Myanmar (Burma) is a country that covers 676,578 square The official name of the country is the Republic of the

Republic of the Union of

kilometers (about the size of France) and has a population of 52 Myanmar. In 1989, the name was changed from Burma to
million. These people are made up of a striking array of different Myanmar. Both names are derived from the majority ethnic
ethnic groups, which include Bamar/Burmese (by some distance group, the Bamar – Myanmar being the formal, literary term,
the largest in number), Shan, Karen, Kachin, Chin, Mon, Han and Burma the colloquial, everyday term.
Chinese and Indian, to name but a few.
This variety of ethnicities also means massive language
diversity, although Burmese is the official language, and English
is widely used – to varying degrees of proficiency.
Since 2005, the capital has been located in Nay Pyi Taw, but the Myanmar has a deep culture of hospitality and openness – most
former capital, Yangon (Rangoon), remains the biggest city, people who visit are struck by the warm and welcoming nature
commercial center, and arrival point for most visitors. The of the locals, who are often keen to ask questions and make
moving of capitals is in fact in line with the tradition of upheaval friends. And the people love to enjoy themselves – whether it is
and renewal in Myanmar – the country has had many capitals taking part in one of the hundreds of festivals that happen
over the years, including Mandalay, Inwa and Mrauk U, to name around the country throughout the year or enjoying a game of
just a few. football, everyone loves a boisterous public gathering to lift
their spirits.
 Islam and Hinduism are also practiced in Myanmar, particularly
by ethnic Indians, and temples can be found around the country
– most notably in Yangon. Tensions between members of these
Theravada Buddhism is the most widespread religion in religions and the Buddhist mainstream have sometimes
Myanmar and plays a big role in public and private life. Most surfaced, most notably with incidents of Buddhist-Muslim
young people spend time in monastic education and monks and violence in recent years; most have occured in remote areas
nuns, of whom there are hundreds of thousands, hold a revered and foreigners have not been affected.
place in society. Pagodas (religious monuments) can also be Superstition is evident in Myanmar culture, although it is often
found on many roads, river banks, towns and villages throughout played down. Some people consult astrologers about personal
the country; they are central to the life of towns, with shopping and business decisions, and it is said that the location of the new
arcades and other businesses sometimes built in their entrance capital, Nay Pyi Taw, was decided on the advice of astrologers.
areas. In the 1980s, military dictator Ne Win introduced 35 and 75 kyat
Outside of the main ethnic Burmese population areas, banknotes because of his belief in the special power of numbers.
particularly in parts of Kachin, Karen and Chin states, Traditional clothing in Myanmar varies around the country, but
Christianity is devoutly observed. American missionaries played a national staple is the longyi (sarong), which is worn by both
a large part in converting previously animist locals during the men and women. The longyi was in fact introduced relatively
late 19th and early 20th centuries, and elements of animism recently, in colonial times, but its popularity is rooted in its
remain part of these cultures. simplicity and suitability to such a hot climate.
• Author: Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay
• Literary type: Short Story
• Country of origin: Myanmar
Characters:
• U Po Sein – father (75 years old)
• Daw Pan U – mother (75 years old)
• Mathaw – daughter (35 years old)
 2. Create activity or things that
would help troubled people.

1. Do character 3. Share insights

analysis to offer on Myanmar
help. culture.
 Rubbish Pagoda Spinster

very bad; worthless or a Hindu or Buddhist unmarried woman.

