TANJONG RHU

SYNOPSIS

• A story about the relationship between Mr.T.W. Li (a rich businessman in

the shipping business) and his mother, Ah Ma.
• Mr.Li's office is Shenton Way is a modern as he is. His mother however, is
a traditional with strong religion beliefs and practices ancestor worship.
• Ah Ma and Mr. Li have a close relationship. The day after Ah Ma's funeral,
Mr. Li recalls the day he brought his mother a pair of binocular.
• Mr. Li's excitement was dashed when his mother didn't use it the way he
wants to. Mr. Li wants her to have a better vision, but Ah Ma can only see
Tanjong Rhu of the past through the binocular.
SYNOPSIS (CONT’)

• Indirectly, Ah Ma is trying to make Mr.Li remember who he was

before he became a serious businessman.
• Mr.Li cannot remember all the details of his childhood and when
he tried to ask Ah Ma, she had already became too sick to talk to
him.
• The story ends with Mr.Li trying to fulfill Ah Ma's wish of getting
the key to the drawer that keep her important things for the altar.
In the process of looking for the key, Mr.Li suddenly could see
Tanjong Rhu.
SETTING

• Place
• Tanjong Rhu, Singapore (pg 18)
• Mr T.W. Li office (pg 18) (pg 27-29) (pg 33)
• Singapore harbor (para 3, line 2, pg 19)
• Mr T. W. Li house
• The swimming pool in the garden (para 6, line 1, pg 20)
• The family altar (para 2, line 2, pg 25)(pg 35-6)
• Hospital (pg 30 – 33)
THE MAP OF SINGAPORE
(In the circle is Shenton Way, where Mr Li's office is located.)
SHENTON WAY AND TANJUNG RHU
(Mr Li can see Tanjung Rhu from his office at the 18th
floor of the building.)
SETTING

• Time
• Modern days (pg 18, “modern ways and modern ideas)
• Afternoon
• Morning
• Community
• Traditional Chinese family
Characters and characteristics

• Mr T.W. LI
• Also called `Ah-Wah’ by his mother and `Edward’ by his wife
• A 63 years old Singaporean businessman
• Successful and wealthy
• Has humble beginnings – grew up in a little wooden hut in Tanjong Rhu.
Question 33
OWN ANSWER
O Give your answer. One answer as the topic sentence of your
paragraph

R
REASON (TEXTUAL EVIDENCE)
State the character, setting and the event in general

ELABORATION
E Describe an event/events (based on textual evidence) that
show this trait. Give at least 3 details.

OPINION
O Express your feeling, ideas and opinion towards the answer
discussed earlier(most important part)