Sample answers : Literature Component

. The following are the short stories studied in the literature component in English Language form 4.

Leaving (Changing The Skies) – MG Vassanji

Tanjong Rhu (Leaving No Footprint) - Minfong Ho

Choose any one of the stories above and answer the question below.

Based on one of the stories learnt in form 4, explain the conflicts between the young and old
generation.
(write your answers in the papers provided )

Based on the story I have read , leaving, written by MG Vassanji , there are several conflicts
due to the generation gap between young and old .

In this story, Aloo’s mum and and her son have two different ideas about education even
both agree it is important.
Firstly, the mum thinks that local education in Agriculture is enough for her son but he
disagrees.The conflict begins when Aloo wants a better education in California Institute of
Technology.Based on the story, he gets straight A’s in the school exams .Inspired by the formal
teacher who just came back from America, Aloo starts to realise that local education is worse than
the one offered in America.If finance is the reason for the trouble,he is willing the do part time jobs
to finance his studies. He even gets a scholarship.The mum is unhappy with his decision. Moreover,
the cost to study there is high and she even spent around 3000 shillings for the aeroplane ticket. Not
only that , the exposure of western culture causes worries in mum. Hence, I believe, the different
ideas of education and exposure, leads the conflict to continue.

Besides , the conflict also arise when mum always thinks that her son will never come
back .Based on the story, Aloo argues over this matter.He tries to convince his mum that he will
definitely return to homeland after graduation. His mum has no confidence at all towards the
promise. A European woman, will be one of the reasons that someday Aloo will possibly never be
back home. Thinking that she is a widow, and slowly abandoned by some married children
previously, she puts all hope to the only remaining son that she has. It is a hard decision to let him
studying abroad. She never remarry thinking that the children will be neglected by the new marriage.
For the good future, she dares to raise them up alone. The desire not to let him go finally
abandoned.She instead, gives up after thinking that the future of Aloo is everything. Therefore, I am
pretty sure, the fear of not coming back, is another conflict between the two.
 Finally , i believe that the conflicts between the two generations is related
to the different objectives. The mum hopes that all her children raised up under her sole effort and
let them be by her side. The children however want to build better lives by studying and working
hard, like AlooWhen Aloo requests for studying abroad, she was doubt to accept it. Aloo has different
aim to build a better future in California. The heart rending story continues when Aloo writes a letter
from London. He said that he is happy with the better facilities here. The letter expresses the full
excitement, that Aloo gets a better education , facilities etc. The mum, whose objective is to ensure
the kids will live with her finally agrees that it will not happen. The letter with the good news from
London signifies everything that Aloo will not come back. Therefore, I believe the conflict is also due
to the different target and objective between the two generations.
Based on the story that I have read , Of Tanjung Rhu written by a notable writer Minfong Ho there
are several conflicts between the young and old generation

I will start to explain chronologically about the conflict arise in the family of Mr T.W Li . The first
issue arises when binocular becaomes the subject matter of argument. Remember, binocular is a sort
of technology. When it comes to technology, a conflict may happen when his mum refuses to use it
after strongly recommended by her child/son. The son feels dissapointed when his appreciation
rejected just like that. Previously there was a suggestion by the son for her mum to the cataract
surgery to enable her to to have a good vision. The son feels unhappy when he finally he found that
his mum did not care what he wanted to prepare for her. Therefore I can conclude that the issue on
technology may cause a conflict between the old and young generation.

The conflict of different generation also arises when there was an argument at the altar.When the
old tradition and practice done by the young generation, the conflict may happen. It is between
Ying (Mr LI’s daughter) and the grandmother. The grandmother is cleaning the altar and putting new
flowers on it. Ying always helps her fill the wine cups or burn the gold paper in front of the altar. Ying
then argues with the grandmother over some joss sticks. When Ying tries to manage something
about the prayers , the grandmother says that she does not do it right. The number of time she has
to bow for the prayers is part of the matter argued. Ying says it is easy to do it but the grandmother
says it is wrong. Ying claims that her granny is too sluggish in the process of completing the prayers.
Finally Mr Li comes to resolve the matter.

The next conflict happens because of how the two generation see something. The son expects a
compliment from the mum to praise him on the good binocular after using it to see Tanjung Rhu
from his office. The mum however comments on the previous memory she experienced with her
beloved son. The father’s shipyard .She recalls the past memory when Li used to climb inside the
empty fishing boat that his father built before. Not only that, the old woman even recalled the
memory living in the old hut through the looking of Tanjung Rhu. The resentment finally causes the
flame in Mr Li. He finally found different idea and it is opposite what he expected at the first place.

Baesd on the story, I believe that the conflict between young and old generation is a neverending
isuue. In this story the conlicts are about technology, how they manage the traditional practice and
how do they see something.
Sample answers : Literature Component

. The following are the short stories studied in the literature component in English Language form 4.

Leaving (Changing The Skies) - MG Vassanji

Tanjong Rhu (Leaving No Footprint) - Minfong Ho

Choose any one of the stories above and answer the question below.

Based on one of the stories learnt in form 4, do you like it? Explain your feeling with the evidence
from the story as the reasons.

I would choose Leaving to tell the readers of my article that I love this story very much. Personally I
also want to study abroad. I love to read the sacrifice of the mum , raising up five children alone and
forget the dream to remarry for the sake of her children’s future. It is because the mum is worried
that the children will be asked to go to the boarding and finally neglected. The husband passed away
when she was young with five kids. She is able to be independent and runs a store in Uhuru Street to
education. She moves her family to a quieter town for the better environment to study and
concentrate on their studies. She hopes that education may change their future.

I also love to read about the determination of Aloo , the son who has a good ambition and excellent
in his studies. He got straight A’s in the exams and does well in his studies. The dream to improve his
family’s life drives him to grab an opportunity studying in California Institute of Technology in
Medicine. He even writes to the university to get a place there. He is finally offered a scholarship to
study there. I love to read the conflict between Aloo and his mum over the necessity to study
abroad. Aloo is the only remaining son his mother has and she is not ready to let him go. Aloo is
determined to study with better facility and promise to come back after graduation. His mum starts
to think that wine and European women will stop Aloo to come back and finally forgets Tanzania,.I
believe this story is interesting when there is an argument over the issue.

I also like to read about the teacher’s role to remind mum about Aloo’s future. It is because , the
conflict and argument over this issue resolved by the teacher named Mr Datoo. Coming back from
America, he has seen clearly that the country has a better and advanced education compared to his
home country. He was a former teacher in Aloo’s school and visited schools in America. It was his
visit that inspired Aloo to think about his future to study overseas in America. Another person who
inspires the good future for Aloo is Mr Velji. He knows that Aloo will get a good education but his
mum might lose him. He has understanding look when he reads the contents of Aloo’s letter from
London.

My tears rolled down on my cheeks when I read the final ending of the story which makes me feel
loved to this short story. When the mum finds gets a letter from London written by Aloo, telling
about how excited he is to be in London, it creates doubt in mum’s mind. He feels doubt that Aloo
will someday come back home. She does believe that he will be back. That is another reason why do
I feel that this story is interesting. I personally hope that Aloo will come back and transform his
homeland to be better.That is why like this story very much.