who returns from England after she finds out about her sisters death. Upon
her return, she is surrounded by many secrets. She discovers the circumstances of Madhuris
death later in the story. At the end of the story she finds out the truth and leaves for London
an orphan but more resilient and wise.
The character I like most is Azreen Salleh. She is a 20-year-old student who is studying in a
university college in London on an exchange programme. She is short, bespectacled, rather
bookish and outspoken.
I like Azreen because she is outspoken and she is not afraid to spoke her mind. She is vocal and
says her opinions although sometimes she says the wrong things at the wrong time. She
also hates her fathers treatment of her foster parents and Madhuris burial ceremony that is
conducted without her presence. In handling the village gossip, Pn Normala, Azreen tells her
off that the rain has started even before the Old Lady comes into town.
The second quality she has is she is courageous. As a child, she plays hockey and football with
the boys. In the bulls incident, she is brave enough to accept the blame for the bulls escape
instead of blaming someone else. Azreen also shows her courage by taking up the dare to knock
on the Old Ladys door when none wants to do it. In another instance, Azreen confronts her
father about Madhuris murder despite her young age.
Azreen also has strength of character. When she returns to her village, she hears a lot of gossip
surrounding her sisters death such as as Madhuri having white blood and her death signals a
curse to the villagers. Azreen feels upset but she never retaliates. Sheshows patience and
strengh because she knows that whatever she does, she cannot stop the villagers from
gossiping about her family. In another instance, Azreen is told that her sister is
murdered. She should have been very upset about this news but she takes it calmly and does
not become hysterical. Later, when she finds out that her father is the culprit
who kills Madhuri, she feels no anger but regrets that it has to happen. She understands her
fathers anger and shame because Madhuri has been having an illicit affair with Ashraf
although she is already married to Hj Ghani. Azreen also shows a lot of strength because after
all that has happened to her family, she stays composed and strong and returns to England for
her examinations.
In conclusion, there are many qualities in Azreen that I admire and she is the character that
I like most in the story.

3. Write on a character whom I think is exemplary
a) In the Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character whom I think is exemplary is The Old Lady of the
forest. Throughout the novel, she shows strength of character and wisdom.
When she first moves to the village as a newlywed, she is popular among the villagers and she
enjoys a blissful marital life with her husband. Everything changes as her husband who becomes
an alcoholic starts to abuse her and finally she retaliates and kills him. From then on, the
villagers treat her like an outcast. She is forced to move out of the village and makes an
abandoned house her home. She lives alone for years until she befriends Azreen and becomes
her mentor and will console her whenever she has a fight with her parents.
When Asraf approaches The Old Lady for help, she is hesitant about going back to the village.
Yet she agrees and doing so, she puts her life at risk. When she is trapped in the burning house,
she tells Azreen to save herself and she perishes in the fire. Even at deaths door, she reminds
Azreen about the importance of forgiveness and tells her to heed all the advice she has given
her.
The Old Lady is therefore an exemplary character as she is strong, wise and honourable.
















b) Based on the novel The Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character that I
consider exemplary is Azreen because she is courageous and brave. She shows resilience and
she always fight for what she believes in.
Firstly, Azreen who does not believe the villagers tales about The Old Lady is being brave by
accepting her friends challenge to firstly knocking on the door of The Old lady and then meet
her in person. . Subsequently, she befriends The Old Lady and makes her, her precious
confidante and counselor.
In addition, Azreen is courageous by confronting Puan Normalas mob outside Mohd Asrafs
house when Nek once again has fallen ill and died in order to stop her from entering Neks
house. Although she is outnumbered, she dares to face Puan Normalas horde to protect Neks
house from them. Moreover, she confronts a group of men led by Asraf who goes to the Old
ladys house to seek revenge after Nek dies as they believe the Old lady has poisoned Nek.
It is a dog-eat-dog world out there and we must be brave and courageous to overcome our
daily obstacles and stand for our own rights. We should not be intimidated by our fear and we
must be like Azreen in order to survive the world.
The second exemplary qualities of Azreen is that she portrays resilience throughout the story
and she constantly fights for what she believes in. This can be seen when Azreen does not give
up and is determine and resilience to seek the truth of Madhuris death even though others do
not want to tell her the truth. She asks Asraf and The Old Lady about Madhuris death and
slowly gather evidences and finally she knows the truth about Madhuris killing.
In her village, a woman should be conservative and well mannered but Azreen is a contrast to
that and thus she is hated but she ignores the villagers perception of her, as she believes that
women have their own rights. This can be seen as she befriends Asraf and joins the boys
hockey team and similarly makes The Old Lady her best friend.
In this cruel world, we must stand for our own right and fight for what we believe in. We must
follow Azreens resilience to make this world a better place.




4. Write on a character that I admire / like
The novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann is very interesting. The character I like the most
is Azreen.Azreen is from Langkawi. She studies in London. Her father is Salleh Ghani. Her sister
is Madhuri. Madhuri is not Azreen real sister. I like Azreen because she is responsible. She takes
care of her sick mother. She bathes and feeds her mother. When Old Lady vegetable garden is
trampled, she repairs it.
Azreen is determined. She always studies hard. She also wants to find Madhuris murderer. She
does not give up. Finally, she finds out the truth. Azreen is also brave and courageous. She is
Old Ladys friend. She is not afraid of the stories. The villagers say she is a witch. Azreen does
not care. It is not true. When Old Ladys house is in fire, Azreen wants to rescue her. She is
really brave.
I like Azreen because she is a loyal. She defends Mohamad Asraf. She says she opens the gate
of the farm. Azreen is a strong girl. I wish I have a friend like her. When her mothers basket is
damaged, she takes the blame. Azreen wants to protect the people she loves.
Azreen is responsible, determined, brave and loyal. Those are the reasons why I like her. She is
a good role model.











