Compilation of SPM MODEL ANSWER (NOVEL THE CURSE - QUESTION 34)

CHARACTERS Which character do you like best in the novel you have read? Give reasons why you like the character, using the information from the novel to support your answer. In the Curse by Lee Su Ann, I like Azreen, the heroine. She is a fiery-tempered girl who always speaks her mind and is often seen as rude, hateful and grateful. Azreen is caring and loves her wheelchair-bound mother who is sometimes forgetful and smile. She loves the Old Lady very much although others resent her actions. She is loyal and protective when she slaps the girl who mimics her mothers way of walking with crutches. She fights anyone who makes remarks against the Old Lady. She protects Asraf by taking the blame for something he had done. She cares little about what happens to her but is absolutely loyal to her friends. She is tomboyish and plays games with the village boys happily. She also fights the boys if she thinks they are nasty. She does not try to act feminine to gain attention. She acts exactly the way she thinks. She loves Asraf but does not try to win him. She prefers to be silent about her feelings for him and hence suffers within herself. She shows great strength of character and I like her for her strong opinions and caring ways.

Based on the novel you have read, write about a character that you dislike. Support your answer with information from the novel. Sample 1 In The Curse by Lee Su Ann, the character I dislike is Normala, the village gossiper. Everyone dislikes her for spreading stories. She is called the slimy cobra with a three-forked tongue by Siti and the snake of a woman by Asraf. Normala happily spreads stories about Madhuri and claims that she was murdered. Normala is seen as wicked and mean by the villagers. Normala claims that she saw the body of Madhuri and that she saw white blood on her. She tells people about the bad relationship between the two sisters and adds fuel to the burning gossipy issues of the village. All these gossipy tidbits added spice and sauce to the stories that were circulating in the village. Normala is superstitious and easily frightened by all that she sees and hears. She strongly believes that the village is cursed and that they all will suffer. At the funeral, Normala takes great pains to inform the womenfolk of all the goings-on in the village. Normala has a group of women hanging on to her every word and absolutely enjoys being the center of attention. People like Normala can be irresponsible and harmful for they can be malicious with their gossipy words. Sample 2 A character that I despise in this novel is Encik Saleh. In this novel, he is Azreens father. My reason for despising him is that he fails to display fairness. Through his actions we know that since young he has always favoured Madhuri, Azreens older sister. He often misjudges and metes out severe punishments for any misdeeds committed by Azreen. For example, in the bull incident which caused his wife to lose the use of her leg, he blames Azreen and punishes her for it. We know that the actual culprit is Awang the bomoh. In another incident without prior investigation, he accuses her of stealing mangosteens from the rubber plantation when actually she had picked the fallen fruits. Hence, it is not surprising why she hates him. I also despise him because he failes to admit and come to terms with the fact that Azreen is a replica of him, she has similar traits such as being stubborn and independent just like him. He is also a very uncommunicative father who hides his feelings and fails to shower any love on Azreen. His responses have always been in the form of grunts, grumbles and shouts. Another reason why I despise him is that he carries on a charade after murders Madhuri. He does not tell anyone about

his crime of passion. He goes about his daily affairs and does not reveal the truth even to his loved ones. More so, he is responsible for covering up the murder but not for long.

Describe a character that you sympathise with in the novel you have read. Give reasons why you feel sympathy for the character. Support your answer with information from the novel. In the novel, The Curse the character I sympathise with is Madhuri. She led a sad life even though she was a good person. When she was a baby her father abandoned her mother and her. Madhuris mother then went mad and left Madhuri in the paddy fields unprotected. Madhuri could have died if she had not been found by Encik Saleh. She was then adopted by Encik Saleh and his wife. Later the couple had adaughter of their own Azreen. At first Madhuri and Azreen were close. However when they became older Azreen grew jealous of the more popular Madhuri. Furthermore, ASraf, the boy Azreen liked, was in love with Madhuri. I am sure Madhuri would have felt hurt that her younger sister was jealous of her as she had done nothing to cause the jealousy. Madhuri was a good singer. One day the village headman, Haji Ghani heard her singing at an event and fell for her. He took Madhuri as his second wife. Unfortunately Haji Ghanis first wife resented the younger woman. The first wife did not treat her well. I feel that Madhuri did not deserve this. Later Madhuri fell in love with Asraf. They planned to leave the village to be together. Unfortunately her father found out before they could leave. In his rage, he murdered her as he felt that she had sinned. Like everyone else, all Madhuri wanted was happiness in her life but fate denied her this happiness.

