A short story about a successful man who forgets his roots as a kampong boy in Tanjung Rhu, and only

realizes its
importance and how much he misses it after his mother passes away. The poignant/sad story demonstrates the cultural
circumstances and dilemmas about identity which people face in Southeast Asia. It also looks at the conflict/struggle and
tension between the traditional and modern society in Singapore through the relationship between Mr T.W. Li and his
mother.
Theme: Traditional habits and ceremonies vs. modish/current patterns and behavior. Tanjong Rhu is one of the famous
ASEAN short stories wrote by Minfong Ho. This story is focusing on Singaporean Chinese life which contrasts in terms of
traditional and modern. Tanjong Rhu is a port in Singapore where the writer sets as the place that the protagonist of the
story spent his childhood in. The main theme of this story is the distinction between traditional habits and ceremonies and
modish patterns and behavior. In the story, Chinese tradition as praying to the ancestor and the dead has been mentioned
as an important element. From the description of the writer, we know that the protagonist, Mr. Lis mother values the
importance of this traditional practice. This can be proved by If something is to be done, she said with the loud solemnity
which she reserved for the altar room, it must be done properly. If I am to visit your place of work, I must tell your father
properly. Carefully, she unlocked the top drawer of her mother-of-pear inlaid cabinet, where she kept all the paraphernalia
for tending the altar: tiny porcelain wine cups, gold-leafed sheets of ceremonial money, candles and joss sticks and
countless packets of incense. As we read through the story, we know that father of the main character, Mr.Li has passed
away long ago. The lines mentioned above shows that Grandma pays attention on praying to the ancestor and dead as
she keeps all the necessary things for praying and arrange in the drawer. As a traditional thinker, she thinks that it is
important to let Mr. Lis father know what those livings do even though he has died as she says I must tell your father
properly. In Chinese traditions, praying to the ancestor and the dead is important to every family. This is a practice
whereby Chinese believes that the ancestor and the dead will bless the living family.
On the other hand, Mr. Li did not think this was important so he asked the daughter, Ying, to hurry the grandma up so that
they could reach his office on time. Ying appealed to the grandmother to let her pray to the grandfather since her
grandmother was taking too much time. However, the grandmother did not trust the granddaughter of doing a proper job.
She questioned Ying if she knew how many times to bow, how to speak to her grandfather, what candles to light and what
wine to offer. The grandmother insisted to Ying that Mr. Li must wait for her to finish praying to her grandfather. She didnt
mind making the son be late for work. The modern younger generation cares more for making to work on time while the
older generation cares more for proper praying traditions. The grandmother didnt want to let the granddaughter pray for
fear that she would pray without following all the traditional practices to save time. However, Ying said It doesnt matter.
My fathers waiting for you. Youll make him late for work. The young only think of getting to work on time rather than
observing traditions properly. Instead, Mr. Lis mother said Tell your father that his father is waiting for me. Mr. Li did not
pray to his father like his mother did. He no longer practised this Chinese tradition. He did not talk to his father like he
used to when he was a boy, talking away in quick Cantonese, his words only just keeping up with his steps as he ran
alongside his father. At that moment, the words would not come and his father was gone. He stayed silent, waiting as his
mother slowly put everything away in her desk and locked up the drawer.
Another example of this theme is the use of real candles to pray which is the traditional practice. In modern times, people
will use electric candles to ensure safety and reduce the hassle of lighting candles and cleaning up after the burning ends.
Mr. Lis mother had refused to use anything except real candles until she had almost set fire to the whole altar. Only then
had she finally agreed to change to the electric candles. All these show us the difference between the old and the young.
In our busy modern life, we tend to forget or ignore our traditional practices, complaining that it is a waste of time since we
lack of time. Even if we follow the traditional practices, we tend to simplify the ways in order to save time and effort. As
times passes gradually, we do not practise them anymore letting our traditions die off.
In the end of the story, Mr.Li realized he had forgotten to take care of the altar which is a traditional practice of the
Chinese. It was what his mother wanted him to do after she died. He put a photograph of his mother next to his fathers
photograph. Then he bowed deeply three times. Unfortunately, he could not find the joss sticks to burn for them since he
did not know where his mother put the key to the drawer. He regretted not talking to his mother more. The story stresses
to the readers the importance of traditional practices as we change our life due to modernity.