1/10/2017 Literaturewithouttears:SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO

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MONDAY,25JANUARY2016 PautanLuar
HURAIANSUKATANPELAJARAN
poetryarchive.org!VisitMOE!VisitJPNPerak!
SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO TheStarNewspaper!UtusanMalaysia!New
straitsTime!PPDPerakTengah!

SingtotheDawntellsofDawan,ayoungvillagegirlwholivesin
Thailand,winsascholarshiptostudyinacityschool.Herbrother, CLEANCALENDAR
Kwai, places second and is initially jealous, causing a rift between GetPaidOnline!
the two previouslyclose siblings. This hostility is further
exacerbated by Dawan's father, who feels that the city is no place
for a female. Dawan faces obstacles at every turn, and eventually
overcomestheseobstaclesandprovestoherselfandtoothersthat
she is fully capable of handling the scholarship and the
responsibilityitentails.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXHgMRA4myw

TheAuthor:HO,Minfong1951
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PERSONAL:BornJanuary7,1951,inRangoon,BurmadaughterofRihHwa(an
economist)andLienfung(achemistandwritermaidenname,Li)HomarriedJohnValue
Dennis,Jr.(asoilscientist),December20,1976children:Danfung(son),MeiMei WORLDTIMESERVERCLOCK
(daughter),Christopher.Education:AttendedTunghaiUniversity,Taichung,Taiwan,1968
69CornellUniversity,B.A.(honors),1973,M.F.A.,1980.Religion:Agnostic.Hobbiesand
otherinterests:Swimming,hiking,growingthings.

ADDRESSES:Home893CayugaHeightsRd.,Ithaca,NY14850fax:6072723335.
AgentTraceyAdams,McIntoshandOtis,Inc.,310MadisonAve.,NewYork,NY10017.

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1/10/2017 Literaturewithouttears:SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO
Emailminfong@aol.com.

CAREER:Writer.StraitsTimesnewspaper,Singapore,journalist,197475Chiengmai
University,Chiengmai,Thailand,lecturerinEnglish,197576CornellUniversity,Ithaca,
NY,Englishliteratureteachingassistant,197880CatholicReliefServices,Thai
Cambodianborder,nutritionistandreliefworker,1980SingaporeUniversity,writerin
residence,1983.Presenterofvariouswritingworkshopsinmiddleschoolsandhigh
schoolsintheUnitedStatesandinternationalschoolsinSwitzerland,Indonesia,Thailand,
Poland,andMalaysia,1990

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Ss3vJpFOo
KUALALUMPUR

WithSingtotheDawn,Hoattemptedtoavoidthesepitfallsandcreatedarealisticstoryof
onegirl'sstrugglestogetaneducation.Dawanachievesfirstplaceonagovernment Therewasanerrorinthisgadget
examforahighschoolscholarship,anexaminwhichheryoungerbrothercomesin
second.Butherrealfightcomesafterthetest:nowshemustconvinceherfatherandher
BLOGARCHIVE
brotherthatshethegirlofthefamilyshouldbeallowedtogotothecityandstudy.She
enliststheaidofhertimidmother,ofaBuddhistmonk,andofacousinwhohaslivedin 2016(14)
thecity.SupportalsocomesfromhergrandmotherandfromaflowergirlnamedBao. December(5)
Dawanlearnsanimportantlessonalongthewaythatshemuststruggletobecomefree. November(1)
Finallysheconvincesherbrothertogivehisblessingandsheleavesforschool,her
October(4)
fatherstillresistant."Theauthor'sloveofhernativecountrysideisevidentinhervivid
descriptions,"commentedCynthiaT.SeyboltinaSchoolLibraryJournalreview.Seybolt September(1)
alsonotedthatDawan'sstory"providesaperspectiveonwomen'sliberationfarremoved April(2)
andmuchmoreimportantthanbreakingintothelocalLittleLeague."Thoughmany
January(1)
reviewersnotedthatthisfirstnovelwasslowinpartsbecauseoffrequentdescriptive
SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO
passages,aKirkusReviewscriticmaintainedthat,"underneaththedelicatelotus
imagery,thissmall,understatedstoryisinfusedwithpassionanddetermination,"such
2015(18)
thatDawanconfrontsherbattleforfreedomandequalitywitha"ragesopowerful"thatit
makes"thisotherwisemodestnarrativevibrate."ThebookwasillustratedbyHo's 2012(77)
youngerbrother,Kwoncjan,andproceedsfromitssaleswereusedtohelpsetupa
nursingscholarshipforvillagegirlsinThailand. ABOUTME