Based on the novel you have read, write about a character who you feel possesses strong determination. Support your answer with information from the novel. The person who has strong determination in The Curse by Lee Su Ann is Azreen. She is remarkable and highly-spirited character who speaks her mind and acts spontaneously against injustice. Azreen is determined to find out what happened to Madhuri and asks the people around her. She feels resentful that her father buried her murdered sister even before she could see her. The rumours also fuel her curiosity and she is torn by her love for her sister. And her thirst to know the truth of the stories flying in the village. Azreen acts instinctively. She loves the Old Lady very much and goes to see her although others resent her actions. She pays little heed to other people or their opinions about her. She slaps the girl who mimics her mothers way of walking with crutches. She fights against the Old Lady and spends hours with her despite comments from villagers. She protects Asraf by saying that she left the farm gates open and takes the blame for the nasty accident that robs her mother of her leg. She throws stones at children who disagree with her. Azreen is childish at times in her retaliatory acts but determined always to be herself. She believes in justice and fairness and stands up for the underdog and underprivileged.

Describe the character in the story who shows strong character traits. Explain how that helped or deterred him or her in his or her character development. The novel, The Curse, is about Azrren who returned home from her studies in London to mourn the loss of her sister whose death was shrouded in mystery. Back home with her parents, Azreen showed good characters traits in her approach to her parents and the Old Lady. Azreens mother was wheelchair-bound due to accidents and she also had Alzheimers disease. Soemtimes, she became confused thinking that Azreen was Madhuri and forgetting that Madhuri was not around anymore. Soemtimes, she was lucid and even told Azreen to warn Madhuri of the danger she was in. Throughout all this, Azreen was patient with her mother. Though she felt her parents favoured Madhuri more than her, she did not waver in her love for them. She was caring

even when her father gave her the silent treatment. Azreen showed that friendship was important and should be cherished and nurtured. She proved to be a good friend to Mohd Asraf although the latter did not return her feelings. He was more interested in Madhuri. Azreen helped Mohd Asraf out of sticky situation when he was accused of wrongsoing by a farmer. The Old Lady who lived in the forest brought out Azreens caring and respectful traits. Azreen befriended the Old Lady and they became good friends. She would visit the Old Lady as often as she could and entertained her with stories and able to listen to her stories. She respected the Old Lady and often listened to her advice. Azreen was hot-tempered and impatient with people who were insincere and gossipy. But, deep down she was caring, loving, respectful and patient especially towards those who cared for her.

Which character in the novel you have read changes from the better as the story progresses? Give reasons for your answer, using information from the novel. In The Curse by Lee Su Ann, Azreen returns to Langkawi for her sisters funeral and goes through a whole set of experiences that are tragic and painful. The change in her is subtle as the experiences she undergoes are highly charged with emotion. Azreen had always been attracted to Asraf and when she returns she finds that Asraf actually loved her sister Madhuri. Madhuri has been murdered and suspicion rests on many people. Azreen finds out that it was her father who killed her on discovering that she had a lover. Madhuris birth mother attempts to kill Azreens father on realizing that he had killer her daughter. But even before she can do anything, Azreens father dies of heart attack. This is an awakening for Azreen who is shocked by the turn of events. Azreen has always blamed herself for her mothers loss of her leg but finds out she was not the cause of it. She had always been an outspoken and frank person but all these experiences subdue he spirit. Julian, her friend in Englang had always been attentive to her before and only when she returns to England does she realize that there was something different about him. There is hope that she can find love and a new beginning in England. Azreen has changed for the better.