THE CURSE SAMPLE ANSWER ( THEME)
Theme
Write on the theme of love
The Curse written by Lee Su Ann touches on many aspects of life. Basically, all the aspects
revolve around our own community and can be used as guidance in our life.
The theme of love which is actually the main conflict in this whole novel. Firstly, we can see
this aspect between mother and child when we read how loving was Azreen towards her
mother when she came back from London. She realized her mother still does not know about
the death of her sister, Madhuri. Azreen took over the duty to take care of her mother who was
suffering from Alzheimers disease which was getting worse. Azreen cooked porridge for her
mother like Madhuri used to do and fed her. This shows that Azreen loves her mother very
much and feels responsible to take care of her after her sisters death.
The concept of love can also be seen through Encik Saleh who loves his daughters very much
but does not know how to show it. He kept his love within him and was always looking fierce
and angry towards his daughters and wife. He loved his family very much and that is why he
worked hard on the farm.He also repairs chicken coop, repairs fencse and roofs
and chops wood in order to earn a living for his family. As a hard-working man, he wanted to
give his family the best out of him due to his love towards them which he does not show
openly. Here, I admit that I admire Encik Saleh as a loving father towards his family but he
should have shown his love in a more appropriate way.
Lastly, the concept of love can be seen in the characters of the Old Lady and Azreen. Azreen
was very lucky to find a meaningful and comfortable relationship with the Old Lady of the
forest. She was very close to the Old Lady until she told her all her secrets. She always goes and
visits the Old Lady whenever she felt bored, angry or happy. This shows that Azreen really loves
the Old Lady and does not give a single thought to what the villagers say about the Old Lady.
Azreens love towards the Old Lady was very strong until she was willing to go into the burning
house in order to save the Old Lady. But, faith wins. The Old Lady died in the fire while Azreen
was saved by her father due to his love towards his daughter.
As we can see, the concept of love is very strong throughout the novel. Each and every
character in this novel has the desire to love and to be loved.

2) Write on the theme of forgiveness
Lee Su Ann, the writer of the novel The Curse had brought up many themes in her writing. One
of the themes that I liked very much in this novel is forgiveness which was clearly portrayed in
Azreens character.
As we know from the beginning, Azreen is a very outspoken, aggressive and stubborn character
but towards the ending of the story she had learnt to forgive others. Azreen was very much
influenced by the Old Lady who begged Azreen to learn to forgive others at the time of her
death. We can see very much that Azreen kept her promise when she forgave Mohd Asraf who
had deliberately played with her emotions. All the while Azreen thought Asraf liked her but,
Asraf was actually falling for Madhuri and when he admitted that to Azreen, she was speechless
at first. Azreen hid herself from Asraf by running away until she reached the cliff of the hills
when Asraf confessed his love towards Madhuri. But as time passed, her anger melted away
slowly and she forgave Asraf as the Old Lady had told to her just before she died.
Azreen too learnt to forgive her father who murdered Madhuri. Even though she felt sad at first
but she did not feel angry or resentment at him but she realized that she had lost her only
father that she used to know as a very hot-tempered man. Slowly Azreen forgave her father but
she could not see him eye to eye so she left him alone and that was the time when Encik Saleh
had a heart attack and collapsed. But if at all Azreen had not promised the Old Lady to forgive
others, I do not think that she would forgive her father for murdering Madhuri.
Azreen too forgave Madhuri for all the hurt and resentment she caused in Azreens life.
Azreen was jealous of Madhuris beauty and genteel behavior. She was the favorite daughter.
She also resented Madhuri as Madhuri was able to captivate Asraf who eventually fell in love
with her. But, when Azreen discovers that Madhuri was adopted and the truth about
Madhuris murder at the hands of her own father, she feels nothing but pity for poor Madhuri .
Finally she forgives her sister, Madhuri.
Last but not least, Azreen also forgave Asraf and wished him luck from the bottom of her heart
when he left Langkawi to take a teaching course in KL. When she read a note from him, she did
not feel angry but she smiled after reading the note and also questioned herself whether she
had learnt to forgive others. From Azreens character, I too learnt to forgive others in my life if
they hurt my feelings. Being revengeful will not give us anything in life except the negative
value.
From the evidence above, the theme of forgiveness had been portrayed very well in this novel
through the protagonist, Azreen. I hope each and every human will learn to forgive others in
their life.
3) Write on the theme of Mothers Love
The novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann touches on many values that are useful in our daily lives.
As for me, I am touched with the value of mothers love in this novel.
Azreens mother is forever seen talking nonsense since her Alzheimers disease was becoming
worse. She was not given a name in this novel but always referred to as Mak. Azreen felt guilty
because she was the one who was responsible for her mother to loose one of her leg. Even
though, we know that Azreen admitted leaving the gate of the farm open but actually she was
only helping Mohd Asraf from being blamed. Due to her act, her parents met with an accident
when her fathers motorcycle hit the bull. Azreens mother never hated Azreen for what
had happened and she always loved Azreen. She even told Azreen that it was not her fault that
she lost her leg in the accident. This proves that Mak was never angry towards Azreen and she
accepts what happened to her as faith. This shows the true love that a mother has for her child
even though she is in pain.
Another incident that showed how true a mothers love is when Madhuris mother, the mad
lady who strolled in the village and always watched over her daughter. Even though Madhuri
was raised by Encik Saleh and his wife from a baby, the mad lady always kept herself close to
Madhuri. She used to watch Madhuri and Azreen when they come back from school. This shows
that she still loved her daughter even though she gave in when her baby was lost. She knew she
could not raise Madhuri in a proper way so she just kept quite when Encik Saleh took the baby
and decided to raise the child. But as a mother, she still loved Madhuri and always sees how her
daughter is living with her foster parents from far. This is what we call mothers love. Even if the
child is not with the real mother but she always pray for her child to lead a happy life and that is
why she took revenge against Encik Saleh who killed Madhuri.
From these two mothers, the readers are shown the value of love that a mother has for a child.
Both mothers in this novel are not normal in certain ways but their love for their children did
not fade but they loved their daughters very much in their own different ways.