useless. temple or sacred
building, typically a
many-tiered tower, in
India and East Asia.
 arguing over a transcendent state in
petty and trivial which there is neither
matters. lift or haul (a suffering, desire, nor
heavy thing) with sense of self.
great effort.
a young child who
is just beginning to unwilling to give
walk. or spend;
ungenerous.
 Summary
It was the 75th birthday of U Po Sein. Ma Thaw, his daughter get up early to
prepare the cooked rice to be offered to the temple for his father’s birthday. She has a hard time
making the stove hot because of the damped firewood. Just then, her mother, Daw Pan U came
rushing to the house to cook her own food in the stove opposite the one that Ma Thaw has been
using. Daw Pan U’s stove refused to light up and so Ma Thaw brought a flaming branch from the
other stove to put on her mother’s but Daw Pan U rejected it with distaste saying she would never
use anything from that other stove.
It turned out that Ma Thaw’s parents are already separated but still living in the same house. They
each have their own stove to cook their meals separately and have separate earnings. They have
not spoken to each other for 25 years and Ma Thaw already became an old maid at age of 35. Ma
Thaw cooked for her father and helped her mother in the kitchen. In their small two-storey wooden
house, her mother has a small grocery in a room downstairs and Ma Thaw worked as a
seamstress.
The story of her parents relationship began when U Po Sein from the up country had arrived to
treat a small-pox patient. The disease spread quickly so U Po Sein had no choice but to stay for a
longer time to treat the whole village. To not make him leave anymore, the villagers made a match
for him with the 40 year old seamstress Dan Paw U, so Ma Thaw was born when her mother was
already past forty. When Ma Thaw was 3 years old, she still did not know that her father was U Po
Sein because he would be away treating patients in other villages and be home only for three to six
months at most. the marriage did not work out well; first out of shyness they refuse to go together
to the pagoda or monastery like the other couples. Even after Ma Thaw’s birth, they are still shy
with one another. However, when she was toddler, the shyness turned to bickering. Dan Paw U was
frustrated with her husband that he always spoke abruptly, that he thought too much of himself,
that he was selfish, fussy, unforgiving and contrary. On the other hand, U Po Sein was frustrated
with his wife that she was stingy did not get along with anyone, had too many things going on and
was stubborn, ungrateful, self-centered and unhelpful. It was when Ma Thaw was 10 years old that
everything exploded. It was the day that U Po Sein returned home after about three months of
treating patients from the countryside.
 Summary
Early one morning, he returned home carrying a wooden box with his clothes and
stuff, two baskets he had bought to use at home and a whole bunch of bananas. Upon arriving
home, he expected that his wife would help him carry the things inside the house. As soon as Daw
Pan U saw his husband, she went into the bedroom. When UPo Sein saw that, he dropped
everything in the door. While resting, he got up from the chair and shouted loud enough for Daw
Pan U, still in her room to hear, “Hey box, hey baskets and bananas, go into the house now, get
inside!” He was speaking as if these things were live entities. Dan Paw U knew that as long as she
did not go out and take things in, he would go on being sarcastic and was determined to see who
would give up first. Just then, two customers came and they heard the shouting of the doctor, they
hurried to the monastery to fetch Ma Thaw and told her the happenings in the house. Ma Thaw ran
like the wind back to her house.

U Po Sein was still shouting the moment Ma Thaw arrived in the house. She quickly gathered her
father’s things inside the house. He father, exhausted from all the shouting got up and proceeded
to the village. Ma Thaw looked for her mother and finally found her in bed with a blanket pulled over
her head. When U Po Sein came back, he was carrying pots and pans together with rice, salt, fish,
dried chillies, onions and bottle of oil. That was the day that U Po Sein, with deep bitterness against
his wife, declared himself no longer married to her and set up a separate kitchen. He cooked for
himself until Ma Thaw was old enough to do it for him.

Back to the present day, Ma Thaw is now ready to bring the offering to her father, she noticed that
there is no more sugar pellets left in his father’s tin, she asked her mother. Dan Paw U began
telling Ma Thaw the story of her hardship with his husband, a story that her daughter has heard a
thousand times before. Ma Thaw only half heard his mother. She was fed up with her life being the
buffer between her parents, not even getting married and she no longer wanted to listen to the
same things over and over again.
 Summary
Ma Thaw hurried to bring the offering tray to his father. U Po Sein noticed the
sugar slabs. Ma Thaw admitted she got it from her mother but insisted that she paid for it and did
not get them for free. U Po Sein is still adamant not to receive anything from his wife and ordered
Ma Thaw to throw it away.

U Po Sein had his own story of hardship with his wife but Ma Thaw is too busy counting and making
sure that she has 75 spoonfuls of water. She had also heard the same story over a hundred times
and they were nothing new. Living as a spinster in consideration of her battling parent, she felt
more wretched whenever she heard these words.

Ma Thaw hurriedly came downstairs because she must prepare her mother’s offering tray. She
was surprised when U Po Sein appeared in the doorway looking for his Zatar. He was going to
place the Zatar in front of the image before he can begin praying as he has done on every birthday
but had failed to find out this morning. Ma Thaw reminded him that he always keep the Zatar in the
empty biscuit tin by his bed. U Po Sein then remembered that the biscuit tin is not on its own place
either. It turned out that there was a storm the day before and Dan Pan U moved some things
including the tin can because the roofs were leaking. U Po Sein insisted that the things that were
moved
should have been returned in its proper place. They went on saying their opinions but not directly
saying it to one another but through Ma Thaw. Not long after, U Po Sein found the Zatar on the
bookcase. Her mother kept on nagging about the whole thing when Ma Thaw heard his father began
his prayer. One line that made her tears welled up is this “may all creatures have neither hatred
nor enmity, may they have neither anxieties, nor fears, may they keep themselves in well-being
and prosperity.

