Ah Khaw goes to heaven A.

Samad Ismail

Presented by: Fatinah Atikah Roslan Amirah Izzati Nor Azam Nurhaniah Abdullah Mahirah Othman

Theme
Self-righteous in religion provokes narrow thought In A. Samad Ismails Ah Khaw Goes to Heaven, a figure like the narrators Mother, whose understanding of Islam is so narrow that her one pre-occupation is to convert non-believers, Ah Khaw, into the religion, as if conversion means only dressing up the person (who has the potential to convert) in Malay clothes.

 The narrator's mother cries at not being able to hold a funeral ceremony for him but is nonetheless optimistic about Ah Khaw's chances of reaching heaven. She says, I have no regrets. Althought our wishes were not fulfilled, God may still allow him to enter heaven. After all, he died on Holy Friday The Eve Of.

Obligation towards one another regardless of race Ah Khaw goes to heaven highlight the themes of a typical society that shares a common concern with those who are different of their religion and culture as well. In this instance of the narrators Mother, however, there is, in her (and in people like her), a simple and basic good-heartedness, for she is trying by his conversion to save Ah Khaw , a Chinese, from the Japanese army.

 Hassan was genuine in helping Ah Khaw even to the extend of risking his life to hide Ah Khaw. Although his mother and Pak Salleh were trying to convert Ah Khaw but Hassan was never for it. Instead he respected Ah Khaw wishes of remaining as a buddhist. Hassan allow Ah Khaw to have his choice and respected his belief but at the same time genuinely help him by providing him shelter and protection.

CHARACTER

AH KHAW
A Chinese man in his 50s to 60s He was about fifty I reckon, or perhaps sixty Strong Ah Khaw was a rickshaw-puller. He was thin, deeply wrinkled. But he was strong. Just think, he could pull his rickshaw from kampung kapur to our house in beduk without resting or stopping for a drink of cold water on the way!

 Hardworking Actually Mother was very fond of Ah Khaw. He was hardworking and helped her in many ways, like cutting firewood, buying spices from the shop, sweeping the house and gardening; in short, he had light bones. A drug-addict I had always known that Elder Brother had bought some opium for Ah Khaw Respectful Ah Khaw only listen, not a single word did he say but his eyes kept flickering between mothers face and his torn singlet.

 Able to adapt well with the Malay culture It gives me great comfort that you are now familiar with Malay customs, wearing the baju kurung, eating with your hand and wanting to go to the mosque. Retain his identity as a chinese He is still fixed with his chinese accent and wears singlet like most chinese men does

MOTHER
Persistent Indeed it was obvious that Mother would dearly love to convert Ah Khaw into a Malay. Mother had still not given up hopes of carrying out her plans for him They talked about it everyday, thinking out ways of carrying out their plans to make a Muslim out of Ah Khaw Persuasive Its like this, Khaw. As I have said before, you are getting old. I dont want you to move from here. I want you to stay with us forever. Pak Salleh and I have thought about you for a long time. We think it would be better if you become Muslim. It is not difficult. You only have to learn a few words of Arabic,

 Caring Mother busied herself more than ever cooking rice gruel for Ah Khaw and even bought some tasty sauce for the old man. Generous She went especially to Geylang to buy some Fuji silk and sewed until midnight to make him a suit of Malay clothes Grew attached to Ah Khaw Both Mother and Pak Salleh were deeply distressed by Ah Khaws death. She wept when his body was lowered into his coffin

ELDER BROTHER (HASSAN)

Protective Half an hour later, we heard shots and explosions. My brother hurriedly went under the house to look for Ah Khaw. Considerate Perhaps, in his mind, he realised he had been wrong. For he had said, Give up Mother, why waste your breath persuading Ah Khaw to wear Malay dress. He is a Chinese rickshaw-puller, remember? Responsible Elder Brother made all the arrangements for all the funeral and called the Chinese people in our kampung together for his burial in the Chinese cemetery nearby.

Pak Salleh
A respectable man of the village Ah Khaw pay respects to Pak Salleh as he is the Koran teacher Reasonable Pak Salleh was of the opinion that such matter were best discussed with Elder Brother first. Concerned of converting Ah Khaw to a Muslim Together with Mother, they tried to convince Ah Khaw to agree to convert to Muslim Loves Ah Khaw He is distressed by Ah Khaws death

The Narrator
Observant He knows what is happening around him and how the people around him reacted to it. Concerned with Ah Khaws health The pipe, Ah Khaw? Your bamboo pipe? Yes I know. And the tobacco also, I said quickly. I could not bear to see hhim looking so depressed.

Cultural Criticism
Issue The distinction between religion and race In this story, the word Islam and Malay is used interchangeably. It is not merely the slip of the tongue, rather, it shows how the Malay at that time regard Islam and Malay as one similar trait. Being a Muslim does not require a person to let go of his identity or his root. It is about the faith that one holds on to.

Cultural Criticism
Issue: Religious tolerance A.Samad Ismails Ah Khaw goes to heaven was a satire on the issue of ones willingness to accept and permit religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own. For individuals, religious tolerance generally means acceptance of other people's religions. It does not mean believing that other religions are equally true, but that others have the right to hold and practise their beliefs. Religious tolerance makes sense. If you force another to believe and practice what you believe, then it isn't truly accepted in their hearts.

 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.