INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU

KAMPUS GAYA, KOTA

KINABALU,SABAH

PROGRAM IJAZAH SARJANA MUDA PERGURUAN

TESL
-
COURSEWORK -
COURSE: LITERARY STUDIES
COURSE CODE : TSLB1124

CONTENT i. Task 1: Test

ii. Task 2: Written Assignment
iii. Task 3: Staging a Play

STUDENT’S NAME EL CHRISTY HOLLYVIA LEE

INDEX NO. 2023072310152
GROUP PPISMP TESL SJKC
JUN 2023
INTAKE
SEMESTER/ 2 / (Sesi Jan – Mei 2024)
SESSION
CONTACT NUMBER 01136535020
E-MAIL ADDRESS elchristytity@gmail.com
LECTURER’S NAME SHUBASHINI SUPPIAH

GRADE :
TASK 2- Total
TASK 1-Individual Individual TASK 3-Group (100%)
CRITERIA (Test) (Written (Staging a Play)
25% Assignment) 35%
40%
EXAMINER
1
EXAMINER
2

A. Student’s Declaration: ( To be completed upon submitting work)

I hereby declare that this is a presentation of my original work and that no .......................................................
other sources were used other than what is cited appropriately. I understand
the implication I would receive if this is a false confession. Student’s signature:
Date:

B. Student’s Confirmation of Receiving Feedback:

( To be completed upon receiving grade and lecturer’s feedback)
Task 2: Written Assignment

Literature refers to the writings that have excellent form or expression and expressing ideas
of permanent or universal interest. According to A. Benjamin (2016), literature stories are made to
potray human’s life and action through the characters, whether by the characters’ words, actions or
reaction. In order to prove the statement made by A. Benjamin, I have choosen a short story
entitled Mariah by Che Husna and a novella by Josesp Conrad, entitle The Heart of A Darkness.

Mariah is a short story written by Che Husna Azhari who is a prominent Malaysian writer of
literature. She is a professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, at Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). She had published several masterpiece including The Rambutan
Orchard and Kelantan Tales: An Anthology of Short Stories, which is where the short story Mariah
is taken from. In the Mariah short story, there are three main characters which are Mariah, a
beautiful single lady who sells different types of nasi, the Imam who is the leader of Islamic religion
in Molo and Cik Yam, the Imam’s perfect wife. The theme used for this story are sacrificial love and
polygamy. The story took place in Molo, a small village located in Kelantan where it society is seen
religious. The story begins with how Mariah is admired by the men of Molo, which found in the
second and third paragraph of the story. As Mariah was walking with basins on her head, the men
of Molo could not took their gaze off her, because they were mesmerized of Mariah’s beauty. The
rising action of this story is when Mariah was accused by the women in the village, of putting
“something” in her nasi in order to attract the men in Molo. This plot can be found on the 15th
paragraph, when Cik Gu Nab told Cik Yam about Mariah’s nasi. The rising action followed by the
moment when the Imam fell in love with Mariah, as he thought she resembles his first love, which
is on the 27th paragraph. The climax of this story happened when the Imam told Cik Yam, her wife
about his feeling towards Mariah and asked her for forgiveness and permission to make Mariah as
his second wife. As for the falling action, it happened when Cik Yam finally gave her permission to
her husband with the condition how equality towards her and Mariah. The story resolves with the
ending of the Imam marrying Mariah. Human life based on this story is clearly shown through the
action, words and emotion of the characters. For instance, the Imam is having internal struggle
with himself and he tried his best to not fell in love with Mariah. However, as a just human being,
he failed doing so and he chose to deal with the problem he had by marrying Mariah. The action
made by the Imam indicates how fragile and weak we are as a human. We cannot handle
everything and sometimes we have tp just let God decide what will happen to us. Other than that,
we can also see how human’s life is potrayed through Cik Yam’s character, which showcases how
selfless we are to the people we love. Sometimes, we did not realized how much did we sacrificed
for others, just to see smiles in their face. Cik Yam represent the life of a person like that. She
sacrificed her love just to make the person she loved happy. To conclude, every character has
their own story and the characters are actually representing some of humans life.

These three characters has a different personalities and background. According to my

analysis of the story, Mariah is a well-known woman in Molo and she is admired by the men of
Molo village. For instance, in the second paragraph of the story, the men of Molo were mesmerized
with the beauty of Mariah, as she was walking with basins on her head and balancing it by swaying
her hips. The actions made by the men indicates how attractive Mariah is. Other than that, I found
that she is a confident person through the way she responded to the gossips about her. Based on
what I have analyse, she was unaffected with the words going around about her, which can be
found on the 15th paragraph about how she was accused of putting “something” in her nasi, in
order to attract the men in the village. The reaction of hers shows how a person with confidence
deal with problems in real life.

