Sing to The Dawn - Theme Chart

List of Characters List of Themes

1. Dawan 1. Family love
2. Kwai 2. Poverty
3.Dawan’s father 3. Gender discrimination
4. Dawan’s mother 4. Responsibility
5. Grandmother 5. Sibling rivalry
6. Cousin Noi anad Ghan 6. Being fair and just
7. Bao 7. Standing up for what is right
8. The teacher
9. The head monk List of Moral Values
10. Vichai 1. Do not be jealous of our siblings' success
11. The landlord 2. Love our family members
12. The villagers 3. Be responsible
13. The village students 4. Be helpful
14. The headmaster of the village school 5. Be fair and just
15. Mr Phaspras 6. Be rational
7. Be hardworking and courageous

Ch Plot Characters Theme

1 1. Dawan and Kwai sat on the rickety old bridge above the river.
2. Dawan asked Kwai what would he do if he got the scholarship
3. Dawan felt that she would not get the scholarship because she is a
girl, instead Kwai might get the scholarship.
4. Dawan is fourteen but she is in the same class as Kwai, who is
thirteen. Their parents believed that it is foolish and wasteful to send
girls to school. But they allowed Dawan to go to school with Kwai after
he insisted that she joined him.
5. Talked about how unfair it is that the sacks of rice stacked up beneath
the house is for the landlord.

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2 1. Teacher asked students what they saw beneath their house in the
morning
2. Had a long discussion with the students about the landlord taking
away sacks of rice beneath their houses
3. The villagers become poorer and poorer because the landlord takes
away sacks of their rice as rent. Many of the villagers do not have
enough rice for themselves.
4. A student spotted the headmaster heading to their class and the
student shouted "he's coming."
5. Teacher and student immediately pretended that they are having
Geography lessons until the headmaster went away.
6. Teacher and student discussed what they should do if they won the
scholarship
7. Teacher announced that Dawan won the scholarship

3 1. Classmates surrounded Dawan as soon as they heard that she won the
scholarship. The classmates are happy for her.
2. Kwai was unhappy and sad that Dawan won the scholarship instead
of him.
3. Dawan told her family that she got the scholarship and that made her
parents angry. Her father was especially angry and accused her that she
took her own brother's chance away from him.
4. Only Dawan's grandmother praised and supported her. Dawan's
grandmother wants to go to Noi's house with Dawan to find out what it
is like for a girl to study in the city to convince Dawan's father to let her
study in the city.
5. Dawan and her grandmother start walking to Noi's house but Dawan's
mother offers to go instead because her grandmother is old and 3
kilometres to Noi's house is very far for an old lady.
6. Dawan's mother walks with her to Noi's house while her grandmother
looks after her baby.

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4 1. Noi said that going to the city was useless
2. Noi and her husband, Ghan, dislike the city and do not support
Dawan's wish to study in the city.
3. Mr. Phaspras is the army officer who drafts young men for the army.
He comes to collect money from Ghan for not drafting him. Ghan
cannot pay him, so Mr Phaspras allows him to pay the following year
but with 40 per cent interest.
4. Dawan's mother tells Noi and Ghan that Dawan is going to the city to
study with a government scholarship and asks them about the city.
5. Noi and Ghan talk about only the ugly and cruel things in the city.
6. They describe the unfair treatment of the poor people.
7. They ask Dawan to remain in the village.
8. Dawan's mother realises that Noi will not help her. Noi tells Dawan
that she will not help convince her father to let her study in the city
because it will do more harm than good.
9. But Dawan is determined to see the city for herself.

