SYNOPSIS "The Curse" by Lee Su Ann

THE CURSE

SYNOPSIS "The Curse" by Lee Su Ann

“The Curse” is about a girl, named Azreen, her parents and sister, Madhuri. Azreen, a strong-headed girl is studying in London but has to take a leave from her study when she receives the news about her sister’s death. She is curious about the cause of her sister’s sudden death. When she reaches home, her sister’s body has been brought to the cemetery. She overhears a village gossiper, Puan Normala talks about her sister’s death. Normala claims that her sister has been murdered and has shed white blood.

On her return, Azreen discovers a few truths about her family and people around her. First she finds out that her sister has been in love with Asraf, and has planned to marry and divorced her husband, Hj Ghani. Second, Awang, the Shaman has actually caused the accident which his parents are involved in and causes her mother to become paralysed. Third, she learns that Madhuri is actually her adopted sister and the crazy woman is Madhuri’s biological mother. Fourth and finally, she discovers that Madhuri has accidentally been killed by her father.

There is one old woman whom Azreen has turned to for emotional support. The old woman lives alone in an abandoned house in the jungle. Azreen learns a lot about life from this wise old woman. The old woman however dies in a fire started by Asraf who has blamed her for his grandmother’s death.

At the end, Azreen returns to London to finish her study. She has learned a valuable lesson from her short break at her little village in Langkawi Island. She has learned to forgive others and to look ahead.





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THE THEMES OF THE CURSE

Love

1.1 Parental love
      > Salleh Abdullah and his wife love Madhuri dearly like their own biological daughter .
     
      > Azreen's inner conflict because she feels her father loves Madhuri more .

1.2 Forbidden Love
      > Mohd Asraf and Madhuri secretly love each other eventually led to Madhuri's death .

1.3 Unrequited Love
      > Azreen had a crush on Mohd Asraf during school days

Forgiveness
> Before the Old Lady dies , she advises Azreen to forgive others . When Azreen discovers that it was her      father who murdered Madhuri , she was suprised and run but she felt no anger towards him because he was passed away caused by heart attack

Belief in The Supernatural
> The villagers seem to believe in supernatural . For example , villagers call upon Awang , the villager shaman to avert disasters . Another example , Puan Normala tries to convince the villagers that the village is cursed because Madhuri's blood is white .

Violence Against Women
> The story potrays some men believe women to be the weaker sex and they are violent towards them . For example , the Old Lady's husband was abusive towards her and repetitively abused her . He hit and kicked the Old Lady .

Gossip And Rumors
> Puan Normala is the gossip of the village . Gossiping is a way of life for her . She is "that rotten durian neighbour" says Datin Sharifah . Puan Normala is responsible for spreading the rumors about Madhuri drawing white blood . It was also Puan Normala's gossip that resulted in the tragic death of the Old Lady of the forest .  

THE SYNOPSIS (2)

In 'The Curse' novel by Lee Su Ann , Azreen takes time off from her studies in London ,United Kingdom to return to her village in one of the legendary island of Langkawi . She return to mourn the lost of her older sister , Madhuri . However , she finds out via rumors and loud whisper that Madhuri was murdered . At her village , Azreen had to face with her cold-hearted father and at the same time an Alzheimer stricken mother . 

Azreen is subjected to negative comments and suspicion from her neighbours . She find consolation in the company of the Old Lady , an out cast of the village . Although the grand Old Lady is educated , the villagers shunned her because she murdered her abusive husband . 

Azreen has to solve the mystery that shrouds her sister's sudden death under suspicious tragedy . Her old schoolmate , Mohd Asraf refuses to reveal what he knows . A mysterious figure keeps on watching Azreen and strange things happen . Madhuri's room is destroyed in a fire . A carcass of a chicken with a broken neck was thrown in front of her house . Many villagers fall sick for no apparent reason . The Old Lady was killed in a fire accidentally caused by an angry Mohd Asraf . Bit by bit , the mysterious death of Madhuri is revelled by Azreen .

