This story is quite modern and it circles around the life of a mistress which contains sexism and superstitious community. I doubt that there will be any questions proposed to this short story, neither in this coming exam nor ever. Women are portrayed sexually, the mannerism which shows our [woman] greed over materialism and using our body to get what we want. Stella Kon's work speaks of the truth in our present time and very unlikely the government will use this text in the exam.
Theme: Dwelling in the past is destructive
1. Loneliness
Melinda is lonely too because her 'protector', Mr Wong only comes once or twice a week. Jade Swallow is also lonely because she was murdered and her soul is stuck at the place for a century. When people knew that Jade was still staying there, they moved to another place. Jade is glad that Melinda is staying there now.
2. Melinda begs Jade to help Jeffrey
Knowing that Jade is from the past, she asked for her help to tell her lover, Jeffrey about old Singapore.
3. Greed
Melinda is so desperate to help Jeffrey to finish his thesis so that he can graduate that she asked for a ghost's help. Melinda's greed eventually lead to her own destruction because she didn't consider the fact that Jade is a vengeful spirit and it is better to stay away from her.
I am sorry. Actually I am doing the analysis of this story but i couldn't find the original text from this story. Do you have any copy of it, can send to me through email ?
ReplyDeleteMay i know the setting of this story? i am quite emergency to use the info. If you can help me please. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny, I don't have a copy of this story that I can send you through email. The whole story is set in Melinda's apartment, owned by Mr. Wong and it is during the modern days
ReplyDeleteI can't find any original text from internet... this story is it set in Malaysia or Singapore?
ReplyDeleteSingapore
DeleteCan you roughly tell me what the story about ?
ReplyDeleteand what's the relationship between Melinda and Mr Wong ?
ReplyDeleteis it melinda using her own body to exchange with jade ?
ReplyDeleteMelinda is Mr Wong's mistress and she lives in an haunted apartment rented by Mr Wong. Mr Wong visits her occasionally for pleasure but not giving her the full attention so she had another secret lover named Jeffrey who promised to marry her when he finished his studies. He is a history student, finishing his thesis on old Singapore but doesn't have any idea on how to write it.
DeleteMelinda on the other hand is desperate for Jeffrey to finish his studies so he can save her from relying on Mr Wong, begged Jade, the ghost of the apartment to help Jeffrey by invading his dreams, planting ideas of the old Singapore to him. Melinda agreed to burn incense and paper cheongsam in return for Jade's help.
However, Jade got greedy for a man so she started planting dreams of herself into Jeffrey's head so when Melinda found out about this she got furious (and jealous) thus wanted Jade to leave them alone. Melinda had a heated arguement with Jade
Jade, driven by hatred, takes revenge on Melinda. Jeffrey as usual spent the night with Melinda, but Mr Wong barges in (is probably haunted by Jade) and fought with Jeffrey, eventually pushed him from Melinda's apartment. Jeffrey died and Melinda screams in agony
Jenny, you must understand that Jade is an old ghost. She used to live in the mansion as concubine to a man who already had several wives. She then had an affair with another man. When she was caught, she was punished to death. Her vengeful spirit refused to leave the mansion so everyone left the house instead. As years gone by, developers demolished the mansion and built an apartment and so on but Jade's ghost still lingers there.
Her motive of revenge and thirst for men can be explained here. She was jealous of Melinda because of her two timing, as she also once did but was punished severely, Melinda's handsome lover and her own greediness.
I hope you can understand this
Hi, do you mind sending me a copy of this short story? or may i know where you read it from?
ReplyDelete