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Literary Criticism of Everythings Arranged by Siew Yue Killingley

Everythings Arranged by Siew Yue Killingley is among one of the many literature

texts chosen for this task. As to further understand the text, the reader should first understand

the background of the author. Siew Yue Killingley wrote this story during the 1960s,

whereby traditional customs are still thick in heritage and practiced. The author is very

observant about the happenings in a Ceylonese Tamil family. She brings the reader into the

world of the Indians whereby the readers are absorbed into the pool of various cultures and

traditions brought to life by the characters in the text.

Moving on, one of the literary theories present in this short story is cultural criticism. The

Indian culture is well depicted in this story. To the Indians, sex is a very taboo subject to be

talked about. They hold on to the practice of arranged marriage and any relationship out of

marriage is considered a disgrace to the family. Indian girls are not to be too modern because

this will scar their maidenly modesty and family honour. An instance is such of Rukumani

being despised by her family for talking to her classmate, Johnny Chew. Rukumani felt the

pinch of this strict and sacred tradition when she sees her Chinese friends who are of more

open culture. Chinese couples are free to hold hands even in public but not for the Indians.

From a positive perspective, the stringent tradition of the Indian culture is the element that

makes the culture more aesthetic as it ensures the purity and obedience of the younger

generations. This is the main reason as to why there were lesser social problems as compared

to now.

The next literary theory abstracted from this short story is social criticism. Social

criticism is seen in Rukumanis parents who are old-fashioned in thinking. They strongly

objects relationships and grabs on tightly to the idea of arranged marriage. They believe that

there should not be room for love or feelings in the matrimony of the two souls. Even when

Johnny Chew greets Rukumanis father at the train station, Rukumanis father felt a gush of

shame running down on him when he looks at Rukumani with sorrowful eyes. The thinking

of her parents is just like how it was back in their motherland, Sri Lanka. The Ceylonese,

however educated, still hold to their traditions, beliefs and family values so adamantly.

Education failed to change their thinking. Social life is a big no for their young sons and

daughters. By understanding this aspect of society portrayed, readers will get a clearer picture

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of the scenario put forth in this text. The reserved society in which Rukumani lives in

becomes the catalyst for her to break out of it. She is uneasy at the talk of arranged marriage

and keeps on thinking about her boyfriend, Devanayagam. Falling in love with Devanayagam

is a great sin, but to Rukumani, it is how she wants to shape her future. She is badly envious

of her Chinese peers freedom like those enjoyed by Johnny Chew and Amy Wong. The

community she revolves her life on is also of old-fashioned thinking. The community here is

represented by the media. When Rukumani could not find consolation to her feelings, she

decided to write to the newspaper column, Auntie Sally. To her disappointment, Auntie

Sally called Rukumani an ingratitude, deceit and shameless girl for going against her

parents wishes.

Last but not least, gender criticism is also a part of the make up of this literary text. The

female role is depicted as weak and easily controlled. The author has made it a point in the

beginning of the story that gender stratification is applied in the Ceylonese Tamil families.

Devanayagam, as a boy, apparently has more freedom as compared to Rukumani. He has the

opportunity to go out to movies with his friends and he is also able to return to the university

earlier without his parents being all over him. However, for Rukumani, as a girl, she is

supposed and expected to be at home and do what girls are supposed to do. She is not to be a

Modern Girl the type who is given the freedom to choose their life partner. Rukumanis

parents would not allow her to go back to the university earlier as they worry that Rukumani

will be open to dangers and temptations since there would be no class es to attend and

therefore no lecturers to keep an eye on her chastity. Her parents also consider a girl to be of

no more good values the moment a girl talks to a boy. A girl is also shameless whenever she

talks about a boy. All these tell the reader of how tight the control over females is.

In conclusion, this literary text has taught us a lot about the cultures of the Indian society

and how they highly consider arranged marriages. We observe how they regard arranged

marriage as a symbol of family honour. Objecting to one is a sign of ungratefulness of a child

to the parents. By digging deeper into this culture using various literary criticism theories,

one has the advantage of better understanding the actions of the characters and hence the

story.