ALIA NADIRAH BINTI DZULKIFLI FATIN ALIA BINTI RUSLAN ANIS IZYANI BINTI ALI AIMI SYAFIQAH BINTI

SERBA JALIL

i. From the Gender theory perspective, analyse the roles of both the man and the woman depicted in the extract above.

From the extract above, based on Gender theory perspective, the role of the man and the woman has unexpected reversal of role. Where woman become the breadwinner of the family. Otima becomes the head of the family as Basu suffered from asthma. Basu cannot worked hard afraid his asthma might afflicted him again. Thus, Otima took Basus role by feeding, prepare medicine and took care of all his needs.

ii. Using the cultural theory, analyse the

extract again.

Mr. Basu has been suffering for a number of years with multitude of physical and emotional problems that often plague the elderly such as asthma, depression and failing eyesight. His wife, Otima is the loving and understanding wife but totally exhausted caregiver. Basu ridicules and snaps at his wife because of his losing battle against time, illness and death. Otima nurses him and humors him because she has loved him for so long.

As the story proceeds, Otima reads aloud from the newspaper that there will be a planned power shortage at night. Basu responds with an asthmatic attack, fearing the hot night to come with no electric fan to move the air. Otima decides they will sleep outside, up on the terrace. This shows that in cultural theory, wife always beside her husband in no matter what such as Otima willingly to accompany Basu sleep outside on the terrace because Basu feel hot.

Then, Basu is no more comfortable on the roof and the night is spent in agony. At one point, he remembers bringing his grandson up to see the collecters pigeons. This shows that in cultural theory the old man always spent sometimes reminiscing about his past and old memories.

i. Comment on the relationship between Basu and Otima. Provide evidence from the text.

As a husband and wife, Otima shows her endless love to Basu as she was there to take care of him because Basu was sick and he is incapable of doing anything. She tired of dragging around the pillow and piling up the bolsters, helping him into sitting position and then lowering him.

ii. Describe the reason for the sudden change of mood and tone in Basu when he says: Leave me alone , he said again in that still voice. It is cool now.

The sudden change of mood and tone is because he comes to the state of accepting his death. He insisted to stay at Darya Ganj rooftop when Otima advice him to have more comfortable sleep on his bed. The old man lay flat and still gazing up, his mouth hanging open as if to let it pour into him, as cold and fresh as water.

iii. Explain why the title Pigeons at Daybreak is significant to this extract. Provide textual evidence.

The title Pigeons at the daybreak is significant to this extract as the pigeons as the symbols and the reference to daybreak is to that at the end of the story. This motif conveys a feeling of comfort and relief as well as evoking a sense of serenity and tranquility, both of which are immediately and starkly contrasted by the Basus irascibility at the beginning of the story.