Meanwhile, her mother began praying herself. Her voice was so good and Ma Thaw, like on her
father, felt a piercing on her heart while hearing the last part of Dan Pan U’s prayer. “Those who
live far; those who live near, all these creatures of the world may they be well, body and mind, may
they be free of danger, anxiety and suffering. MA Thaw is crying now, she was highly doubtful about
her parents’ goodwill. She understood their prayer so well, “May all creatures be blessed, but not
that person in my house.” The End
Ma Thaw is a selfless daughter. Her parents are in their 70s, yet she still lives
with them, this proves how much she loves them. It may have been difficult
for her to grow up knowing her parents' situations, but she decided to
understand both sides. U Po Sein and Daw Pan U, on the other hand, were too
arrogant and self-centered to offer their family the chance to do better for
their daughter. They both only think about their hatred towards each other
that they failed to make Ma Thaw feel like they were a whole family.
Their ego destroyed their family. They
were self-centered and did not try to
adjust to the personality of one another.
They all have fears and limitations. Daw Pan U limits herself to being U Po
Sein's wife because she can't bear his personality. U Po Sein was the same
way; he didn't allow himself to be a loving family leader. Both of them were
afraid of making Ma Thaw feel lonely, so they didn't leave the house, but
somehow, they did because of their setup at home. Ma Thaw was scared of
further hurting her parents' feelings, so all she did was be obedient to them
and force herself to understand their family's situation.
I feel like Ma Thaw is stuck in an island where no other islands nearby and on that
place, she can only see nothing but the vast ocean. She got no other choices but to
live there with what she has. Just like in her real situation, she’s just simply going
through it because she has no other choice but to live with their parents for 35
years. It’s hard to live in a family with parents who are just staying together in a
marriage for decades without its primary foundation. It only caused them to live in
hatred. On a positive note, staying for her sake and seeing your parents as you
grow is something she should be grateful of.
‘She was fed up with her life of being the buffer between her parents, not even getting married and she no longer wanted to listen to the same things over and over
again.’ – Ma Thaw

‘U Po Sein too was frustrated with his wife that she was stingy, did not get along with anyone, had too many things going on, and was stubborn, ungrateful, self-centered,
and unhelpful. They each kept their frustrations with each other bottled up and when Ma Thaw was ten it all exploded.’

“You know, daughter, before you were born, we went to live with her relatives and they worked me without mercy. They asked me to reap the paddy and I have never
done anything like that before...my hands were all torn up and became infected, dripping blood and pus... she’s not even grateful that I suffered like that, that
inconsiderate woman.”

“Whenever I think of that time I feel like crying; it’s only because I worry about
you that I am still living in this house.”– U Po Sein

Daw Pan U was frustrated with her husband that he always spoke abruptly, that he thought too much of himself, that he was selfish, fussy, unforgiving, and contrary.