THE CURSE SAMPLE ANSWER (EVENTS)
Events
1) Write on an important event.
In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, an important event is the outbreak of the fire which
results in the Old Ladys death.
Firstly, it is an important event because after this event, it creates a domino effect on a number
of other events which in turn helps Azreen to finally solve the mystery behind her sisters
murder. The fire enrages Azreen and like a wildcat, she confronts Mohd Asraf. He apologises
and admits that he had been too grief-stricken to be rational when he has lost two important
people in his life his secret lover, Madhuri and his grandmother, Nek. After the fire which kills
the Old Lady who is trapped in the fire, Awang, the bomoh informs Azreen that Madhuri is not
her biological sister. The secret about Madhuris identity is finally disclosed by Azreens father
who reveals that Madhuri is adopted. Moreover, the village Pontianak is actually Madhuris
biological mother who returns to the village to seek revenge over her daughters death.
According to Awang, the ghostly figure is also the vengeful spirit that has killed Azreens
chicken.
Secondly, it is an important event because we are finally shown the reason for Madhuris
murder and the culprit. When Azreen confronts her father, Encik Saleh defiantly confesses that
he had accidentally murdered Madhuri after learning that Madhuri, a married woman, commits
an adultery when she secretly sees another man.He confronts Madhuri and during the struggle,
Madhuri falls to the ground and her head knocks over the latex cup which stains her clothes. A
distraught Azreen flees after hearing the shocking news while Encik Saleh comes face-to-face
with the shadowy woman Madhuris mother who nears him with a parang in her hand. Saleh
collapses and dies of a heart attack.
Thirdly, the fire at the Old Ladys house is the climax of the novel. From that point onwards,
events dramatically unfold and Azreen gets to the bottom of the mystery. Azreen puts the
pieces of facts here and there together and begins to understand the reasons behind the cover-
up of Madhuris murder by her husband, Haji Ghani. Most importantly, we are also exposed to
the crime of the villagers who are willing to do anything including planning an attack on the
innocent and harmless Old Lady just because of superstition. Under the instigation of Puan
Normala, the villagers are convinced to believe that the Old Lady possesses a special power to
turn people into rats and squirrels, so the latter is accused to be an evil witch who brings all the
misfortunes and bad omen to the village. In fact, when the rain continues to pour for more than
four days, causing the town to be flooded, the Old Lady is blamed to have put the curse on the
village. From this event, we can see how gullible the villagers are to believe the vicious rumours
spread by the village gossiper, Puan Normala. She does not seem to care about the destruction
she causes. Her irrational behaviour thus destroys the reputations of victims such as the Old
Lady even in the eyes of children. At the same time, through this event too that we see the
purity of the Old Ladys heart. Despite being ostracised by the villagers, the Old Lady bears no
grudges and is still willing to help people like Asrafs Nek. More importantly, the Old Lady at the
point of her death before the burning house collapses on her, she reminds Azreen to forgive all
the villagers who have wronged her.
In conclusion, the fire is the most important event as it is the catalyst for many more events in
which makes the stories more interesting.















THE CURSE SAMPLE ANSWER (MORAL VALUES)
Moral value
There are many moral values found in The Curse by Lee Su Ann. The story is set in an island off
Langkawi Island. The Curse revolves around the events surrounding the death of a village girl,
Madhuri, who is also the adopted sister of themain character, Azreen.
The first moral value is bravery. This value is shown by Azreen. First, even as a young girl she
takes challenges and tries to prove to her friends that the Old Lady is not an evil witch. When
she is yelled at for entering the Old Ladys house and destroying her vegetable garden, Azreen
bravely defends herself. In fact, she returns the next day and repairs the trampled garden. Her
action wins the Old Ladys heart.
The second evidence is when Azreen bravely takes the blame for Mohd Asraf in the bull
incident. She demonstrates courage.The same bull later injures her mothers leg causing he to
lose the use of her leg. She was blamed and scolded by her father as well as the villagers. She
bravely endures that and never tells anyone of what really happened.
Her bravery is once again tested. The third event that displays her bravery is when she tries to
tackle the angry mob who are about to attack the the Old Lady. When the Old Ladys house is in
fire, Azreen tries to rescue the Old Lady but at the end she has to be rescued by her father.
When the Old Lady dies in the tragic fire, she confronts Mohd Asraf like a wildcat.
Finally, towards the end of the story, she finds out the secret that her father has been keeping.
She confronts her father about Madhuris murder until he is forced to confess about the truth.
She is very brave to confront people whom she knows have done wrong to others. At the same
time she is very brave when defending herself and the people she loves.







THE CURSE SAMPLE ANSWER (LESSON)
Lesson
1) The Curse by Lee Su Ann has many lessons for its readers. One of the lessons, truth
will be known and secrets will not last forever. There are a few characters who keep secrets and
eventually the secrets are exposed.
First, Mohd. Asraf and Madhuri. They were secret lovers. They planned secretly to run away to
Kuala Lumpur. After Madhuri died followed by his grandmothers death, he almost lost his
mind. Keeping his secret love was very difficult. He was easily influenced by Puan Normala that
his grandmother was poisoned by Old Lady. That was the reason he burned the Old Ladys
house causing her death. Finally, he realises his mistakes and comes to his senses.
Second, En Saleh Abdullah, Azreens father. He was always proud of Madhuri. Madhuri made
him proud when she agreed to marry the village headman, Haji Ghani. When her affair was
discovered, Encik Saleh gets very angry and accidentally killed Madhuri. He never tells anyone
and until Azreen confronts him. Actually, he is ashamed because the daughter he was really
proud of, had an affair and tried to run away. He keeps seeing a ghost. He suffers a heart attack
and dies.
In conclusion, dark secrets only make life difficult. The evidence in the story has shown us that.
Any dark secrets we have, may destroy our lives. We may lose the people we love. Always be
true to ourselves and do not take advantage of others. Always think before we act.

2) The Curse is the novel written by Lee Su Ann which has many lessons that can be used
in our lives. Today, I am going to write on one lesson which really captured my attention in the
novel that is courage.
The value of courage can be seen clearly in Azreens character. Azreen was a good friend with
the Old Lady who became a precious confidante and counsellor despite ignoring the warnings
and prejudices of the villagers. Azreen was determined to friends with the Old Lady till the last
minute of the Old Ladys life.As a child, she was not allowed to visit the Old Lady by her parents.
Even the villagers warned Azreen that the Old Lady is a witch. This shows that Azreen is very
courageous for accepting the Old Lady for what she is. From this, I learnt to be courageous in
order to speak and act according to what I think is right. I also learnt not to judge others by
listening to rumors and to think practically.
Azreen also showed courage when she took the blame for the bulls escape in order to save
Mohd Asraf. At first, she wanted to help Asraf out from the wicked farm owner, Mr. Mohan and
his sons who were accusing Asraf for letting the bull out. But to her dismay, she had to accept
the faith of her mother loosing a leg when her father hit into the bull and met with an
accident. Even though Azreen was only helping Asraf at first, but she took the blame and had
to carry it for the rest of her life. I saw Azreen as a very courageous person in this situation and
agree to what she had done. She taught me to stand up for my believes in my life and this will
really help me a lot in the future.

Last but not least, I also find Azreen as a courageous person when she challenged her father to
reveal the truth behind Madhuris death. Azreen was very sure that Madhuri was killed by her
father because she found the stain of the rubber tree sap on the parang. When she put all the
details together, she came to a conclusion and told her father straight that he was the one who
killed Madhuri. Here, we can see that Azreen was too bold and had the courage to speak the
truth even to her father when she was sure that her sister was killed. This scene opened my
mind that I should be honest and bold to say what I think is right in my life.