The second character is the Imam. The Imam is the head of Islam religion in Molo. He is
well respected by the villlagers because of his religiousness and for having a virtuous and talented
wife, which name is Cik Yam. For reference, in the 20th paragraph, all the married men envied the
Imam for having a devoted wife like Cik Yam. The Imam’s character potrayed human’s life through
the actions and words he made, which are when he fell in love with Mariah and when he asked Cik
Yam for permission to marry Mariah. The Imam fell in love with Mariah because Mariah resembles
his first love, which was the Sheikh’s daughter. The plot can be found on the 33rd paragraph. He
was having an internal struggle and he tried to push his feeling away, however he failed. At the end
of the story, he spoke with his wife, Cik Yam and asked for permission to make Mariah as his
second wife. The character uses words such as “I love you and will always love you, Yam.
Nothing can change that. I will always be your husband. I will care for you, Yam” – as can be
found on the 51st paragraph, to get Cik Yam’s permission to engage in polygamy. These actions
and words made by him potrayed how some people’s lives are, especially for guys who practiced
polygamy. It shows how a man is struggling to not fell to other woman, but failed and chose to
marry the woman he loves, to avoid himself from doing sin.

The third character in this story is Cik Yam. She is a virtorous and devoted wife to the
Imam. She is very talented, loving and caring. She is a perfect wife except for her infertility. She’s
unable to get pregnant, which said has made their home lonely. Cik Yam’s character represent the
life of a woman who had to share her husband’s love with other woman. Based on my analysis,
she is a positive person, as she tried to deny the negative rumour that she heard about Mariah. For
reference, on the 16th paragraph, she told Cik Gu Nab to not accusing Mariah without any
evidence. This action of hers indicates how she cares about others, no matter who they are. It
represent a life of a good and caring woman. Other than that, I found that she is very kind and
selfless. To support my analysis, it can be found on the 51st paragraph, where she said “yes” to
her husband, when her husband asked for her permission to marry Mariah. This character
represent a loving and caring wife’s life, who always prioritize their loved ones.

As for the novella, I have analysed the story entitled The Heart of Darkness by Joseph
Condrad.

This paragraph indicates how Mariah is admired by the men in her village through the
action made by the characters, which are the men and Mariah.

The Imam is the husband of Cik Yam. He is a well-respected guy in Molo, as he is very
religious and for having a loving, caring and talented wife. They are well-known for having a almost
perfect life as a married couple, except for not having a child due to Cik Yam infertility.

The main purpose of the short story is to deliver a story of a guy, which is the Imam who
could not forget his first love and decided to make Mariah as his second wife as Mariah looked
alike with his first love.

The story revolves around several characters, with a focus on Mariah, the Imam, and Cik
Yam. The characters' words, actions, and reactions provide insights into human nature,
relationships, and societal expectations. Here's an analysis of key aspects:

1. **Mariah:**
 - **Words and Actions:** Mariah is portrayed as a confident and alluring woman. Her
words and actions suggest that she embraces her role as a nasi seller, using not only her culinary
skills but also her appearance and demeanor to attract attention. The description of her beauty,
attire, and the impact she has on men in the village highlights her charismatic presence.
- **Reaction to Gossip:** Mariah remains unaffected by the gossip and rumors
surrounding her. Despite the accusations of enticing married men, she continues with her routine,
showcasing resilience and confidence. Her decision to accept the proposal from the Imam, a man
of religion, reflects a certain level of pragmatism.

2. **The Imam:**
- **Internal Struggle:** The Imam's internal conflict is evident in his words, actions, and
reactions. His past unrequited love for the Sheikh's daughter resurfaces when he encounters
Mariah, who bears a resemblance to his youthful passion. The struggle between his desires and
religious duty becomes a central theme.
- **Words of Repentance:** The Imam's prayers and supplications depict his internal
turmoil and his sincere attempts to seek guidance and forgiveness. His struggle with human
desires versus religious devotion is a universal theme, emphasizing the complexity of personal
conflicts.

3. **Cik Yam:**
- **Virtue and Devotion:** Cik Yam is portrayed as a virtuous and devoted wife. Her initial
reaction to the proposal of a second wife is a mix of shock, despair, and humiliation. However, her
willingness to listen to the Imam's explanation and her eventual acceptance showcase her
strength, understanding, and commitment to her marriage.
- **Equality Condition:** Cik Yam's condition for accepting a second wife is equality. This
reflects her desire for fairness in the relationship and a determination to maintain her status as an
equal partner.

4. **Cik Gu Nab and Other Villagers:**

- **Gossip and Judgment:** Cik Gu Nab and the other villagers represent the
community's tendency to gossip and pass judgment on others' lives. Their reactions to the news of
the Imam taking a second wife, especially Mariah, showcase societal norms, expectations, and the
tendency to form opinions without full understanding.

5. **Themes Explored:**
- **Complexity of Human Emotions:** The story delves into the complexity of human
emotions, including love, desire, guilt, and repentance. Each character grapples with their internal
conflicts, highlighting the multifaceted nature of human experiences.
 - **Societal Expectations:** The reactions of the villagers and the Imam's struggle with
societal expectations emphasize the influence of cultural and religious norms on personal lives.

Overall, the characters' words, actions, and reactions contribute to a nuanced exploration of
human relationships, emotions, and the intersection of personal desires with societal and religious
expectations.

 Find the similarities, and bring the characters from the short story and the novella to
show the how the characters potrays human’s life and what is the writer’s purpose
(whether education/information/entertainment)