Minfong,age6,withhertwobrothersathomeinBangkok

TajunijahbtA.M .S.AbooBacke r
Greetings.Learningnewthingssparkup
theoldspiritinmeandkeepmegoing
strongintheneweraofcommunication.
So,joinme.
Viewmycompleteprofile

Meanwhile,Hograduatedfrom
Cornell and returned to Asia, working as a journalist on the Singapore
StraitsTimesandthenasalectureratChiengmaiUniversityinThailand.
WhileinThailand,sheobservedfirsthandthemilitarycoupofOctober6,
1976. During these postcollege years, Ho worked in "prisons and
plywood factories," as she once explained. "I have transplanted rice
seedlingsandhelpedapeasantwomangivebirthIhaveattendedtrade
union meetings in stuffy attics and international conferences in plush
hotels.Thereissomuch,somuchbeautyandsomuchpainintheworld

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1/10/2017 Literaturewithouttears:SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO
aroundmewhichIwanttowriteaboutbecauseIwanttoshareit."Butit
would be another decade before she wrote her second book, using
muchofthematerialaccumulatedduringheryearsinThailand.
MinfongwithvillagefriendsinChiengmai,Thailand,1978

Marriedin1976toasoilscientistshemetduringherCornellyears,Ho
returned to the United States and settled in Ithaca, New York. She
finished an M.F.A. in creative writing at Cornell while working as a
teaching assistant. She also spent some time in relief work along the
ThaiCambodianborderin1980,gainingexperiencethatwouldinforma
laternovel,TheClayMarble.
WithhusbandJohnDennisandchildrenDanfungandMeimei

SingToTheDawnMinfongHo

ChapterOne:
DawanandKwaisatonthericketyoldbridgeabovetheriver
DawanaskedKwaiwhatwouldhedoifhegotthescholarship
Dawanfeltthatshewouldnotgetthescholarshipbecausesheisagirl,
insteadKwaimightgetthescholarship
Talkedabouthowunfairitisthatthesacksofricestackedupbeneaththe
houseisforthetaxcollector
Theirparentsthoughtthatitwasfoolishandwastefultosendgirlstoschool

ChapterTwo:
Teacheraskedstudentswhattheysawbeneaththeirhouseinthemorning
Hadalongdiscussionwiththestudentsaboutthelandlordtakingawaysacks
ofricebeneaththeirhouses
Astudentspottedtheheadmasterheadingtotheirclassandthestudent
shouted"he'scoming"
TeacherandstudentimmediatelypretendedthattheyarehavingGeography
lessonsuntiltheheadmasterwentaway
Teacherandstudentdiscussedwhattheyshoulddoiftheywonthe
scholarship
TeacherannouncedthatDawanwonthescholarship

ChapterThree:
ClassmatessurroundedDawanassoonastheyheardthatshewonthe
scholarship
KwaiwasunhappyandsadthatDawanwonthescholarshipinsteadofhim

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Dawantoldherfamilythatshegotthescholarshipandthatmadeherparents
angry.Herfatherwasespeciallyangryandsaidthatshetookherown
brother'schanceawayfromhim.
Dawan'sgrandmotherhoweversupportedher
DawanandhergrandmotherheadedtoNoi'shouseandhalfway,Dawan's
motherdecidedtogowithDawaninsteadofhergrandmother

ChapterFour:
Noisaidthatgoingtothecitywasuseless
ArmyofficermadedealwithNoi'sfamilyinordernottobringGhantothearmy

ChapterFive:
KwairealisedthatNoiandGhandonotsupportDawaningoingtothecity
Kwaicameinsecondintheexamination
IfDawandoesnotgotothecity,Kwaigetstogoinsteadofher