HE HAD SUCH A QUIET EYE NOTE

THEME
Betrayal of love
Personal experiences
Relationships that are meaningful
MORAL VALUES
Dont be naive and believe everything we are told especially in matters of the heart.
Be wise when choosing friends.
Falling in love is normal but one should be careful.
We must learn from the experience of other people.
We should be very careful not to give in our principle in order to please other people.
MEANING OF WORDS
sighs long, deep audible breaths
eyes a pair of organs of sight
advice guidance
desolate unhappy and uninhabited
pleasure-seeking looking for a feeling of happy satisfaction
dice a small cube with each side having a different number ranging from 1 to 6
layered arranged in layers
lies intentional false statements
realise become aware
compromise agree
paradise heaven
render provide or give help
imploring begging desperately
wise having knowledge and good judgement



In stanza 1, what does the phrase, the two pools of lies refer to?
The mans eyes

2. Explain the meaning of the last line of stanza 1 And to render him paradise
To give the man happiness / joy / pleasure

3. Which line in stanza 3 shows that the person had made a mistake?
If only shed been wise.

4. In your words, explain the main theme of the poem.
The theme is about exploration of human feelings in a relationship whereby the persona has
gone through a bad experience of betrayal and advises others to be careful when starting a
relationship.

5. Why do you think the writer says that the mans eyes are layered with the thinnest ice?
To show deception as the man disguises his true intention because eyes usually mirrors ones
feelings and innermost thoughts

6. Explain the advice given in this line:
i. Be sure that nice really means nice
It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be trustful,
sincere, kind and pleasant.
ii. Never to compromise. In your own words, what do you think the persona means by the
statement.
Not to give up ones principles

7. What should she have listened to?
To the advice by her elders and family

8. Why should she not have compromised?
The she would not have been betrayed / cheated / deceived

9. Be sure that nice really means nice
What do you think this phrase means?
It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be trustful, sincere, kind
and pleasant.

10. What is the advice that is given in the second stanza?
Never to give up ones principles / values / beliefs to men who like to flirt and are only
looking for pleasure

11. What happened when she did not listen to the advice?
She was betrayed / hurt / let down / deceived.

12. Which line tells you not to take chances?
Then youll never be losing at dice.

13. In your own words,
i. What do you think about the advice given in the last stanza?
It is a good advice for young girls so that they will not be taken advantage and are able to
differentiate between sincerity and falsehood.
ii. What can happen if girls do not listen to the advice?
They would be played out / cheated / deceived / betrayed / hurt.

14. From stanza 2, what should the woman have done?
She should have listened to the advice given to her that is not to give up her principles
/values / beliefs.

15. What does the poet mean when he says, Shed be free of the hows and whys?
She would not be asking herself why she had been cheated / betrayed / hurt.

16. What can you say about the womans character from the stanza 2 and 3?
She is regretful and is helpful as she advises other girls from falling into the same boat.

17. What is the personas advice in the last stanza?
She wants the other young girls to be careful when starting a relationship and the
relationship must be based on true love.

18. Which line in stanza 2 tells you that the persona may have been deceived?
If only shed been wise.

19. Why does the persona not realise she has been deceived?
She is nave and gullible to believe the mans lies as true love.

20. Which word in the poem is similar to pleading?
Imploring

21. What message do you get from reading the poem?
To be careful when starting a relationship and not gamble with affections to avoid serious
consequences.

22. How does the man try to persuade the woman to be nice?
Using his eyes to make her feel compelled her to be nice to him





23. From stanza 2,
i. What advice does the woman ignore?
Never to compromise with pleasure seeking guys.

ii. Describe the poets tone in this stanza?
Sympathetic towards the girls situation.


24. Suggest a theme of the poem.
Exploration of human feelings in a relationship / Betrayal of love / Deception

25. Why did the poet describe the mans eyes as two pools of lies?
He eyes were showing signs of love but those eyes were actually disguising his actual
intentions of deception.


26. What do you think the phrase, lose your heart means?
Falling in love.

27. What kind of image does the word paradise give?
Happiness

28. What is the advice given to young girls in stanza 3? Explain using your own words?
Young girls should be careful when starting a relationship and their relationship should be
based on true love and not merely physical attraction.

31 How does the man appear to the woman?
Sincere and loving

32 From stanza 2, how could the woman be wise?
She should have listened to the advice given by the elders and her family.

33 From stanza 2, what is the advice given?
Never to give up ones principles / values / beliefs to men who like to flirt and are only
looking for pleasure

34 What is your opinion on the advice given in the poem?
It is a good advice to help / save other young girls from falling into the trap of deception and
get hurt.

35 What did the girl not realise about the mans eyes?
They were full of lies


36 Why do think the eyes are described as two pools?
To show the severity / seriousness / of deceit in both eyes

37 How was the man making use of his eyes?
Using his eyes to deceive her into thinking that he needed someone to love.

38 In your own words, do you think the girl was charmed by the man? Give a reason.
Yes, she was because she believed that his quiet eyes were signalling love.

39 What is the main theme in the poem?
Exploration of human feelings in a relationship / Betrayal of love / Deception

40 Why do you think the poet uses the words, be sure that nice really means nice in her
advice? In your own words, give a reason to support your answer.
It means that when you befriend someone, the person must be trustful, sincere, kind and
pleasant so that the relationship is based on true love and not on physical attraction.

41 What are the mans eyes compared to?
Two pools

42 Write two words that are related to feelings of happiness.
nice
paradise

43 How do you think the man managed to charm the girl into accepting him? In your own words,
give a reason to support your answer.
Using his sincere looking eyes which disguised his insincerity to make her think that he truly
loves her.

44 In stanza 1, what did the persona think the mans quiet eyes were conveying to her?
He was longing for love and companionship.

45 What truth did the persona finally learn about the mans quiet eyes?
His quiet eyes were actually filled with deceit as she was left heart-broken.

46 Which line in stanza 3 suggests that we will not lose out or get hurt if we are cautious?
Then youll never be losing at dice.

47 What do you think happened to the persona when she allowed herself to be compromised?
She was cheated and hurt.

48 What advice would you give a friend who had met a stranger?
I would advise her / him to be very careful make sure that the person is thoroughly sincere
and innocent.
49 Why does the girl believe the man cares for her?
He shows her that he is in love with her through his sincere-looking quiet eyes.

50 Write two words related to happiness?
nice
paradise

51 What do you think the man said to convince the girl to accept him? In your own words, give a
reason to support your answer.
He must have said that he truly love her because she believed in him and had willing given up
her principles to show her love to him.

52 What does the poet mean by the following lines?
i. He had such quiet eyes?
His eyes were sincere-looking and were sign of love.

ii. Shed free from the hows and whys
She would not be asking herself why she had been cheated / betrayed / hurt.


53 What is the poets tone of voice when she criticises the man for using trickery to charm the
woman?
The tone was serious but at the same time understanding and sympathetic towards the girl.