Write about how the characters supported each other. Give examples of how they supported each other. In the novel The Curse, the Old Lady is Azreens pillar of support even though she is shunned and feared by the villagers who believe that she is an evil witch. Almost always, Azreen turns to her whenever she needs to find solace or advice. Azreen finds comfort in the Old Ladys wisdom and often confides in her. She speaks more comfortably with the Old Lady than with her own parents. This is evident when Azreen finds that her worries slip away while she is with the Old Lady and she is able to laugh for the first time since her arrival from London. The Old Lady also always advises Azreen against fighting with anyone whenever she sees injustice. Furthermore, after the Old Lady told Azreen that Madhuri was murdered, she tries to help Azreen to see thigns from a different perspective and to help her understand why her sisters death had to be covered up. She explains that speculation would lead to an investigation and in the end, both the guilty and the innocent will get hurt. She also urges Azreen to be patient for the truth will be revealed sooner or later. Azreen also runs to the Old Lady after the fire incident that almost consumed Madhuris room. She refuses to go home and would rather spend the night at the Old Ladys house because she feels more comfortable there. Azreen is also very open with her emotions when talking to the Old Lady regarding her parents motorcycle accident. The Old Lady cautions Azreen not to end up like her, being wrongly accused and isolated because she refuses to tell the truth about her husbands abusive behavior.

PLOT

Using details from the novel you have studied; describe the plot of the story and explain how he or she handled the problems. With close reference to the text, do you think the plot is easy to follow? The novel, The Curse, is about Azreen who returned home from her studies in London to mourn the loss of her sister whose death was shrouded in mystery. Azreen was met at the airport by her uncle and aunt. They were not willing to tell her the circumstances surrounding Madhuris death. Azreen noticed the womenfolk talking suspiciously of what had happened. Saleh Abdullah looked visibly upset while while her mother was lost in a world of her own. She kept confusing Azreen for Madhuri and at times was lucid enough to tell Azreen to ward Madhuri of danger. Madhuris body was hurriedly laid to rest. Azreen recalled the happy times she spent as a rebellious teenager with her sister. Her meeting with Mohd asraf also made her recall their schooling days and past relationship. In the midst of it all was the stabilizing factor in Azreens life the Old Lady. The latter provided a shoulder for her to voice her thoughts and feelings of the past and the present. A shadow of fear and pall seemed to hang over the village. Some felt that the village was cursed. Darting in and out of sight was a shadowy figure of a woman who looked more ghostly than human. Bomoh Awang had his own spiritual way of dealing with the trying situation. To make matters worse, there were four more deaths. On the fifth day, Azreens mother passed away peacefully. This was followed by Mohd Asrafs grandmother who passed away peacefully too while Old Lady died when her house caught fire. Salleh Abdullah died of a heart attack. The suspense and mystery behind Madhuris death was solved. The plot attempts to run in chronological order but most of the time is interspersed with flashbacks as the characters think back to past events. The story was not easy to follow as the reader has to be aware that there are flashbacks. These flashbacks are based on events that happened too far back so they tend to confuse the reader. Elements of suspense, witchcrafts and a bit of comedy are intertwined in the plot and this tends to make the story shallow in certain parts. All in, the story has an interesting plot.

Describe an interesting event in the novel you have read. Give reasons why you find the event interesting. Support your answer with information from the novel. An interesting event in The Curse by Lee Su ann is the murder of Madhuri. A young worker in the rubber estate finds the dead body of Madhuri and this triggers off a series of actions in the island of Langkawi. Azreen, Madhuris sister who is studying in London returns and the whole village is abuzz with rumours. Azreen is torn between her love for her sister and her jealousy for the beautiful sister who was everything that she was not. People like the village gossip, Normala, are quite happy to be spreading rumours among the villagers that Azreen heted her sister even at the funeral. The murder gave rise to a lot of talk and speculation as Madhuri was the second wife of the village headman. The first wife of Ghani the headman hated her for usurping her place. In addition, Asraf who was attracted to her right from the beginning wanted her to run away from her husband. Hence the explosive undercurrents come to the forefront in the face of this event, the murder of Madhuri. The question of who could have killed her keeps the flow of the novel going and the suspense keeps the reader on edge. The sightings of a mystery woman add to the excitement too. The discovery of the real murderer and the subsequent events sustain the interest in the story well.

