Island Voices 2

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION :

Q1. Do the respective authors use these traditional Chinese rituals (eating paper dissolved in drink, burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors) just for irony or for more profound purposes? What are these purposes?
The authors use these traditional Chinese rituals for more profound purposes. For example, they eat paper dissolved in drink to get what they wished for. They heat the paper, and put it into water and drinks it. While drinking it, they will wish for something they want. Secondly, they burn the joss-sticks in order to pray for good health, wealth and prosperity among family and others. Thirdly, they also burn paper money and houses. This is beacause, they would want to send the money to the dead ancestors so that they would be rich there with a comfortable shelter to live under. 

Q2. Would you yourself, as a modern young Singaporean, see the relevance of such cultural rituals in your society as necessary still, or are a hidrance to progress and enlightened thinking? In conclusion, i think that such cultural rituals in the society are just a hidrance to progress. The reason behind this is mainly because, burning of paper money produces alot of smoke. Therefore, it pollutes the air. Secondly, before burning the paper money, the paper money is first being created using paper. This shows that, it wastes paper and we are not sure if the prayers do work or not. Furthermore, once they burn paper money under the HDB blocks, they tend to dirty the place with ashes and candles. This proves that they dont clean up after that. Lastly, burning or joss-sticks. It is rather bad for health. Espeacilly when there are small children around. They are being forced to inhale the smoke that is produced. Joss-sticks are also made of wood, therefore, it does waste trees. 

Q3. Do you think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world? How far is it a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more that a person, espeacially an elderly one, can want?
I think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world. Most elderly dont have the latest technology. Even if they have, they wouldnt know how to use them. For example, computers. Elderly do not know how to use them. Besides, some elderly dislike the way teenagers are these days. Teenagers nowadays have freedom mainly because their parents are not strict like the old times and are busy with their work. For old Mrs Li, she still practices incense for her late husband. Mrs Li doesnt move on. She still want to live in her past. She should move on. In this case, nowadays, people dont use incense for people who passed away anymore. Therefore, Mrs Li should always look on the positive side.

Q4. Is looking back at the past necessarily a good thing? This particular story uses the past to affirm strong ties, emotion and sentiment, but when can is become a negative habit?
Usually, looking back at the past is unhealthy. It brings back both happy and sad memories. Looking back at the past may also be a good thing as it kills boredom and helps us learn from our mistake and not repeating it again. However, for Mrs Li, it is very bad because she doesnt even let go of the past. If possible, she even want to live in her past. All she cares about is her late husband. She doesnt look forward to the future unlike her children who are facing challenges.