54 Do you think this kind of human relationship is difficult to handle? Give a reason for your
answer.
No, if the person involved, is not easily influenced by sweet nothings and is more careful
when going into a relationship.

55 What does the title of the poem suggest about the poets feelings concerning the pair of
eyes?
The man concerned has insincere and deceit eyes.

56 Give two reasons why the persona thinks the eyes are so irresistible?
i. He was using the eyes to breath desolate / sad / unhappy signs
ii. Imploring / pleading / begging her to be nice.

57 Do you think the woman charmed by the man has been foolish? Give a reason for your
answer.
Yes, because she too nave to realise that the man was a cheater and finally she was ditched /
betrayed / hurt.

58 What does the expression quiet eyes suggest the nature of the man?
He was not a trustworthy / sincere / loving person.
59 Give two reasons those quiet eyes made the woman give in to his woes.
He was using the eyes to breath desolate / sad / unhappy signs
Imploring / pleading / begging her to be nice.

60 If you met a man and fell in love with him, would you believe him by looking at the expression
in his eyes? Why?
No, not really, as eyes can be deceiving and do not reveal the true identity or character of a
person.

61 What does the first stanza imply?
The girl is unaware that the man she is in relationship with only wants pleasure from her and
he plays with her feelings using his sincere looking eyes.

62 Give a word from the poem which means giving up something to reach an agreement.
Compromise

63 Explain what the expression hows and whys means?
It is an idiom that refers to confusion where the person is asking herself why and how she
allowed herself to be betrayed..

64 What lesson can you learn from the last stanza?
When starting a relationship, one has to be extra careful in recognising the partners true
intention, differentiate between sincerity and falsehood and may only meet the right person
after losing their hearts a few times .





















ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE???
THEMES
Family commitments
Priorities in life
Neglect of ones duties
MORAL VALUES
We should be aware of our family commitments and carry them out properly.
Everyone has priorities in, life and we should know what is important and what is not.
Following a hobby is good but there is a time for work and a time for play.
POETIC DEVICES
Imagery e.g. blown by the wind, depth of my heart
Alliteration e.g. fragrance of flowers
Symbol e.g. flute, song
Repetition e.g. Are you still playing your flute?
Figurative Language Metaphor e.g. The melody concealed in the slime hollow of bamboo
Personification e.g. sick rice field












1 Which lines in stanza 1 tell you that the flautist plays the flute beautifully?
Uncovered by .depth of my heart

2 In the second stanza, what does the word deserted mean?
Empty / abandoned / neglected / vacant

3 In the second stanza, why are the rice fields deserted?
The farmers have left the fields for the city / better income jobs away from the village.

4 In your own words, explain the meaning of the last stanza.
The persona is feeling anxious because there are political and economical problems in
her city and she feels the world is changing for the worst.

5 From stanza 1, what does the persona want to hear?
The flautists song / flute music. / The flautist playing his flute.

6 In stanza 2, what does the word here refer to?
The city / town / personas place

7 In stanza 3, why does the persona feel guilty for thinking about her beloved?
She feels guilty because at present people around her are suffering.

8 Suggest two things you would do to stop the world from bleeding.
Spread the message of peace, tolerance and living in harmony
Learn to appreciate what life has offered and be happy with it.

9 How is the rice field?
Sick / unhealthy / infertile / neglected

10 State two activities that I consider luxuries.
i. Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
ii. Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

11 Why do you the personas conscience is disturbed? Give reasons for your answer.
Thinking of the flautist while feeling worried about the troubled with the situation
around her.

12 What musical instrument is the poets friend playing?
A flute

13 Describe the village.
It is empty has people have left for the city.


14 Who feels guilty?
The persona
15 While here it has become a luxury!
To spend time watching the rain
Why do you think the persona says it is a luxury to spend time watching rain? Give
reasons for your answer.
Life in the city is so busy that one has no time for simple pleasures and there are other
problems to worry about.

16 Why does the persona ask if the flute player is still playing his flute?
She does not know if he is still in the village enjoying his favourite pastime.

17 How does she feel about his music?
Nostalgic / desirous / wishful

18 Write down the line which shows that the persona thinks highly of his music.
To the depth of my heart

19 In your own words,
i. What kind of a person do you think is the flute player?
Passionate / Obsessed / An introvert / A sequester

ii. Have you been involved in a similar passion over any interest or hobby?
Provide Explanation.

20 Identify two words used to describe the village.

Quiet and deserted

21 What has happened to the village?

It is deserted as the people have left for better jobs.

22 In stanza 2, what does the words here refers to?

The city / town / personas place
23 In your own words,
i. What do you of the things the persona consider luxuries?
Rain, sunset (evening rays) / dew / fragrance of flowers

ii. What would you enjoy doing for pleasure?


24 Why does the poet feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song

25 What musical instrument does the poets love play?
Flute
26 How is the situation in the village?
Quite bad as it is empty because the villagers have left the village for better jobs and
conditions.

27 Why do think the poet is surprised that the flautist is still playing his flute? Give
reasons for your answer.
She thinks that he is undisturbed with the turmoil in the nation and the world.

28 Why is the village so quiet and deserted?

The villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.

29 Which phrase in stanza 1 implies how much the music affected the poet?

To the depth of my heart

30 What does the poet mean by using the words concealed anduncovered to
describe the music?

It means that the melody is in the bamboo and will only be heard when the flautist plays the
flute.

31 What could the poem be about?

It is about upholding values, accepting changes in life and appreciating simple pleasures of
life.

32 Describe ONE emotion the poet is feeling in the first stanza.
Guilty / nostalgic

33 What does the phrase, slim hollow of the bamboo refer to?
The flute

34 Describe a significant memory that you have. Explain briefly why it is significant
to you.

35 Based on stanza 2, where do you think the persona is?
In the city

36 Based on stanza 2, what is the contrast between the personas place and the
flautists?
The flautists place is empty and deserted whereas the personas place is undergoing a
turmoil [ political and economical crisis].

37 Based on stanza 2, in the first line, what do you think the persona is feeling?
A sense of doubt / unsure / puzzled

38 Based on stanza 1, which line reveals the intensity of the personas feelings?
To be longing for your song

39 Based on stanza1, how does the persona feel about the flautist?

Longing / pining/yearning/passionate / love

40 Based on stanza 1, which line (s) reveal (s) that the persona is struggling with
her feelings?
Where there is hardly time for our love

41 Based on stanza 1, describe the personas mood.
Sombre / solemn / Sad

42 What is so distinctive about the melody from the flute?
It touches the depth of her heart

43 Why is the rice field described as sick?
It has been neglected so it is no longer productive and fertile.

44 What is the meaning of the metaphor slaughtered mercilessly?
People are no longer tolerant of each other and people are being killed cruelly.