THEME Write about a theme that you can relate to in your daily life. Give examples of the theme that you have chosen. A theme from The curse is about the negative effects of rumours and hearsay. Gossip is basically idle talk that goes bad if one is not careful enough but malicious gossip is even more dangerous because it does the most damage. For example, in the past, the villagers constant

gossiping had caused the Old Lady to move to the jungle because they thought that she was a crazy woman who killed her husband in cold blood. They failed to understand and consider the reason behind the act and it caused the Old Lady to live alone for the rest of her life in the jungle. The villagers continued to spread wrong information about the Old Lady by saying that she will cast a spell or kill those who trespass on her property. Puan Normala warned that a curse will befall the village by claiming that the incessant rain was caused by the Old Lady coming into the village even though she came only to cure Nek, Mohd Asrafs grandmother. She gathered some of her neighbours and convinced them to drive the Old Lady out of the village. Sadly, not long after the Old Lady had cured Nek, Nek passed away and the neighbours convinced Mohd Asraf that the Old Lady was to blame. The confrontation between them and the Old Lady ended tragically with her house being burnt down and her untimely death. Throughout the novel, we are constantly reminded of how rumours can turn bad and how they can lead to destruction or a tragic conclusion. As stated by the Old Lady: Rumours can be damaging even if they are untrue, especially if they are untrue. All a person can do is to ignore them and the rumours will die off as soon as another juicier one comes along.

Descibe what hope means to the different characters. Give examples of what hope means to the characters that you have chosen. Hope is the feeling of wanting something you desire to come true. In the novel The Curse, MOhd Asraf and Madhuri are in love and they hope to be together when Asraf leaves for Kuala Lumpur for a teaching course. However, Madhuri is married to Haji Ghani. She plans to confess everything to her husband and get his permission to release her. Asraf hopes that Madhuri is right that her husband is a reasonable person who wants the best for her and she will ultimately be released from the marriage. Madhuri also plans to revela everything to her parent s about their relationship. Unfortunately, their hope of being together is dashed when Madhuris father discovers the truth before she could explain everything to him. Saleh Abdullah catches Madhuri and ASraf together in the rubber estate and he wanted to go after Asraf. Sadly, as he wields his parang, it strikes Madhuri and kills her. Due to Asrafs ailing grandmother, he forced himself to visit the Old Lady and ask her cure his grandmother. He hopes that she will come to his house, some of the villagers found out about it and they think that all the bad incidents happening around the village is due to her presence. In addition, another character, Puan Fatihah feels like she is slowly losing her husband after Madhuris death. She hopes to win his affections again by cooking a breakfast feast for him. But he did not appreciate her deed due to the many happenings in the village; instead, he left without eating what she had cooked for him.

Describe the effects of loss experienced by the characters. Give examples of the loss/losses experienced by the characters. The effect of loss experienced by the characters in The Curse is particularly conveyed through the deaths of their loved ones how Azreen loses her sister, her father, how Mohd Asraf loses Madhuri and his grandmother, and how the mysterious woman loses her daughter, Madhuri. First, Azreen loses her sister, Madhuri, when she was murdered. However, she does not feel sad, only numbness. Her parents have always compared her and Madhuri and often favour Madhuri instead of her. She also quietly blames Madhuri for the emotional damage she had to endure. Madhuris death is felt by her husband, Haji Ghani, too. His loss is coupled with the fear that his late wifes memory may be tainted with shame and he will be laughed at if people find out that Madhuri has a secret lover. This caused him to try very hard to cover up her death and to make it look like an accident. Mohd Asraf also experiences the loss of his grandmother, Nek. Due to the neighbours claims thath Nek was poisoned by the Old Lady, he is angry and decides to confront the Old Lady. His anger leads to the Old Ladys house being burned down and her death. Finally, the loss of Azreens entire family reveals the truth behind many incidents like the motorcycle accident that caused her mother to lose a leg, the truth about her sisters adoption

and death, and her fathers role in her sisters death. It unravels her buried feelings of quiet resentment against her father and sister. In the end, Azreen seems to have come to terms with her loss and it has enabled her to heal.