“He sits there all dignified as the head of the household and does not want to use his money for anything and then he badmouths me, and I’m the one earning my living.
It’s only because of you, you know, it’s only because I worry about you that I have not left this house.” – Daw Pan U
The author described the
characters emotions with words
such as frustrated, fed up, and etc.
No. Proper wording of thoughts is one way of how you can
express your thoughts very well. It is important to find the right
words when expressing your emotions or thoughts so it can be
understood easily. If it weren’t written in the story, the readers
won’t be able to feel it, imagine it, and understand the mood on
the story.
House and home are two different things. A house is a place
that provides shelter from the physical risks and dangers of
life but a home is a place where you can find comfort, love,
support, peace of mind, and a sense of belonging. There are
some families who live together but do not live as a family.
One stove in this kitchen became two when Ma Thaw was ten years old....one
for her father and one for her mother. Her parents had not spoken to each
other in twenty-five years, with Ma Thaw being a thirty-five-year-old maid.
They shared a house but had separate incomes and prepared their own meals.
Ma Thaw assisted her mother in the kitchen and prepared for her father. Her
mother ran a small grocery in a room downstairs in their little two-story
wooden house, and Ma Thaw worked as a seamstress.
I'm not sure I could make the same sacrifices Ma Thaw did for her parents. Parents
are important, and we should all honor and respect them, no matter what they did
or who they are. We must accept them and be grateful for their presence in our
lives. However, parents must sometimes recognize that it was not only about them,
but also about our feelings as their children. We, the children, should take action
because it only takes a brief moment for them to realize that it would be better if
they gave their family a chance to thrive and live happily.
Close proximity refers to living close to other
family members. That is the plot of the story.
Only that they are no longer living as a family
and are simply living together.
Burmese people devote their lives to their own cultures while being guided by them. This is
very evident on the fiction/story. They practice offering donations and spoonful of rice to
the shrine as well as the monks during their birthdays. Burmese people also visit pagodas.
Moreover, the image of desired wives and what they should do when their husbands come
home after a long trip was also showed in the story. They were expected to get all their
husbands’ things and bring them inside the house themselves. On top of that, it can also be
noted that at the time when the fiction was written. These days, marriage is not always
arranged but were influenced by their parents.
Actually, there is a similarity at some of the Burmese people’s practices to
what most Filipinos are doing today. Most Filipinos have a habit of celebrating
their birthdays by going or visiting churches to pay gratitude for another
year. For arranged marriages, some people is still doing this practice today
but most were only via influenced of parents. Still, the majority of Filipinos
still believe on the sacredness of marriage built with love. It is what’s
common in this age.
Of course. Knowing the culture of a certain country is
the first thing we should know as a way of respect to
their people. That’s probably the easiest way of
interacting with them without being rude or
disrespectful to their own beliefs.
to utter a sharp to gaze stupidly
shrill sound or in
unwilling or openmouthed
hesitant surprise
an oval freshly fruit that
is purple, reddish, or
yellow when ripe and a woman of
contains a flattish
pointed pit
rank, station,
or authority
The story took place in Taungdwin-gyi in 1963.
The protagonist was a lecturer at the University of Yangon since the early 1960s. Before that, he
served about three years as a middle school teacher in his hometown of Taungdwin-gyi. At the risk of
being thought boastful, he must say that he was considered quite a good teacher at both posts. He
had thought it was nothing much: one becomes known as a ‘good teacher’ without too much effort or
talent. However, what he encountered on his trip home in 1963 shook him.
On that visit to Taungdwin-gyi, he liked to spend his time meeting with some of his best friends at
Shwe In Taung pagoda, near the museum where he was once a director. On his way to the museum he
would drop in at the primary school next to the pagoda to inform his friend, U Nyan Sein who teaches
there, that he’d be waiting for him. He was also an art teacher but he also taught reading and writing
to the newest children in school: the kindergarten.
On his visit, his friend, U Nyan Sein, a teacher was drawing Master Tortoise, a popular Cartoon
character on the blackboard. The teacher started to draw Master Rabbit also on the board. He was
trying to narrate a tale to the kids. The teacher can teach Reading and Writing anytime. But as of the
moment, he wants his students to enjoy school. They must love coming to school. They should not be
afraid.
Like, there was a boy crying out loud. He would often glance out of the window looking at his
grandmother, sitting under a nearby Tamarind tree.
The teacher requested the grandmother not to show herself to the boy. The howls of the boy shook
the room. The teacher asked the class to cry so that it will be used up quickly. All the kids went into a
loud pantomime of crying. The boy stopped crying in amazement, looking around in confusion. U Nyan
Sein went on with his tale. The boy started again to cry. And again, the whole class has joined him in
crying aloud to use it all up. There were no more tears from anyone, real or fake, after that.
The next day a new lesson started. The teacher asked each one to stand up, and to announce their
names. Then he drew a ‘ka’ (First letter of the alphabet) on the black board.
After seeing his friend at work, he was truly shaken. He questioned himself if he was a good teacher.
And if he was doing as much good for his students as U Nyan Sein is.
The one telling the story seems to
be the friend of the kindergarten
teacher, who was a lecturer at the
University of Yangon and served
as a middle school teacher in his
hometown, Taungdwin-gyi where
the story took place.
The story was narrated from the
first-person point of view. The
narrator used the word I which
implies that what he was narrating
was his observation of the
happenings around him.
He was telling this story to share
to the reader his realizations from
what he saw from his
“kindergarten teacher” friend.
He’d been way off the mark with
his evaluation of “good teaching”
and seeing how his friend taught
the children became a wake-up
call for him to improve.
The story was a recount of what
the narrator experienced in his trip
to his hometown in 1963. A
flashback technique was used as he
narrated his realizations from what
he experienced. The imagery was
also creatively used in the story to
make the scenes appealing to the
readers.
Telling this story from another perspective
would change the mood and the appeal that
it already has. The change in perspective
could make this story more appealing or the
other way around. But one thing is for sure,
it cannot convey the message exactly as
what the narrator wants it to be. There
could be a change in the emotional impact
because there will be an inevitable change
in the way the characters are made from a
new perspective.
So much respect for the teachers who devote their
time and effort to unleash the potentials of their
students. It was an everyday dilemma for them to
think of ways that will make the students enjoy the
learning process. Being a teacher requires a lot of
effort and patience, especially for a kindergarten
teacher. The kind of students they have can be
easily defocused when they see something that
catches their attention. Their work does not end
when the class ends. These people already devote
and identified themselves as teachers anytime,
anywhere.
For two or three days I would just see him
making drawings and telling stories so I
asked him why he was not teaching
anything. “I can teach reading and writing
anytime,” he replied. “Yes, it’s true, I mean
it, but right now children must enjoy school;
they must love coming to school, not fear it.
It’s the most important step.”
This just proves that teaching for
U Nyan Sein was not just a task or
a job that he needed to do. He’s
doing all that out of passion and
love for what he was doing. He
cares for his pupils.
The narrator realized that the
character of U Nyan Sein is the best
example of a good teacher which is
different from his evaluation of “good
teaching”. He saw how the students
react to the activities and that’s
because they enjoy what they are
doing. To make the students enjoy the
learning process was the essence of
teaching.
The story took place in Taungdwin-gyi in
1963. It happened a long time ago, and to
say a millennial, it should have happened
between the 1980s to 2000. The setting of
the story was in Myanmar. The culture and
the tradition of the people were shown in
the story. It was said that the narrator loves
spending time at Shwe In Taung pagoda.
Myanmar alphabet was also different from
those of the other countries in the region.
Yes, I believe that there are a lot of
teachers like U Nyan Sein nowadays. I,
myself had a teacher back in high school
who always make every lesson fun. It is true
that if you are enjoying the learning
process, it is easier to learn. I hope that
more and more teachers will be like U Nyan
Sein in the next generations who value and
share genuine leanings.
Yes, they are. I remember when I was also
a kindergarten student, parents waiting
outside the classrooms was the usual
scenario every day. But I am not sure if it is
still allowed because most schools
nowadays prohibit parents to stay in the
corridors or hallways of the classrooms
during class hours. After all, they cause
distractions to the classes.
Yes, it was evident in the story that the
kindergarten teacher loves his pupils. It was
manifested in his efforts to make them enjoy
going to school first for them to enjoy the
learning process as well. Every meeting was
interactive so that the students could also
express themselves. He would do that by
drawing something on the board and let his
students guess what he illustrated.
Myanmar alphabet as described in the story
was based on the circle and the letters are
in that sense deviations of the sweet plum, a
very round little circle. It would be easier
for the students to learn their alphabet by
drawing it. By thinking of the plum, they can
visualize it in their minds, and it would help
their brain to remember things.
1. Compare wedding cultures.
2. Use imagery in composition.
3. Discuss how the characters are
made convincing.
SUMMARY

