BBL 3206Prof. Madya DR. NORITAH OMAR

PREPARED BY: SUDHEEP RAMASAMY (B10127)

YEAN KEK FONG (B10204)B.A ENGLISH(executive)

PREPARED BY: SUDHEEP RAMASAMY (B10127)

YEAN KEK FONG (B10204)B.A ENGLISH(executive)

What it means by echoes of silence in this

novel?

How can there be echoes in silence? Is

there anything going on?

What is silence means in this novel?

How do the writer portray echoes as in

silence situation?

Echoes that was meant in this novel is not the literal meaning of echoes. But then the repeated thing(silence) that the writer included in her story.

Silence in this story means the unspoken matters and things by certain characters.

These unspoken matters/things might actually hold the biggest clue towards the identity of the murderer.

Why certain characters keep their past in silence?

What could be the consequences of them revealing the truth about something or revealing their past?

The purpose of not revealing certain matters could be because they(characters) themselves feel threatened by the truth and how the other person would react to it.

The consequences that they need to face later on.

The race riots in Malaysia in May 1969.The displacement feelingAmbiguity in own identityAmbivalence of obscurity

Following are the few examples of silence in this novel.

1. Jonathan.T to Michael.T about the death of his wife/Michael.T’s mother.

2.Puteh/Mary to Jonathan.T/Simon Collins about her muteness.

3.Ai Lian’s father about the grandmother –

por-por

Following are the few examples of silence in this novel.

1.Puteh/Mary to Yusof about Michael as her own child.

2.Michael.T to Ai Lian regarding who is the murderer.

3.Michael.T to Ai Lian about how he get the diamond necklace

4.Ai Lian’s mother of her past/background.

Guat eng uses different time frames for/in her novel

There are 3 time frames/time period as follows:

Distance past – 1940 –Truth manuscript is writtenPresent past – 1974 – The murder occurred and the

whole storyline Present – 1994 – Ai Lian tells the story to Anna

Distance past

1940During the Japanese invasion & occupation Written by Michael Templeton about Mary/Puteh, Simon Collins, Jonathan Templeton, Yusof,

Present past

1974

The murder occurred - Cynthia

The story happens in this time period/ time frame

Present

1994 Ai Lian describes/tells what is going on in the present

days of her with Anna, her daughter.

Each time a part begin, there will be some story about what is going on now so that the reader could follow the things happening to Ai Lian in real time.

Ai Lian, who is unable to find her identity and her feeling of displacement in Malaysia.

She thought that if she left Malaysia and went to different country where she felt more safe, then she could find herself.

She experienced other culture that is so contradicted to her Asian culture.

Ai Lian seem very interested in finding who murdered Cynthia.

The way on how she investigate makes the readers to continue reading to the end.

The curiosity of Ai Lian is also felt by the readers

Ai Lian seem very interested in finding who murdered Cynthia.

The way on how she investigates makes the readers to continue reading to the end.

The curiosity of Ai Lian also been felt by the readers

Michael.T is about to give that necklace to Ai Lian because he is going to marry her.

The necklace belongs to Michael.T’s mother that must be carry forward by a lady who will be marrying to Michael.T.

Since the necklace is given to Cynthia, there are some unsatisfaction feeling to Puteh.

That could be the motive of Puteh killing Cynthia

Once Michael.T gets the necklace from Puteh, he gave it to Ai Lian.

What is the value of the necklace to Ai Lian?As a stone? As a left out by Michael.T? As a

jewellery to her clothes?

Why the author emphasizes on the necklace?

The arrangement of the diamonds in a necklace is how a story should be read or a mystery is to be solved.

What is the significance of Ai Lian suiting some dresses with the necklace and ended up being naked in front of the mirror?

Maybe the diamond necklace doesn’t need any clothes to be suited. Just being yourself without clothes suggests that we should be frank to ourselves and not by pretending of being someone else.

A short Mahagana Buddhist Scripture (holy book) or a perfection of wisdom genre

Posits that something is what it is only because of what is it not

Tells us that realizing the emptiness of all things is the key step on this path and that its articulation comes paradoxically in the bodhisattva (god) ideal of saving all the sentient (having consciousness) beings. .

It is call ‘ The Diamond of Transcendent Wisdom' because its teaching will cut like a diamond blade through worldly illusion to illuminate what is real and everlasting .

Due to the reading and understanding of Diamond of Sutra, Chuah Guat Eng produced the “ Echoes Of Silence ”

Echoes of silence is a discovery of journey, everything Ai Lian knows or goes through is not true .

People in Echoes of Silence hide the truth.

Actually people put value on their own mind.

The diamond necklace in the story is a symbol.

It is connected to the Diamond of Sutra.

-it is like a touch stone to Ai Lian .

-it carries the truth.

Echoes of Silence is very critical to the postcolonial countries.

Ai Lian represents a postcolonial country, in love with her country master until she gives up.

She finds herself learning about racial prejudice , human relationships , right or wrong, truth and deception , guilt and innocence ,womanhood love and the way past silences echo in the present.

Chuah Guat Eng

• translates the world view news and value implied in them

• describes how she uses them in Echoes of Silence to anatomize and deconstruct the mindset of the postcolonial subject whose minds have been colonized by the world news and value inherent in people western narrative forms.