MORAL VALUES/LESSONS What are the lessons that you have learned from the ending? Give reasons why you think the lessons are important. In the novel The Curse, it ended with Azreen learning the truth about a lot of things surrounding her sistes death. It was a very sad for Azreen too because she had to cope with the deaths of the Old Lady and her parents. In the epilogue, Azreen went back to London to continue her studies. It is important to note that in the end, Azreen learned to forgive. The theme of forgiveness and the importance of the truth resonate throughout the ending of the novel. I learned that forgiveness is the key to finding inner peace and strength. Somehow, it helps a person to move on despite having gone through negative situations. Azreens character teaches us to be strong, bold and upright in order to withstand vicious gossips and to fight injustice like how she defended the Old Lady. The same goes for Azreen when she returned to London. If she allowed hatred, anger and other negative emotions to take over, those emotions would have consumed her and made her life worse. But because she learned to accept the truth and to forgive, she was able to smile at the end. Although the truth was difficult to handle for Azreen, especially about Madhuri and Mohd Asraf, her father being Madhuris murderer, and how Madhuri was not her real sister, Azreen managed to cope with all those unfortunate events. From the ending of the novel, I learned that sometimes, although the truth may not be what everyone wants to hear, it is always best to tell the truth because it helps people to find inner peace and to be truly happy.

From the story which has elements of suspense, Malay culture and way of life in a small village, I have learned a few lessons. Family relationships should be built on trust and understanding. Azreen was shocked and disappointed to hear that madhuri was not her real sister from Awang, the village bomoh and not from her own parents. They did not trust her enough to tell her the truth. Another lesson I learned is that we should not do things in anger. Mohd asraf confronted the Old Lady over the death of his grandmother. This resulted in the Old Lady losing her life in a fire. Rumour mongering and gossiping are two bad habits which one should not indulge in. The story does teach a few interesting and useful moral lessons.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt from the novel you have read? Give reasons to support your answer. In the novel, The Curse the lesson that I learnt is that we must be tolerant and be less judgemental towards others. All of us are different, therefore we must accept each person as they are and not judge them. Azreen for example is misunderstood by the villagers. She is fierytempered and is not afraid to speak her mind. The villagers therefore label her as rude, hateful and ungrateful. I feel this is unfair as Azreen is not like her sister, Madhuri who is sweettempered. Having a temper does not mean that the person is bad. Azreen does care for her the people she love. She only gets angry or speaks her mind when others hurt the people she cares about. I also feel the Old Lady in the novel is unfairly judged. The villagers label her as evil because she killed her husband. The Old Lady killed her husband because he abused her. Instead of sympathizing with her they instead perceived her as evil. Later she helped Asrafs grandmother to get better but later the grandmother died. Asraf and the villagers then go to her house to confront her. Un fortunately Asraf causes an accident and the Old Lady dies. Asraf later regrets what he has done but unfortunately the past cannot be changed. We should not judge

others and their actions. People have reasons for acting the way they do and unless we really know them and their situations, we should not make judgements on them.