ChapterSix:
Dawan'sfatherdidn'twanthertogotothecity
Kwaiaskedhisfatherifhehadwonthescholarship,wouldheallowhimtogo
tothecity
Kwai'sdadthoughtthatboysgoingtothecitytofutherhisstudieswouldbe
betterthangirls

ChapterSeven:
Dawanwenttothemarketplacealoneandmetagirlthatsellslotusbudand
cagedsparrows
Dawanrealisedthatthegirl,Bao,wasthesisterofherclassmate

ChapterEight:
Dawanwenttoseetheoldmonk
Dawan'steacherandtheoldmonkaregoodfriends
OldmonkdoesnotreallyseewhyDawanshouldgotothecityschool

ChapterNine:
BaoallowedDawantofreeabirdforfree
Bao'sbrother,Vichai,cametothemarketstallandhitherbecauseshefreed
abirdforfree
KwaistoppedVichaifromhittingBao
AfterrealisingthatBaoknewaboutwhathappenedbetweenDawanand
Kwai,KwaiwantedtoslapBao
KwaipushedDawanawaywhenshetriedtostopKwai,unfortunatelyshe
landedontopofapileofbrokenbirdcages,injuringherself
CousinNoihelpedDawanwithherwound

ChapterTen:
DawanandKwaiwereattheriver
KwaiwasthinkingaboutDawan'swords,abouthimbeingabully
DawanpassedKwaiherumbrellacaringlyasitwasraining
Kwaimadeadecision

ChapterEleven:
Kwai'sfatherheardfromhisteacherthathegotsecondinthetestandwas
angryatKwaifornottellinghimso
FatherspoketobothKwaiandDawantogether
FatherwasveryreluctantandunconvincedthatDawanshouldgotothecity
school
AftermuchpersuasionfromDawanandKwai,fatherfinallyallowedDawanto
gotothecityschool

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ChapterTwelve:
KwaiwillmissDawanonceshegoestothecityschool,noonewillbethere
towatchthesunrisewithhim

ChapterThirteen:
AtfirstDawanwasunsureifshewantedtoleaveasshewillmisseverything
inhervillage
AfterhergrandmothertalkedtoDawan,shedecidedtogo
Whenshewasboardingthebustogotothecity,Kwaiwasnowheretobe
seen
Althoughmanypeopleinthevillagesentheroff,shewasnothappyasKwai
wasnotthere
Duringthebusjourney,shesawKwaionthebridgethattheyusuallywentto,
hewaswavingather.Biddinggoodbye
Synopsis
The story is about a young Thai girl called Dawan who wins a
scholarship to study in a city school. She faces the disapproval of her
father who thinks that studying is not for girls and she should give the
scholarshiptoherbrotherasheissecondinthetest.Dawantriesmany
waystoconvinceherfathertoletherpursueherstudies.

Dawantriestoconvinceherfatherthatheshouldgiveherachanceto
study.Whensheapproachesanyoneforhelp,shekeepsonfailingbut
shenevergivesupandcontinuestodosoandsucceedinhermission.
Eventhoughshefailedmanytimes,shemanagestoconvinceherfather
intheend.Whenthebusarrives,shealmostchangeshermindbecause
she is going to miss singing to the dawn. After her grandmother
convincesher,shedecidestogo.

The story ends with Dawan sitting on the bus going to the city. When
shepassesthebridge,sheseesherbrother,Kwaisingingthesongthat
they sing every dawn. Then, she sings together with Kwai until she
cannot see Kwai anymore. Next, she looks at the lotus flower her
grandmothergiveshertoconvincehertogo.Assheseesitunfold,she
becomesmoreconvincedhergrandmotherisright,sheshouldgotothe
city,likethelotusunfolding.

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Thecountryside

Dawanwassurroundedbyacrowdofcuriousandchatteringclassmatesafterthe
teacherannouncedthatshewonthescholarship.Herbrotherwasstandingaloneinthe

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doorway.

Dawanfoundthestrengthtoinformherfatheraboutthescholarship.Haltinglyshesaid,"I
wonthetheprize.IcangototheCityandstudysomemorenow."

MrPhasprasofferedtohelpGhanandhiswifeNoibylendingthemonethousandwitha
fortypercentinterest.Theyaccepthistermsastherewasnochoiceforthem.