 

LITERATURE FORM 4 - DRAMA

GULP AND GASP 

by John Townsend

SYNOPSIS

This is a melodrama about a villain, Lord Septic is a greedy man who is very interested in power, money and fame. He is even capable of committing murder to get what he wants. He owns the railways and is after the Gatsby gold. Crouch as the manservant of Lord Septic is a bully who likes to bully other people when Lord Septic is not around. He bullies Rose, a blind flower girl who arrives at the railway to sell flowers to get money to treat her sick mother. She is rescued by the hero, Percy who turns to be Sir Percy in the end of the drama. They fall in love. Later, Percy learns he is the rightful heir to the Gatsby gold and is known as Sir Percy. Lord Septic loses everything. I think this drama is very interesting as the writer plays the words intelligently. However, students need to read and understand in order to laugh.

THEMES

• Pride goes before fall
• Greed is  destructive
• Innocence and beauty

MORAL VALUES

• Greed will lead to a downfall.
• We should live a humble and honest life.
• Do not bully other people when you have the power.
• Be considerate.

SETTING

• An empty train station
• A cold foggy night

PLOT

• EXPOSITION – Lord Septic, the villain, and his manservant Crouch, a groveling bully, are waiting for the midnight express at the train station. Lord Septic owns all the train stations and he wants wealth and power. He loves to brag about his wealth and success. Crouch is the manservant who sometimes fail to understand what the master tells him.
• RISING ACTION/CONFLICT – Rose, a blind flower girl comes to the station. She wants to sell flowers to help cure her mother. Crouch bullies her, as ordered by Lord Septic,  and Percy, the dashing hero comes in to help her. He tells her about himself.
• CLIMAX – Lord Septic hits Percy and ties Rose to the train track. Percy runs off to try and stop the train coming down the track.
• FALLING ACTION – Percy is able to stop the train using his long jack and Rose is saved. Later, he learns that  he is Sir Percy Gatsby and is the right heir to the Gatsby Gold.
• RESOLUTION – Percy is able to tie Lord Septic and Crouch. They are  waiting to be picked up by the police. Percy, the hero, proposes Rose and she agrees to marry him.

CHARACTERS

• Lord Septic, the villain
• Crouch the bully
• Rose the damsel in distress
• Percy the hero

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

• Simple and clear language
• Dialogue – repetition of words
• Alliteration

WELCOME YA RAMADHAN...

 

Welcoming Ramadan

This blessed month is a great opportunity for goodness, blessing, worship, and obedience of Allah (SWT).  It is a great month, a noble season, a month in which rewards for good deeds are multiplied and in which committing bad deeds is more serious than at other times. The gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the sinners’ repentance to Allah is accepted. It is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is redemption from the Fire.

So give thanks to Him for the season of goodness and blessing that He has bestowed upon you, and for the means of bounty and various kinds of great blessings for which He has singled you out. Make the most of this blessed time by filling it with acts of worship and leaving haram (unlawful) things so that you may attain a good life in this world and happiness after death.   

For the sincere believer, every month is an occasion for worship, and his whole life is spent in obeying Allah. But in the month of Ramadan he has even more motives to do good, his heart is even more focused on worship, and he turns even more to his Lord. By His grace, our generous Lord bestows His bounty upon the fasting believers and multiplies the reward for them on this blessed occasion, so He gives abundantly and rewards generously for righteous deeds.  

We should note that the month of Ramadan is the best of months. This month is superior to others in four things:

  1. In it there is the best night of the year, which is Lailatul Al-Qadr. Worship on this night is better than worshiping for a thousand months. 

2. In this month was revealed the best of Books to the best of the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them all). 

 3. In this month the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up. 

4. There are many kinds of worship in Ramadan, such as fasting, praying Qiyam Al-Layl (Night Vigil Prayer), feeding the poor, performing i`tikaf (religious retreat), giving charity, and reading the Qur’an.

I ask Allah, the Exalted, and the Almighty, to help us all to do that and to help us to fast and pray Qiyam Al-layl, and to do acts of worship and to avoid doing evil. Praise be to Allah.