45 What kind of feeling is expressed by the persona in the poem?
A sense of sadness, hopelessness, despair and misery

46 Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song.
47 Why is the personas conscience disturbed?
She is worried about the present situation in her nation which is facing a crisis.

48 In your opinion, does the persona feel depressed about this world? Give your
reasons.
Yes,..

49 Based on stanza 2, how would you describe the person who seems to be very
interested in his flute?
Idle / unaffected by the crisis / carefree / in his own world

50 Write the two words that relate to how a flute is played?
Breath and fingers
51 What do you think the persona feels about the other persons obsession with
playing the flute? Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.

52 What is the main theme in the stanza above?
Upholding values, appreciating simple pleasures of life, accepting changes in life

53 Write two words that are related to the condition of the village.
Quiet and deserted

54 Where do you think the persona is? Using your own words, give a reason to
support your answer.
In the city because .

55 Who is playing the flute?
The flautist in the village / The personas love

56 Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song

57 Where does the melody originate from?
The bamboo / The slim hollow of the bamboo

58 Which two lines best describe how a flute is played?
Uncovered by the breath of an artist & composed by his fingers

59 Which word would you use to describe the personas village? Name one.
Quiet / deserted

60 What does the persona mean by the sick rice field?
The paddy fields are neglected so they are barren and unproductive.

61 What are the evening rays referred to?
Sunset

62 Write two activities that are considered a luxury by the persona.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

63 Why is the person still thinking of her beloved?
She has feelings for him. / She still loves him.

64 Write two problems faced by the persona as mentioned in the stanza above.
Her brothers are unemployed and desperate / Her people are disunited by politics
/ Her friend is slaughtered mercilessly

65 What is the tone used? Give a reason for your answer.
Sad / Hopelessness / Despair / Anxious

66 Where do you think the persona is likely to be?
In the city / town

67 Where is the flautist playing his flute?
In the village

68 What does the flute represent?
Tradition

69 Why is the phrase, Are you still playing your flute?, repeated three times in the
poem? Using your own words, give reasons to support your answer.
To reinforce the emotion (wondering/puzzled) behind the question and create a dramatic
effect

70 In stanza 1, what poetic device does the first line above refer to?
Rhetorical question

71 In stanza 1, what does line 2 tell us about the relationship between the persona
and the flautist?
They loved each other when they were together.
72 What is the persona guilty about?
To be longing for the flautists song.
73 The poet used certain words to indicate where the melody is:
i. What are these words?
Concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo

ii. Do you think they are suitable? Why?
Yes, because the flute is played by blowing into hollow of the bamboo and melody is created
by the fingers.

74 In stanza 1, why does the persona feel guilty listening to music of the flautist?
She is very busy and also her nation is undergoing a crisis.

75 Why is enjoying the fragrance of flowers regarded as a luxury by the persona in
stanza 2?
In the city, one can be very busy in the rat race that they have no time to even appreciate the
flowers growing around them.

76 Give one problem the nation is undergoing.
Political crisis / Economical crisis / Disharmony

77 Explain in your own words why the persona feels her world is too old and
bleeding.
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.

78 What do you think the flute represents?
Tradition

79 What do you think the phrase, the world is too old and bleedingrepresents?
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.

80 Suggest a reason why the persona cannot forget the music from the flute?
The music must have been beautiful and special that it has embedded in her heart.

81 Do you think the persona has made the right decision in leaving the
village? Give a reason.
Yes,
No, .

82 What is it like in the village?
Quiet and empty

83 What does the word sick imply about the rice field?
Barren / Unproductive / Infertile / Neglected
84 What are the luxuries mentioned by the poet? State two of them.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers

85 Do you like to live in the village? Give reasons to your answer.
Yes,
No, ..

86 In the last stanza, what is the personas feeling when she remembers the
flautist?
Guilty / Remorseful /

87 Why is there disunity among the citizens of the country?
They lack tolerance and understanding.

88 What happened to the personas friend?
Killed cruelly

89 What do you think the last line of the stanza mean?
The world is changing for the worst.




















A CHARACTER THAT INFLUENCES OTHERS IN A NEGATIVE WAY
The novel that I have chosen is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In this novel there are a few
strong characters. Among these characters, the character that I think has strongly influenced
the others in a negative way is Puan Normala.
Puan Normala, one of the villagers, is described by Siti as a slimy cobra with a three-
forked tongue. Nobody likes the gossips that she spreads. Branded as a rumour-monger, I find
that she easily influences the narrow minded people of her village. As a news broadcaster of
the village, everything that happens there does not escape her eyes and ears. Immediately, it
becomes a topic for her to talk about. Her idle talks are capable of ruining the reputations of
the person concern. Most of the villagers, who fail to think rationally, are easily influenced by
her tales which causes a negative impact on the village.
After Madhuris body is recovered, she talks about Madhuris death so frequently that
her daughter carries the gossips to school too. She tells her classmates that Madhuri is
murdered. In another incident, she also talks about Madhuris marriage to Haji Ghani, the
village headman and how their young, handsome teacher is affected by it. This is a strong
negative influence that Noor has acquired from Puan Normala as it is bad for Noor to talk about
matters that are not related to her.
The next incident is when Puan Normala admits that she has seen Madhuris dead body
and that her body was bleeding white blood. Being superstitious, she spreads the rumour that
the village is cursed with Madhuris death. She states that since the village is cursed, many bad
things will happen and the village will soon experience disaster. She waves the villagers hearts
and spoils the harmony of the village. This is a clear evident that shows how influent she can be
in a negative way.
In another incident where we can witness her negative influence on the villagers is when
she blames the old ladys visit to Asrafs house as the reason for the continuous rain.
Furthermore, she is also a mean and malicious person. For example, her influence on the
villagers caused them to provoke Mohd Asraf to confront the old lady by accusing the old lady as
the reason why Asrafs grandmothers dies. Because of that instigation, Asrafs anger is the main
cause for the fire that causes the old lady to die.
Apart from the above evident, there are many other incidents where she tries to
influence the others such as her own daughter and also Siti, her neighbours daughter. Noor,
her daughter is exactly like her and can be branded Like mother like daughter. In her class, she
plays the role that she inherited from her mother. This is a very clear evident that shows Puan
Normalas negative influence on her daughter.
In conclusion, based on the above reasons and evident, I find that Puan Normala is the
one and only character that can influence the others in the negative way. We should not be like
Puan Normala as what we may say, may harm others. Therefore it is necessary for us to stay
wise to create a more peaceful world.