5 1. Kwai is angry that Dawan took her mother with her to ask Noi to
persuade their father to let her go to the city.
2. Kwai realised that Noi and Ghan do not support Dawan in going to
the city.
3. Kwai tells Dawan that he came in second in the examination and he
tells Dawan that if she does not go to the city, Kwai gets to go instead of
her
4. Dawan explains that this is her only opportunity to continue studying.
Kwai boasts that he can make life in the village better because he has
leadership qualities. Dawan argues that she too can do whatever he can.
6 1. Dawan's father does not want Dawan to go to the city
2. Dawan's father says that Dawan does not need to further her studies
because she would just be a wife and mother
3. Kwai asked his father if he had won the scholarship, would he allow

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 him to go to the city. Dawan's father feels it will be useful for Kwai to
further his study because he is a boy.
4. Dawan feels sad and goes down to the river and thinks that it is better
if Kwai goes to the city. He could make life better for everybody.
5. Later, Dawan rationalises and decides to fight for her rights with the
help of the head monk.
7 1. Next morning, Dawan goes to the marketplace alone and meets a girl
that sells lotus bud. The girl is Bao. Bao gives Dawan a lotus bud for
free.
2. According to their belief, if you want to make more merit, you should
release a caged sparrow, so Bao advises Dawan to free a caged sparrow.
But Dawan declines because she does not have enough money.
3. Bao complains to Dawan that her brother, Vichai, is selfish and fights
for what he wants. Vichai is Dawan's classmate.
4. Dawan then tells Bao that her brother, Kwai, is second in the
examination. She worries that he may tell her father about it and her
father may forbid her to go to the city.
5. Bao advises Dawan not to give up her chance without fighting for her
rights.

8 1. Dawan went to see the old monk and asks him to persuade her father
to let her go to the city school as it is her right.
2. She tells him that she wants to study everything there and help people
but her brother wants to go there too.
3. The head monk advises Dawan to learn everything she wants in the
temple. He also adds that everything in this world, including her help,
will not last.
4. The monk tells her not to waste time dreaming of useless ambition
because she cannot achieve anything as she is only a schoolgirl.
5. Dawan realises that the monk does not want to help her to persuade
her father as she is a girl.

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 6. Dawan runs away crying.

9 1. Dawan is very tired and upset after seeing the old monk. Bao takes
her to her stall.
2. Bao allows Dawan to free a bird for free as a symbol not to give up
and achieve her dream.
3. Dawan opens the cage to free a sparrow. At first, the timid sparrow
hesitates but then it flies away. Dawan realises that she has to be brave
like the bird to be free.
4. Bao's brother, Vichai, comes to the market stall and hits Bao because
Bao did not collect money from some of the customers.
5. Kwai runs and stops him. Vichai walks away.
6. Bao chides Kwai for being a bully and for trying to grab Dawan's
chance of going to the city school. Kwai gets angry and wants to strike
Bao but Dawan stops him.
7. Kwai pushed Dawan away when she tried to stop Kwai, unfortunately
she landed on top of a pile of broken bird cages, injuring herself.
8. Dawan screams at Kwai for bullying her and trying to snatch her only
chance to study.
9. At that moment, Cousin Noi helped Dawan with her wound. Noi
advises Dawan that is is useless to stand in men's way or to fight with
them.
10. It begins to rain and Dawan limps home with Bao's umbrella.
10 1. Dawan and Kwai were at the river
2. Kwai was thinking about Dawan's words, about him being a bully
3. Dawan passed Kwai her umbrella caringly as it was raining and limps
back home.
4. Kwai reflects how badly he had hurt his sister but she was still
concerned about him to give her umbrella and hobble him in the rain.
5. The umbrella helps him decide what he has to do and he runs after his
sister.

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11 1. Kwai tells Dawan that he has made the important decision and she
knows that he will not take away her chance to study at the city school
2. Kwai's father heard from his teacher that he got second in the test and
was angry at Kwai for not telling him so
3. Kwai persuades his father to let Dawan go. He explains that he will
not go because it is not his right.
4. Dawan's father says Dawan cannot go as she is only a girl and she
cannot do anything with more education.
5. Dawan wants her father to be fair to her and not to misuse his power
to forbid her. She persuades him to giver her a chance to learn new
things and believe that she can help the people in their village.
Eventually, Dawan's father relents and let her go. She is happy that she
can study in the city but Kwai is unhappy.

