MALAYSIAN NOVELS

BIOGRAPHY

Siew-Yue Killingley

Personal details: Born Leong Siew Yue, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya (now Malaysia), 17th December 1940.  Married Dermot Killingley 1963 First visited Britain and the Republic of Ireland for six months in 1965; lived in Britain since 1968. Died Newcastle upon Tyne, 8th June, 2004.

Education: St Marys School, Kuala Lumpur 1947-1957 Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur 1957-9. University of Malaya 1960-66. School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 1968-70.

Languages: Bilingual in English and Cantonese; fluent in French and Mandarin; able to read Old English, Middle English and Latin; some German, Sanskrit and Hindi.

Degrees: BA (Hons) in English (Upper Second), University of Malaya, 1963. MA (Linguistics), University of Malaya, 1966. PhD (Linguistics), University of London, 1972.

Performing Arts: Royal Academy of Dancing Certificate in Ballet in Education, Grade V Honours, 1957. Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Pianoforte Grade 3 (Merit), 1991; Flute Grade 8 (Merit), 1992.

Teaching:  1961-7: Taught English language, literature, phonetics, and linguistics at various schools in Selangor, Malaysia and at the University of Malaya. 1970-2: Tutorial Assistant in Linguistics and Phonetics, School of English, University of Newcastle. 1972-80: Lecturer in English (Senior lecturer 1979), St. Mary's College of Education, Newcastle.

1987-8: Tutor in Community Interpreting and Bilingual Skills, College of Arts and Technology (now Newcastle College). 1988-2002: Tutor in courses on linguistics, language and the community in the Centre for Continuing Education (now Lifelong Learning), University of Newcastle. This included course in Chinese Language and Culture, 1994-2002. 2002-2004: Tutor in Chinese Language and Culture, Workers Educational Association.

Voluntary work Interpreting in Cantonese and English at various times in Newcastle and Northumberland. 1991-7: Editor of monthly British Linguistic Newsletter and ex-officio Committee Member of the Linguistics Association of Great Britain. Publishing: 1981: Founded Grevatt & Grevatt, noncommercial publishers.

EVERYTHINGS ARRANGED

SUMMARY
`Everything's Arranged' by SiewYue Killingley, is about arranged marriages practised by the Indian communities.The story is centered around Rukumani, a young maiden from the Ceylonese Tamil community whose family has settled in Malaya.Arranged marriages are highly considered and respected by the Indian and Ceylonese families. It is considered as a dignity and a symbol of family honour. In actual fact Rukumani's parents and Devanayagam's parents are arranging a marriage for them. But Ruku and Deva did not know who is going to be his or her life partner. This is the irony of the whole situation. Rukumani, thinking that she is going to be married to a stranger quickly tells her parents about her lover Devanayagam. Her parents were shocked about their daughter's 'disgraceful act'- to fall in love with someone she likes. Rukumani thought that her parents would be pleased with her for choosing a Ceylonese Tamil and not a Chinese for a life partner. But to her great disappointment neither her side nor Devanayagam's people agreed for the marriage.

THEMES
1. Arranged marriage -Arranged marriages are a tradition that is highly sacred and it would bring disasters if you try to break the arranged marriage. -Arranged marriages also show the familys dignity.

2. How important it is to obey your elders. - It is important that youngsters obey their elders as youngsters do not have much experience in life for them to handle their lives on their own.

A QUESTION OF DOWRY

SUMMARY
Author Siew-Yue Killingley's story, "A Question of Dowry," emphasized the culture and pactice in an Indian family on how they arranged their daughter marriage. The story takes place in a house, where an Indian family; Mr. and Mrs. Ramachandran lives there. In Indian customs, when there is a marriage, the bride's family is the one who need to give the dowry to the groom's family based on both family's agreement. In this story, Mr. and Mrs. Ramachandran's daughter; Sivasothie is the one who getting married. Sivasothie were being engaged to a doctor; Thiruchelvam through a family arrangement marriage. But something unexpected happens when Mr. Ramachandran talk to his wife about the land that will be used as a dowry for their daughter's marriage. The price of the land did not reach the target price to accommodate the twenty thousand dollars dowry. On the evening, Thiruchelvam came to their house because Mr. Ramachandan already rang him on that morning to discuss about something important. Mr. Ramachandran told him the situation of his marriage and wanted the answer from Thiruchelvam. That evening, everything about the marriage were decided. Mr. Ramachandran need to find another doctor for his daughter.

THEME
The culture and pactice in an Indian family on how they arranged their daughter marriage. - The marriage of Sivasothie and Tricuchelvam is arranged by Mr and Mrs Ramachandran. - Proved about they arranged their daughter marriage can be seen through this line in the story " Well, commented Mrs. Ramachandran stoically, theres more than one doctor in our community, and its up to you, Ramachandran, to do your duty as a father.(line 139) "

REFERENCES
http://www.tutorvista.com/bow/a-question-of-dowry

http://www.syktrust.org.uk/sub_sections.php?id=00631 http://www.bookrags.com/essay2005/9/20/12529/5529 http://www.viweb.freehosting.net/vilit_SYK2.htm