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Elements of a Short Story
1. CHARACTER
A character is a person, or sometimes even an animal, who takes
part in the actionof a short story or other literary work.
Main character
Mariah
A widow
- mariah had been married once, but her husband had passed
away soon after Nasi belauk seller
- mariah was a nasi seller in molo, in fact the nasi seller in
molo
Beautiful and flamboyant
Other characters
Tuk ImamHead of the mosque
Pious
Respectable
Referent to solve problem.
Cik Yam
Perfect wife
Good cook
Her (Cik Yam) culinary skills were not her only attribute;
her
housekeeping was also a model to be followed by other womenfolk
in
the village. One could always call at the Imams house at any
time of
the day, guaranteed to be greeted by a well-turned-out wife, hot
tepung
and fragrant surroundings.
(pg 72-73)
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Cikgu Nab
Gossip
Loves to find others fault
Hopeless cook
Jealous wife
Cik Gu Nab sent threatening messages to Mariah
Cikgu Leh
Cik Gu Nabs husband and Tuk Imams friend
Represent Tuk Imam in asking Mariahs hand for marriage
2. SETTING
The setting of a short story is the time and place in which it
happens. Authors often
use descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, seasons or
weather to provide a
strong sense of setting.
i. PLACE
small village town in Molo where Mariah sell the nasi
- Mariah was a nasi seller in Molo.
PATTANI, SOUTHERN THAILAND
- (Flashback) the Imam became transported to another time,
his
youth.
- The place where Tuk Imam studied be an Imam
- When the Imam was a young man of fifteen his father had
voiced
his wish for his son to be sent to Pattani in Southern Thailand
to
learn under a tutelage of a well known Sheikh.
Mosque where Imam is having the prayer
- He left the table, took his ablutions and quickly went to
the
mosque.
Cik Yam's house where Cik Gu Nab came to gossip.
Cik Yam and Imams Bedroom
- Cik Yam threw the
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tudung saji on the floor, narrowly missing the Imams foot, then
ran
sobbing to their bedroom.
ii. TIME
Morning :
- In that particular morning, the Imam was with the men, falling
on
Mariahs nasi belauk with much relish.
Lunch time
- Is lunch ready, Yam?Asked the Imam.
Thursday night when the Imam asked for his wife permission to
take
Mariah as a second wife.
iii. SOCIAL CONDITION
Malay family and village society are the social condition for
this short story
3. PLOT
A plot is a series of events and character actions that relate
to the central conflict.
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4. THEME
The theme is the central idea or belief in a short story.
1. Female vs female
Widow is considered as underclass which she would be
socially
oppressed
2. Sacrifice of a wife
The possible theme of this story is the sacrifice of a wife.
This is
because the story is about a wife was willing to have a co-wife
only for the happiness of her husband.
3. Life can be hard and be ready to face it
Cik Yam faced a problem that disappointed her heart because
her
husband want to marry another women and Cik Yam firstly
cannot
accept the fact but after she is calm, she faced the problem
positively
by accepting her husband request.
Exposition
Introduction of Maria
Nasi seller
Rising action
Gossip by thevillagers(women)
Cik Gu Nab
Flashback of Tuk Imams past
hisunforgettablelove of theSheikhsdaughter
Climax
Tuk Imam askedfor his wifespermission tomarry Mariah
Falling action
Cik Yamapproved theImams requestto take Mariahas his
secondwife
Resolution
Tuk Imammarried Mariah
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5. MORAL VALUES
The good habits that must be followed in daily life.
1. Not talk other people matter especially slandering. Cik Gu
Nab said that Mariah put something in her nasi .
2. Willing to sacrifice for the lover.
Cik Yam was willing to sacrifice to have a co-wife for her
husband
happiness.
3. Become honest people
Tuk Imam told the truth to his wife about his old love on
Sheikhs
daughter.4. Respect the others
Imam was respect to his first wife by asking her permission
before
getting married with Mariah.
