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on
Sing to the Dawn
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Prepared by
PRAKASH NADASON
USAHA JAYA TUITION CENTRE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...
village. After her grandmother convinced her, she finally went, leaving the village behind
her to pursue her dream.
The city
Note :
Sing to the Dawn is set in a time period in which
women are considered inferior to men and are perceived
to be undeserving of education.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
CHAPTE
R
SUMMARY
Dawan (14 years old) and Kwai (13 years old) spent the morning talking about the
scholarship to study in a city school.
Kwai was quite hopeful and Dawan felt that she would not get the scholarship
because she was a girl.
Their parents thought that it was foolish and wasteful to send girls to school.
The teacher asked his students what they saw beneath their houses in the
morning.
He had a long discussion with the students about the landlord taking away sacks
of rice beneath their houses.
The headmaster headed to their class and listened to the discussion before going
off.
The teacher and students discussed what they should do if they won the
scholarship.
The teacher announced that Dawan won the scholarship.
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The classmates surrounded Dawan as soon as they heard that she won the
scholarship.
Kwai was unhappy and upset that Dawan won the scholarship, not him.
Dawan told her family that she got the scholarship and that made her father angry.
He accused Dawan of taking her own brother's chance away from him.
Dawans mother was reluctant to give her opinion (being scared and loyal to her
husband).
Dawan's grandmother however supported her.
Dawan and her grandmother planned to go to Noi's house. However, halfway
there, Dawan's mother decided to go with Dawan instead of her grandmother - her
grandmother was too old and it was a long journey (3 kilometres) to walk under the
hot sun.
The conversation at Nois house - Dawans mother, Noi (Dawans cousin, 5-6 years
older than her, married and had a small baby) and Ghan (Nois husband).
Noi said that going to the city was useless, not good and not healthy. She went to
the city to work, not to study but had to come back home because the city was an
ugly and cruel place to work.
Ghan worked in the city as part of a work crew.
Noi and Ghan tried to discourage Dawan from going to the city because it would
bring more harm than good.
Mr Phaspras (Army officer) made a deal with Noi's family in order not to take Ghan
into the army (Noi and Ghan had to pay him a lot of money)
After listening to what Noi and Ghan said, Dawan was still determined to go to the
city.
Kwai was upset when he knew that Dawan and their mother went to see Noi and
Ghan.
Kwai and Dawan argued over the issue of winning the scholarship.
Kwai came in second in the examination but he was hoping to go to the city.
At the same time, Kwai was scared of telling their father his result because Dawan
might not be allowed to go. He was in a confused state.
Dawan's father was very unapproachable. He did not want her to go to the city.
He thought that boys going to the city to study would be better than girls.
Kwai was hopeful after he heard that.
Dawans father would not listen to her reasons. She decided to see the gentle old
monk of the village temple. Maybe he could influence her father to change his
mind.
Dawan went to the busy and crowded marketplace alone early in the morning
because she wanted to meet the monk at the temple.
She met a girl, Bao who sold lotus buds and caged sparrows.
Dawan wanted to buy a lotus bud but Bao gave it for free to her.
She also wanted to free a caged bird to make merit but she did not have enough
money (only ten cents).
From their conversation, Dawan found out that Bao was Vichais sister (Dawans
classmate the boy who sat behind her in class).
Dawan went to see the old monk/head monk/elderly abbot in the temple.
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THEMES
MORAL VALUES
Love & Care
Responsibility
Sacrifice
Bravery
Courage
Patience
Friendship
Concern
Honesty
Kindness
Determination
Tolerance
Loyalty
Perseverance
Helpfulness
Obedience
Gratitude
Appreciation
Confidence
Discipline
MORAL LESSONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
2001
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about a character that you like.
Give three reasons.
2002
Write about an important moral value in the novel that you have studied.
2003
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about a character you sympathise
with. Explain why you choose him/her.
2004
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about the most memorable event
in the story. Give reasons for your choice.
2005
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about the theme, family love.
2006
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about determination. Support your
answer with evidence from the story.
2007
Based on the novel that you have studied, write about a character you look up to.
Give reasons for your choice.
2008
Based on the novel that you have studied, describe what happens at the end of
the story. Explain why you find the ending either happy or sad.
2009
Write about a difficult decision made by one of the characters. Do you think this
was the right decision?
2010
Write about an important incident that you remember. Give reasons why you
remember the incident.
2011
Which part of the story do you like most? Give reasons for your choice.
2012
Write about an event that makes you angry. Give reasons why the event makes
you feel this way.
2013
2014
2015