Describe three main moral values in the story. The three main moral values found in the novel, The Curse, are to love one another to forgive each other and to be tolerant towards others. Azreens family fell apart because of the lack of love. When Azreen was young she loved her sister, Madhuri. However when they grew older she began to feel jealous of Madhuri because people started comparing them and made unkind remarks towards Azreen. If Azreen had not been jealous of Madhuri, she would have remained close to her sister. Saleh, Azreens father too should have shown more love towards Azreen instead of being so hard on her all the time. However, because of the way he acted towards Azreen, she ended up being resentful and angry with him. Azreen was jealous of Madhuri because she is loved and admired by everyone including Asraf. Due to all this anger and jealousy she was miserable. However, towards the end of the story she forgives Asraf and finally finds peace. The story also explores the need to be tolerant of others. Different people have different characteristics. Therefore we must be tolerant towards people. In the novel, Azreen is quick to react to what she sees as unfair. She must learn to be more patient with everyone around her. The people of the village too should be able to tolerate others. They label Azreen as rude and ungrateful just because she speaks her mind. Saleh as the father of the two girls too is not tolerant of his daughters. He abuses Azreen and kills Madhuri because he believes they have sinned.

Think before you act. How is this message portrayed in this novel? Support your answer by citing examples from the text. In English there is a common proverb which says that we must think before we leap. It simply means that we must think carefully and rationally before we make any decisions. In this story a few characters made the mistake of acting before thinking. For example, Mohd Asraf did not think things through before acting. He allowed himself to be influenced by Puan Normalas instigation that Nek was poisoned by the Old Lady. This results in him making the decision to follow the mob to torch the Old Ladys house. In the end, the innocent Old Ladys house is burnt to the grouind and she dies a tragic death. This goes to show that MOhd Asraf let his emotions get in the way of rational thinking. Even though he was an educated man, he failed to make a connection that Neks death had nothing to do with the Old Ladys treatment but perhaps it was time for her to depart. The other example is Encik saleh. He too fails to think rationally. When he discovers that Madhuri is having an affair, he cannot accept it. In a fit of anger he commits a crime of passion. He unthinkingly slashes Madhuri with his sharp parang, killing her. If only he had allowed himself some time to think carefully and given Madhuri the chance to explain anything, her life would have been spared. Write about the value of rational thinking as portrayed in the novel. Support your answer with close reference to the text. One of the moral values highlighted in the novel, The Curse written by Lee Su Ann, is to always be rational. It is clear that if one allows oneself to be ruled by emotions, prejudices and superstitious beliefs then one is bound to become a victim of irrational thinking. This story has successfully showcased such thinking amongst some of the village folk. One example of irrational thinking is when the villagers discovers the Old Lady of the forest killed her husband. Instead of offering her sympathy and empathy, they judged and sentence her without further investigation. In the addition, they unanimously decide to chase her away from the village and brand her an evil witch. Later in the novel, the Old Lady is accused of poisoning Nek. Puan Normala, the village gossip, leads a mob of emotional and angry people to Mohd Asrafs house. Here they persuade and convince him that the Old Lady is responsible for Neks death. Surprisingly, asa a

teacher, he fails to display rational thinking. Sadly, he riled into agreeing with the mob that they must chase the Old Lady for good otherwise misfortune, curses and disasters will befall the village. In short, MOhd Asrafs act of torching the Old Ladys house is totally irrational. Despite Azreens pleas, he fails to control his anger and emotions. As a result, the Old Ladys house is burnt to the ground and she dies a tragic death. Another related incident where rational thinking fails to be practiced is Encik Salehs crime of passion. As a aresult of his rage, he ends up killing his own daughter. This emotional act brought grief to many people the guilt and the innocent. The grief was endured not only by himself but also by Madhuris husband, Haji Ghani and the villagers.

ENDING Using details from the novel you have read state whether you like or dislike the ending of the story. Give reasons for your answer. I like the ending of the novel, The Curse because it is encouraging and full of hope. The story starts with the lead character, Azreen going home to Langkawi from London where she is studying. She has been informed that her sister, Madhuri has died from an accident. At her village she hears rumours that her sister was actually murdered. We are later introduced to Azreens parents. She and her father have a difficult relationship while her mother is suffering from Alzheimers. She, however, does not live for long. We are also introduced to Asraf. Azreen had loved him since secondary school but he does not have feelings for her. She soon finds out that Asraf and Madhuri were in love and were planning to run away. Madhuri was the second wife of the village headman. Towards the end of the story we find out that Madhuri was actually murdered by her father because he found out about her infidelity. Azreen also finds out that Madhuri was not her real sister. Madhuris real mother had gone mad after her husband left her. She abandoned her baby in the paddy fields. Madhuris real mother, who was still roaming the village, knew all along that Madhuri was murdered by her adopted father. Later she goes to Azreens house with a parang, probably to kill him. However, on seeing her, Saleh had a heart attack and dies. At the end of the story, Azreen has no family left except for her foster family. Despite all the pain and tragedy she went through she is able to put everything behind her. She then returns to London to start a new life and possibly a romance too.