A Decision Made By a Character: was it right or wrong?
The novel that I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In this novel I find that Azreen
has made a few difficult decisions. One of the decisions is when she took the blame for
leaving Mr. Mohans farm gate open which caused the bull to escape.
During the school days, Azreen was a good friend of Asraf and she also had a crush on
him. Asraf worked part time on Mr. Mohans farm. One evening, when Azreen went to visit
Asraf on the farm, there was a commotion. As Azreen approached the group, she was shocked
to hear Mr. Mohan and his sons, threatening Asraf. Asraf was being blamed for leaving the
farm gate open and letting the bull from the farm. At that very moment, Azreens instinct told
her to protect the person she loves. She made a difficult decision by taking up the blame for
leaving the gate open. She boldly told off Mr. Mohan and his sons that they should not make
accusations without looking into the matter first. In general, it is not easy to take a blame for
something that one has not done. It takes a lot of guts and I find that Azreen has that quality.
However, was her decision right? I feel that the decision to take up the blame was
wrong. A friend in need is a friend indeed but not in this situation. Helping a friend does not
mean that one should take up the blame for someone elses wrong doings just to protect the
friend from being punish. In this case, I feel Azreen took the blame just to prove to Asraf her
feelings for him. But was that appropriate? If Asraf was innocent, then he should have voiced
out and stopped Azreen from taking the blame. Furthermore, Azreen should have requested
Mr. Mohan to investigate the situation first and that would have been a better decision.
Moverover, it was the wrong decision because the escaped bull also cost her mother to
lose the ability to walk. Since Azreen took the blame for the bulls escape, she was indirectly
responsible for the accident. The bull had crashed into her fathers motorcycle causing her
mother to lose the use of her leg. From that day onwards her father was cold and distant with
her as he was furious that it was really her fault that the bull escaped. I find that the decision
that she made was her biggest mistake as she did not win Asrafs heart after all but her
relationship with her father went from bad to worse. They became estranged until the end.
Based on the above reasoning, I find that making a decision to help someone in need is
a right move but saving someone who may be in wrong or guilty is not a good decision. In this
situation, I feel that the decision Azreen made was definitely wrong as it cost her to lose her
parents trust and love.







INTERESTING EVENT AND LESSONS LEARNT
Based on the novel that you have read, write about an interesting event and the lessons that
you have learnt. Give reasons to support your answer.

The novel that I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In this novel the interesting
event that I find teaches me numerous lessons is the outbreak of the fire which results in the
Old Ladys death.
When the neighbours visit Asraf, when Asrafs grandmother has passed away suddenly,
they convince him that the Old Lady had poisoned her. Fuelled with anger and loss, he and the
mob of people go over to the Old Ladys place with lit torches. Azreen tries to stop him but his
torch falls and sets the house on fire. Azreen runs inside to try to save the Old Lady who is
trapped under a pillar. Her last words to Azreen are just to learn to forgive. Then Azreen is
pulled away by her father before the house collapses. This event creates a domino effect on a
number of other events which in turn helps Azreen to finally solve the mystery behind her
sisters murder. She finds out that Asrat and Madhuri who is not her biological sister, had been
lovers. The final clue was that her father kills Madhuri upon discovering about their affair and
plans to elope.
The most important lesson I learnt from this event is not to be prejudiced so much as to
cause the death of innocent people. The Old Lady was cast out from the village after the
villagers found out that she had killed her husband. They are so prejudiced that they cannot
see her kindness and good heart. Secondly, we should not let superstition influence us to the
point of being irrational. We see how easily the villagers commit a crime because they are
willing to do anything, including planning an attack on the innocent and harmless Old Lady just
because of superstition. Under the instigation of Puan Normala, the villagers are convinced to
believe that the Old Lady possesses a special power to turn people into rats and squirrels, so
the latter is accused to be an evil witch who brings all the misfortunes and had omen to the
village. In fact, when the rain continues to pour for more than four days, causing the town to
be flooded, the Old Lady is blamed to have put the curse on the village.
From this event, we can see how gullible the villagers are to believe the vicious
rumours spread by the village gossip, Puan Normala. She does not seem to care about the
destruction she causes. Her irrational behaviour thus destroys the reputation of the victims
such as the Old Lady even in the eyes of children. Thus just as it is important not to spread
rumours that can harm others, we should not listen and be influenced by vicious gossip and
superstition.
Finally, I learnt the meaning of love and forgiveness from the Old Ladys actions. In this
event, we see the purity of the Old Ladys heart. Despite being ostracized by the villagers, the
Old Lady bears no grudges against them and is still willing to help people like Asrafs Nek. More
importantly, at the point of her death before the burning house collapses on her, she reminds
Azreen to forgive all the villagers who have wronged her. Azreen follows her advice and
forgives her father and Asraf when she finally finds out the truth about Madhuri and her death.
Based on the above textual evidence, I definitely find that this tragic event is interesting
as it is a link to the mystery behind Mahduris death. The lessons that are learnt from this
event are very meaningful and can guide us to a better future as well as strengthening our
relationship with people we know and care for.
A CHARACTER WHO TOUCHES YOUR HEART
Based on the novel that you have read, write about one character that touches your
heart. Give reasons to support your answer.
The novel that I have chosen is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In this novel there are a few
characters that are admirable. However I find that Azreen is an admirable character who
touches my heart. She portrays remarkable courage and open-heartedness when she realises
that her close friend Asraf has been in love with her dead sister instead of her.
She returns from London for her elder sisters funeral. However, she cannot accept that
Madhuri has died of natural causes she thinks she was murdered and wants to find the
truth. We see that Azreen did not have a happy childhood but is a filial daughter. She is caned
often by her father as a child but still remains obedient and loyal to him, even though she is an
adult now. Described as aggressive, self-opinionated, spiteful, hot-tempered and ganas by
others, her real strength of character is revealed when she finds herself let down by both her
father and Asraf. Furthermore, she goes against the other villagers to befriend the Old Lady
who has been ostracized by the villagers. It is the Old Lady who advises her to forgive and
forget.
Azreen is determined to find the truth behind Madhuris death. Finally, when she finds
out that it was her father who had killed her, she does not feel anger or resentment towards
him. She only feels lost and betrayed. She shows that she is a kind, caring, loving and filial
daughter when she forgives him. Her open-heartedness here touches my heart. She also shows
open-heartedness and magnanimity when she accepts Asrafs confession of love for her sister,
though she is shocked and hurt. She finds out more truths Madhuri was not her real sister but
had been adopted when her mother had gone mad.
Her father Salleh had seen Madhuri with a man (Asraf) who was not her husband and
had killed her in anger. Azreen realises that Saleh was the killer after he saves her from Madhuri
s vengeful mother and she sees the latex on his parang.
She has to be commended for her sacrifice and readiness to forgive all those who hurt
and disappoint her finally. Her capacity for love and forgiveness for her fathers and Asrafs
actions is what touches my heart in this novel.







