It is a reflection of si tenggang who has gone overseas

and return to his homeland. His perspective of life has

widened but basically he is still the same person. |His
on people do not accept him and in this poem si
tenggang tries to convince them he still respect his
people and their culture.

Introduction: The poem talks about how Si Tenggang has undertaken

travels and returned home and about the positive influence his travels
have had on him.

First stanza

• The journey is not only physical but also a journey into his inner self
• He travels from his homeland to a foreign land
• He has gained knowledge from being in these new places
• He remains it stranger in a foreign land despite the knowledge he has
acquired
• He grows and develops as he is exposed to new perspectives
• He realizes the realities change and they give him a sense of maturity

Second stanza

• He feels frustrated because his people fail to understand him

• He begins to love and appreciate his wife more especially since he is
rejected by his own people
• His people have their own preconceived ideas about him
• He knows his travels have changed him
• His travels have hardened him and perhaps made him better
• Since he has been away for some time, his relationship with others
could have deteriorated

Third stanza

• He made a deliberate attempt to return home

• His travels have given him wisdom and maturity
• His travels have been educational and have given him confidence and
new understanding
• He is naïve and therefore cannot be easily cheated
• The journey is a learning experience and one of discovery
• He considers it ‘a teacher’ who shows him the differences in people
and their lives and teaches him to gain self-discovery and self-renewal
• Despite his new found knowledge, he is still one of his own people
• He can still distinguish what is good and what is bad
• His travels have made him more tolerant and more open
• He still wants to be part of the community
• He is willing to share his knowledge with others in his homeland

Fourth stanza

• His journeys have made him reject ideas that are in conflict his faith
and principles- he will not sacrifice his beliefs
• His knowledge and insights have prepared him with the ability to make
choices carefully
• He uses his knowledge and wisdom to decide what to keep and what
to reject
• He believes in values that have stood the test of time
• His home draws him back like a magnet
• He still considers his village to be the best – there is no place like
home
Fifth stanza

• He has learnt from his travels about the way different people respond
to different things
• He has seen imperfect manners but he has not accepted things blindly
• Despite his new-found knowledge, he respects his roots
• He still understands people and all the things that make up ‘people’

Sixth stanza

• He firmly states that he has not changed completely and that he is still
a Malay
• He reaffirms all the positive things that have resulted from his travels
• He encounters problems when is in a foreign land but he still remains
positive and keeps an open mind
• He emphasizes that he is still a Malay but no longer narrow-minded
• He is free now because he has found what and who he is, he has
found peace and contentment – he has found himself

Themes:

1. Expanding one’s horizons through travels (Travels broadens the

mind)
2. Importance of one’s roots

Tone/Mood:

a. positive and affirmative

b. pleading and seeking understanding, empathy and sympathy
c. persuasive and gentle (towards the end)

Literal Meaning of the Poem

Si Tenggang undertakes travels that are physical as well as an

exploration of his inner self. He has visited foreign lands that have
exposed him to the different peoples and their cultures. The travels
have broaden his horizon and given him the wisdom to distinguish
between good and bad values. However, he finds that the changes in
him are not easily or readily accepted by his own people, the Malays.
His people believe that he has changed entirely. Si Tenggang tries his
utmost best to convince his people that travel broaden a man and make
him wiser. He is convinced that he has learnt a lot from his travels
without forgetting his roots.
Poetic devices

Contrast
'the physical journey that i
traverse is the journey of
the soul'

Personification
'the journey was a loyal
teacher who was never
tardy'
'the country that alienated
me'

Assonance
'journey of the soul'
'to a country collected'
'....growled.......mother and
grandmother'
'estranged by absence'
Alliteration
'Freed from'
'Country collected'
'Love.....loneliness'
'land and languages'

Symbol
'oceans'
represents the unknown ,
something big and
mysterious
'fatherland'
represents his native land ,
his home
'journey of the soul'
represents internal or
spiritual reflection during
his travel
'i am you'
the 'you' represents all
Malay people
Metaphor
'seasoned by confidence'
'the contents of this these
boats are yours too'

THEMES
 'Travels' to foreign lands
 Home is where one belongs
 Alienation 被疏远
 Independence
 Search for knowledge
 Loneliness
 Rejection and acceptance
 Respect and humility 谦虚
 Importance of roots
 Loyalty to ones community
and country
 Courage and integrity

MORAL VALUES
 We should not be afraid
 to travel and widen our
horizons.
 Learning is an on going
process.
 One must live in harmony
with one's family and
society.
 No matter how far we go,
home is where we belong.
 One must be humble and
respectful no matter how
learned someone is
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
 Islam encourages us to

seek knowledge
 Do not judge people
without understanding
them.
 Do not be afraid to try
new things.