Contents. Acknowledgements. vii. Timeline of Historical Events and Literary Publications. xiii. General Introduction. xxi

Transcription

1 Contents Acknowledgements Timeline of Historical Events and Literary Publications General Introduction vii xiii xxi Section 1: Literature in English Before Section 2: Section 3: 1990 present 353 References 673 v

2 SECTION 1 Literature in English Before 1965 Philip Holden 1

3 Philip Holden 3 Contents Introduction: Literature in English in Singapore before From Sejarah Melayu Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir...18 From Hikayat Abdullah 3. Isabella Bird...23 From The Golden Chersonese 4. Short Stories and Poems from The Straits Chinese Magazine...31 Chia Cheng Sit, Her One Redeeming Feature Lew See Fah, Lost and Found Wen Ching, The Persecution of the Reformers Straits Chinese Volunteer, The Bellicose Mongolians Gak-Chok-Sin, Autumn in Japan Gak-Stok-Sin, Nature s Secret 5. Joseph Conrad...44 From The End of the Tether 6. Hugh Clifford...62 Our Trusty and Well-Beloved 7. Lim Boon Keng...71 From Tragedies of Eastern Life 8. Poetry and Short Stories from The Straits Chinese Annual...81 Ella Gulliemard, The Palm Grove Yap Pheng Geck, The Coolie H.G.F., Traveller s Rest 9. Francis Ng...95 From F.M.S.R. 10. S. Rajaratnam...99 The Tiger 11. James Puthucheary Song of the Workers 3

4 4 Writing Singapore 12. Wang Gungwu Plus One Three Faces of Night A New Sensation 13. Hedwig Aroozoo Rhyme In Time 14. Lim Thean Soo The Towkay The Streets of Singapore The Chempaka Blooms Again Lallang 15. Han Suyin From And the Rain My Drink 16. Kassim Ahmad A Common Story 17. Janet Lim From Sold for Silver 18. Eee Tiang Hong Bukit Batok, Singapore Song of a Young Malayan O To Be In England 19. Lee Kok Liang It s All in a Dream

5 SECTION Introduction 167

6 Introduction 169 Contents Introduction Margaret Leong The Lighthouse at Tanah Merah Pasir Ris Sunset The Air Above the Tamarinds Chinese Funeral 2. Cecile Parrish Ships at Singapore Low Tide, Johore The Scarlet Land 3. Wong May Only the moon The Shroud Study of a Millionairess: Still Life Summer Guide The Judge Marriage An Address Coming In 4. Robert Yeo Malacca Grandmother Out of Changi 5. Goh Poh Seng Singapore Thinking of the Poet Tu Fu Exile in a Cold Land From Earth From If We Dream Too Long Chapters 4, 5, 16 and

7 170 Writing ContentsSingapore 6. Arthur Yap only lines it rains today old house at ang siang hill banyan tree there is no future in nostalgia everything s coming up numbers group dynamics II statement fiscal ear 2 mothers in a h d b playground 7. Lloyd Fernando From Scorpion Orchid Chapters 1 and Edwin Thumboo Conformity Colour The Exile Gods Can Die Ulysses by the Merlion Orchard Road Renovation Visitor from Galilee 9. Catherine Lim The Taximan s Story The English Language Teacher s Secret 10. Lee Tzu Pheng New Year s Morning Bukit Timah, Singapore Nightpiece My Country and My People Composition Mad Woman Story Once Upon a Time Bus Ticket Poem 11. Leong Liew Geok Exiles Return Farewell to Sumana Forever Singlish

8 Introduction Contents Kuo Pao Kun The Coffi n is Too Big for the Hole 13. Stella Kon Emily of Emerald Hill 14. Kirpal Singh They Told Us Walking Down the Streets 15. Gopal Baratham Welcome Wedding Night 16. Rex Shelley From The Shrimp People Prologue, Chapter 2: The Rodrigues

9 SECTION present Introduction 353

10 Introduction 355 Contents Introduction Simon Tay Exiles 2. Suchen Christine Lim From Fistful of Colours 3. Ovidia Yu Three Fat Virgins Unassembled 4. Johann S. Lee From Peculiar Chris 5. Boey Kim Cheng In Transit Another Place Placenames Plum Blossom or Quong Tart at the QVB Stamp Collecting 6. Koh Buck Song High Rise Close Quarters, Chinatown Ah Por Treasures of the Deep 7. Claire Tham The Forerunner 8. Philip Jeyaretnam From Abraham s Promise 9. Tan Mei Ching The Running Game 10. Eleanor Wong Wills and Secession 355

11 356 Writing ContentsSingapore 11. Dave Chua From Gone Case 12. Patricia Wong To Robinson s 13. Grace Chia Starfruit 14. Alfian Sa at Trawlers Singapore You Are Not My Country Minority Report Apathy Video 15. Felix Cheong Work in Progress leaving faqs 16. Colin Cheong From The Man in the Cupboard 17. Daren Shiau From Heartland How to Fly the Singapore Flag 18. Lydia Kwa From This Place Called Absence 19. Yen Chung From Clarence Play the Numbers 20. Hwee Hwee Tan From Mammon Inc. 21. Toh Hsien Min Malaise Recovery 22. Cyril Wong calm embrace of bone because it is wrong, so it is wrong revelation

12 Introduction Contents 357 practical the neighbour 23. Fiona Cheong From Shadow Theatre: A Novel 24. Alvin Pang Upgrading Following a Train of Thought on the MRT Merlign 25. Madeleine Lee raintree 2 december 26. Vyvyane Loh From Breaking the Tongue 27. Aaron Maniam moth, caught in a room solat 28. Yong Shu Hoong Bridges Guilt Trip 29. Paul Tan Perspectives Monsoon Sometimes 30. Ng Yi-Sheng Crystal Pear Equidistance 31. Aaron Lee City Beat Scene on the North-East Line 32. Haresh Sharma Good People 33. Wena Poon Mrs Chan s Wedding Day