Write on a character whom I think is exemplary
Based on the novel The Curse by Lee Sue Ann, the character that I
consider exemplary is Azreen because she is courageous and brave. She shows resilience and
she always fight for what she believes in.
Firstly, the reason I think that she is exemplary because I find that Azreen who does not
believe the villagers tales about The Old Lady is being brave by accepting her friends challenge
to firstly knocking on the door of The Old lady and then meet her in person. . Subsequently, she
befriends The Old Lady and makes her, her precious confidante and counsellor.
In addition, Azreen as an exemplary is courageous by confronting Puan Normalas mob
outside Mohd Asrafs house when Nek once again has fallen ill but dies, in order to stop the
Old Lady from entering Neks house. Although she is outnumbered, she dares to face Puan
Normalas horde to protect Neks house from them. Moreover, she confronts a group of men
led by Asraf who goes to the Old ladys house to seek revenge after Nek dies as they believe the
Old lady has poisoned Nek.
It is a dog-eat-dog world out there so we must be brave and courageous to overcome
our daily obstacles and stand for our own rights. We should not be intimidated by our fear and
we must be like Azreen, my exemplary from the novel, in order to survive in this world.
The second exemplary quality of Azreen is that she portrays resilience throughout the
story and she constantly fights for what she believes in. This can be seen when Azreen does not
give up and is determined and resilient to seek the truth of Madhuris death even though
others do not want to tell her the truth. She asks Asraf and The Old Lady about Madhuris death
and slowly gathers evidences. Finally she knows the truth about Madhuris death.
In her village, a woman should be conservative and well mannered but Azreen is a
contrast to that and thus she is hated but she ignores the villagers perception of her, as she
believes that women have their own rights. This can be seen as she befriends Asraf and joins
the boys hockey team and similarly makes The Old Lady her best friend. These are the
qualities that have attracted me to Azreen and I definitely will make her my exemplary.
In this cruel world, we must stand for our own right and fight for what we believe in. We
must follow Azreens resilience to make this world a better place. Therefore based on all the
above reasons and evidence, my choice, Azreen makes the best exemplary.








Based on the novel that you have read, do you like the story?
The novel that I have read is The Curse by Lee Su Ann. I find the story The Curse
veryenjoyable. The plot is exciting and full of suspense. I also find the characters
interesting as they are portrayed with their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, there are
good lessons we can learn from the many things that happen in The Curse.
The plot of the story grabs my attention from the very beginning. It begins with
Azreens return home for the funeral of her sister, Madhuri. The cause of Madhuris death
is a mystery. This creates suspense and as the plot develops, we hear that it is murder.
Azreens confusion becomes the readers confusion. Lee Su Ann keeps the identity of the
murderer a mystery until the very end of the story.Fatihah, Asraf, Haji Ghani also seem
suspicious and when we find out it is Madhuris father who is the culprit, we are taken by
surprise by the twist. The exciting plot therefore keeps readers involved from start to
finish.
The characters in The Curse are also interesting people. The writer has presented them
so vividly that we either like or dislike them. The likeable people are Azreen, Siti, Puan
Kamisah, Datin Sharifah and Datuk Zulkifli, the Old Lady and of course Mahduri. In sharp
contrast Fatihah, Normala and to an extent Bomoh Awang, are characters that we are
wary of. The writer uses apt metaphors like the leaky-mouthed neighbour and slimy
cobra with a three-forked tongue to describe therumour-monger Normala. Such
metaphors give us a vivid image of the despicable Normala. The varied characters in the
story add flavour and interest to The Curse.
There are many lessons we can learn from The Curse. We can learn from Azreen, a
young girl who copes with serious problems in a mature way. Despite feeling that she
always fails to measure up to her elder sister Madhuris perfection, she finds her own
way to cope and largely remains true to herself. She shows patience and eventually
forgiveness for father who treated her unfairly. In the end, she only feels pity for him.
Based on the above reasons and evidence, I like reading The Curse because the plot is
captivating, the characters interesting and because of the good values it teaches.









UNFORGETABLE OR MEMORABLE
In the novel The Curse by Lee Su Ann, an unforgettable event is when Puan Fatihah
fainted out of shock when she sees a silhouette of a Pontianak that looks like Madhuri
appearing from behind a pile of tree trunks.
Firstly, this is an unforgettable event because it makes me sympathise Puan Fatihah. I
find it sad that Puan Fatihah is a victim of her own belief in the supernatural. Prior to the
encounter with the Pontianak, she has gone to seek out the bomoh to get a charm to win back
her husbands affections. She is superstitious enough to resort to such a desperate act. It is her
superstition that makes her believe what she sees as a ghost and that is why she faints from
utter shock. What is so ironic is that she has thrown away the first charm which is a small piece
of paper with written incantation into the river. The result is her husband has taken the
younger woman, Madhuri as his second wife and she has only herself to blame. Now that his
younger wife is dead, she must win back her husbands affections with the help of Awang, the
bomoh.
Secondly, I feel sorry for Puan Fatihah because she is so pathetic. She cannot bear her
husband a child and always feels insecure as she has no power to keep him all to herself. I can
understand her pain of insecurity as she looks at the mirror each day and sees her aging face.
She is haunted by the deepening lines, the crows feet, the sagging skin and double chin.
Which man can still stay in love with a face like that? Her insensitive husband has spurned her
and laughs at her insecurities. Her declining beauty has caused her to feel envy towards
Madhuri and to be angry at her husband. This is really pathetic.
Thirdly, I find this incident memorable / unforgettable because it reminds me of how
fragile a woman can be. Puan Fatihah has tried to be strong and put up a great pretence of
liking the second wife, Madhuri. She has actually succeeded in deceiving everyone in the village
and even Madhuri herself. Madhuri, in her last letter to Azreen has told her sister that Puan
Fatihah is such a kind and understanding lady whom she looks up to as an elder sister. Madhuri
sees her as such a dear sweet woman and is not sure whether she can emulate her goodness
as a person and a wife. Poor Fatihah! She has suppressed her emotions and has to endure the
fights she and her husband have been having lately over trivial matters. She cannot get his
attention when Madhuri was alive and she still cannot get his attention after she was dead. She
was so emotionally fragile that it was not surprising she fainted when she came face to face
with a ghostly figure who has reached out her hands to touch her.
I would not forget this incident as it has taught me not to believe in superstitions nor
resort to solving problems by using supernatural methods. All of us have problems and we must
not let them overwhelm us.