December 8th Post “Imaginary Geography”

More than just a humorous representation of the uncle:

page 65 “You know last time Bishan is all cemetery?”

page 70 “When he sit down to do his homework, ten minutes he must go toilet.”

How does Ang use these features of form and style to make both satirical criticisms and more sincere observations of Singapore?

1. Ann Ang writes this report in the form of a pastiche with a mix of parody. The imitation of an academic writing style shows the absurdity in trying to see the broader’s scope of the Singaporean mentality. By using big words and complex analytical paragraphs for the sake of it, Ann Ang is satirising the intent to understand Singapore’s layered social identities through a voyeuristic view. She is also creating a meta-parody of the people, including herself, that is trying to observe the country through academia.
2. Use of irony such as the branding of Bishan as a cemetery gives way to the paradoxical development of Singapore, and speaks to the lapse in progression of self-definition that is the result of such rapid development. The recounting of the uncle’s grandson’s life and transformation recorded in section D was observed to be “sentimentally dramatised”, which made sense at first glance. However, the parodical nature of this report reveals that it may not be the case. In truth, the escalating pressure to “toe the line” is very much real and emotionally damaging. It is the aftermath of an ongoing involutionary change in countries like Singapore, Korea, Japan and China. This is a form of social change that has never been seen before and are bound to reflect on the change in identity of a Singaporean.
3. Hyperhistories‘s writing and message appears more approachable and solid. Observations regarding the nuclear family and the Singaporean education system proposes problems with more real life basis in comparison to the concept of microclimates/neighbourhoods.
4. The uncle’s hope to show Ah boy many things is reflective of the traditional fatherly role that the pioneer generation should hold. As the boy is occupied with school work and Ah Gong feels that “I don’t know how to say, maybe the thing also not there anymore”, we see a very troubling representation of Singaporean history. First we see the paradoxical nature of the nation’s development. The pioneer generation set up the country for immense economical prosperity and social stability, but the same society’s competitiveness casts incomprehensible pressure on the coming generations. The old guard is feeling an inability to communicate, leading to the outdating and fading of old Singaporean values.