12 1. Kwai is unhappy that he has no chance to go and his dreams are

crushed. He still points out that more education for Dawan is wasted
because she will just end up being a housewife.
2. Dawan wants her brother to understand that she is scared to go to the
city and not to make things difficult for her.
3. Dawan wants Kwai to feel happy happy that she has a chance to
fulfill their dreams. She promises to make things better for everyone.
4. Kwai will miss Dawan once she goes to the city school, no one will
be there to watch the sunrise with him

13 1. At first Dawan was unsure if she wanted to leave as she will miss
everything in her village
2. After her grandmother talked to Dawan, she decided to go. Her
grandmother tells her to face the world and accept the changes bravely.
3. Her grandmother gives Dawan a lotus bud and says that she will
unfold or change like the lotus bud when it unfolds or shrinks.

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 4. When she was boarding the bus to go to the city, Kwai was nowhere
to be seen
5. Although many people in the village sent her off, she was not happy
as Kwai was not there
6. During the bus journey, she saw Kwai on the bridge that they usually
went to, he was waving at her. Bidding goodbye.
7. Dawan looks at her lotus bud and notices that a few petals have
unfolded in the sunshine.

Questions
Chapter 1
1. What do the parents feel for a girl to receive education?

2. Why did Dawan feel that she would not get the scholarship?

3. Why is Dawan in the same class as Kwai?

Chapter 2
1. Why are the villagers becoming poorer?

2. Why did the landlords take the sacks of rice?

Chapter 3
1. What are the classmates reaction after hearing Dawan winning the scholarship?

2. Why was Kwai unhappy?

3. What were Dawan's parent reaction hearing Dawan's success?

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4. What was her grandmother's reaction?

5. Why did the grandmother wanted to go meet cousin Noi?

6. Why did the grandmother stop halfway?

Chapter 4
1. Who is Mr Phaspras and what does he want?

2. How did cousin Noi and Ghan describe the city?

3. What did cousin Noi tell to Dawan?

Chapter 5
1. Why is Kwai angry?

2. What does Kwai tell to Dawan?

3. What does Dawan explain to Kwai?

Chapter 6
1. Why Dawan’s father did not want Dawan to further her studies?

2. Why Dawan’s father felt it would be more useful for Kwai to further his study in the city?

3. What makes Dawan to rationalize her decision?

4. Who does Dawan seek for help to persuade her father?

Chapter 7
1. Who is Bao?

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 2. Why did Bao persuade Dawan to release the caged sparrow?

3. What does Bao think about Vichai?

4. What is Dawan worried about?

5. What does Bao advise Dawan?

Chapter 8
1. Why does Dawan meet the old monk?

2. What does the old monk advise Dawan?

3. Why does the old monk feel Dawan cannot achieve anything?

Chapter 9
1. Why does Bao allow Dawan to free the bird?

2. What does Dawan realize when she frees the bird?

3. Why did Vichai beat Bao?

4. Why does Bao dislike Kwai?

5. Who stops Kwai from hitting Bao?

6. What happens to Dawan after stopping Kwai?

7. What does Dawan scream to Kwai?

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 8. Who helps Dawan when she is hurt?

Chapter 10
1. What did Dawan pass to Kwai during the rain?

2. What does Kwai feel after that?

3. What helps Kwai to decide that Dawan deserves the scholarship?

Chapter 11
1. What did Dawan’s father heard about Kwai?

2. What did Kwai tell his father?

3. What did Dawan tell her father?

Chapter 12
1. Why is Kwai unhappy?

2. What does Kwai point out to Dawan?

3. Why does Dawan want Kwai to feel happy for her?

Chapter 13
1. What advice did grandmother give to Dawan? 5. What Dawan notice during the journey?

2. What did grandmother give to Dawan?

3. Why was Dawan unhappy when she boarded the bus?

4. Where did Dawan see Kwai?

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