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The presentation will cover Mama. When you are reading the play, try to imagine the experience of seeing it staged in the original languages. After reading the play, consider how Kuo's notion of an "Open Culture" might be embodied in his theatrical practice.
Lau's novel is obviously very different in form from Abraham's Promise. If you find such postmodern works difficult to read, it may be best to think of the novel as an extended poem, connected as much by recurring images as a conventional plot.
1. Do you think Lau's postmodernism enables or retards her social critique?
2. Lau's novel is published in Australia by a writer who left Singapore ten years ago. Should we consider it to be Australian or Singapore Literature?
3. In terms of migration, Lau's life story is almost the reverse of Kuo's. How do you think her text explores the issues of culture and multiracialism with which Kuo's work also engages?
4. "Clever but unreadable." What do you think of this evaluation of Lau's work?
Last updated: 29 December, 2003