Describe what happens at the end of the novel and explain why you find the ending either sad or happy. In the Curse by Lee Su Ann, numerous matters are resolved in the end. All the puzzles are sorted out and solved to some extent. It is not a happy ending bu tit leaves the reader with hope that things will be better and that maybe Azreen will find a happier life somewhere. We know that Saleh murdered Madhuri because he found out about her plans to run away with Asraf. Saleh himself dies of heart attack before Madhuris mother could do anything to him. The white blood seen on Madhuri was the latex that had stained the murder weapon. The mysterious woman who was none other than Madhuris mother. Azreen had lost her parents and Madhuri whom she thought of as sister. The man whom she had loved quietly for a long time had loved Madhuri and not her. After the tragedy, he leaves Langkawi for Kuala Lumpur to take up a teaching course there. Azreen sadly realizes that there is nothing left for her in Langkawi and leaves for England where Julian is waiting. In Julian she sees a kind and good person with whom she may have a new beginning. The ending is sad because so many tragic things have happened but the end of the novel promises a new beginning for Azreen. It leaves the reader with hope for better things.

Write about the ending of the story. Do you think the ending is suitable?

The novel, The Curse, is about Azreen who returns home from her studies in London to mourn the loss of her sister whose death is shrouded in mystery. According to rumours and those who saw Madhuris body, she was murdered. Azreen tried to get information on the death but met with a stone wall. Towards the end of the story, Madhuris real mother appeared and took revenge on saleh Abdullah for Madhuiris death. The ending is tragic but suitable. Azreens father had killed Madhuri out of rage albeit accidently. The Old Lady died when her house was hounded by Mohd Asraf and his friends and accidently set on fire. It would have been a happy ending if Madhuris real mother,the elusive figure, had forgiven Saleh Abdullah. After all, the latter and his wife had looked after Madhuri very well and Madhuri, a married woman, should not have carried out an illicit affair with Mohd asraf. Mohd Asraf, a school teacher should not have blamed the Old Lady for his granmothers demise as the Old Lady had expressed concern about his grandmothers quick recovery. The ending is suitable as all wrongdoings should be punished but the ending could have been less tragic.

OTHERS Using details from the novel you have studied, explain why you would or would not recommend it to your friend. The novel, The Curse, is about Azreen who returns home from her studies in London to mourn the loss of her sister whose death is shrouded in mystery. Nobody seemed to want to tell her the truth. The womenfolk talked suspiciously of what had happened. Saleh Abdullah looked visibly upset while her mother was confused and delirious. Madhuris body was hurriedly laid to rest. Azreen recalled the happy times she spent as a rebellious teenager with her sister and the times when she felt frustrated as her parents supposedly ill-treated her. She also recalled her schooling days and her relationship with Mohd Asraf. She visited the Old Lady, an outcast from the village, whom she had befriended and who provided a shoulder for her to voice her thoughts and feelings. Azreen also came across Awang, the village bomoh who told her a few truths about the village situation. After Madhuris death, there were four other death that happened in the story. After Saleh Abdullah died of heart attack, the suspense and mystery behind Madhuris death was solved. I would recommend the story to my friend as the story has elements of suspense, Malay culture and way of life. The story portrays the values of friendship and family relationship between husbands and wives. It also teaches the importance of right and wrong behaviours and the norms of village life. The saying that truth will be out is well portrayed in the story. My friend would enjoy the story for these reasons.