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"You'reonlyagirl.Youwon'tbeabletofight,ortoargueloudly,ortoleadpeopleintime
ofcrisis.Allyouaregoodatisstudyingthat'showyougotthescholarshipinthefirst
palace,"saidKwairudelytoDawan.

DinnerwastenseandasilentmealuntilherfathersaidKwaiisaboyandmoreschooling
wouldbeusefulandKwaiwouldbeusefultohimtoo.HetoldDawanangrilytowaitfor

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hispermissiontocontinuehisstudyinthecity.

Bao,Vichai'ssistershockedtolearnthatDawanisschoolingandasksDawanwhat
schoolingisallabout.Shesellslotusbudsandcagedsparrowseverymorninginthe
marketplaceandshetellsDawanthatshewillbesellinglotusbudsandcagedsparrows
fortherestofherlife.

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"Allyouyoungstersarealike,talkingofflyingawayandbeingfree",themonksaid.
Dawanargueswithhimasthemonkliveinsideapeacefulmonastery,withfoodand
clothesprovidedandnobodybullieshim.Heneverexperiencesthepainlivinginworld
outsidethetemple.

VichaihitsBaoinpublicbecauseshegivesDawanasparrowforfree.

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Undertheshelteroftheorangeumbrella,Kwaiwatcheshersisterlimpinghome.Hehad
hurtDawanbadalybutDawanleavesherumbrellaforhimtositundertherain.She
limpshome,wetandcoldandtired.Kwaisuddenlymakeshisdecision.

KwaireachesoutimpulsivelyandgentlybrushedawispofdamphairawayfroDawan
cheekandtellsherthatheissurethathewantsDawantocontinueherstudiesinthe

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City.

"HoldontothislotusandwatchitunfoldduringyourlongbusridetotheCity.Itislike
yourself,thislotusbud,allshutuptight,smallandafraidoftheoutside.Butwithgood
waterandstrongsunlight,it'llunfold,petalbypetalbypetal.Andyouwilltoo,Dawan,you
willunfoldtoo"

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Dawanstuckherheadwayoutofthewindowtocatchaglimpseofthebridgeonwhich
shehadsooftengreetedthesun.

SETTING
1.Dawan'shouse
2.Theriver,thebridgeandthenarrowpathleadingtotheriver
3.Thevillageschool
4.Noi'shouse
5.Bao'sflowerstallinthemarketpalce
6.Thetemple
7.Thebus
8.TheCitySchool

CHARACTERS
1.Dawan

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2.Kwai
3.Dawan'sfather
4.Dawan,smother
5.Grandmother
6.CousinNoianadGhan
7.Bao
8.Theteacher
9.Theheadmonk
10.Vicahai
11.MrPhaspras
12.Thelandlord
13.Thevillagers
14.Thevillagestudents
15.Takchit
16.Theheadmasterofthevillageschool

THEMES
1.Familylove
2.Poverty
3.Genderdiscrimination
4.Responsibility
5.Siblingrivalry
6.Beingfairandjust
7.Standingupforwhatisright

MORALVALUES
1.Donotbejealousofoursiblings'success
2.Loveourfamilymembers
3.Beresponsible
4.Behelpful
5.Befairandjust
6.Berational
7.Behardworkingandcourageous

PostedbyTajunijahbtA.M.S.AbooBackerat03:46
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7comments:

ApizKadir 20July2016at19:06
Itisreallyabighelp.Thankyou!
Reply

HusnaHash 30July2016at00:32
Thiscommenthasbeenremovedbytheauthor.
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HusnaHash 30July2016at00:34
theinformationsarecompact!
Reply

Kisuke Urahara 3August2016at18:16

Trulyhelpful...
Reply

Hirose Diary's 8August2016at07:44

Thiscommenthasbeenremovedbytheauthor.
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1/10/2017 Literaturewithouttears:SINGTOTHEDAWNMINFONGHO
Hirose Diary's 8August2016at07:45
Thiscommenthasbeenremovedbytheauthor.
Reply

M urfiqahYasmin! 27December2016at06:37
thisisabiggoodhelp.thankyou:)
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