1
 The group of people dressed in their best stood in
the narrow lane, necks stretching to catch a glimpse of the car
coming towards them on the bump road. This was the car taking
them to the wedding. In their eyes the car rolled on the bumps
as if it were a boat riding the waves.
The first batch of passengers was the young girls
who were in charge of handling out sprigs of flowers and
cigarettes to each guest. They must be in their places before
the guests arrive. A quarrel broke out between two children
about who was to wear the one pair of slippers belonging to
both. The old man had fallen ill all of a sudden and the
neighborhood had held its breath but now, thank God, he’s on the
mend.
 Her hair was done in a high chignon, and the false
tress that dangled on the side was darker than her own hair.
The rhinestone hairpin sparkled. Around her neck she wore a
gem necklace and a strand of pearls, and in photos they would
surely look real. The groom was wearing a dark golden yellow
longyi as near the golden color of the bride’s htamein as
possible.
The newlyweds had already given pocket money to
the young men. It is called ‘Payment for Stones’, a sum paid off
to avoid the teasing throwing of stone on the house that night.
These guys trooped out joyfully for drinks and food. As for the
girls they had promised to take them all to watch TV that night.
 U San Tin the owner of the TV came out to greet
Father when they arrived. He seemed happy to have a full
house. He was rather strict and he did not allow any kids to
eat snacks or throw plum seeds at each other. They said
their good-byes, apologizing. U San Tin squeezed Father’s
hand as they left.
Mar Mar Tin paid for her guests, bargaining with
a beating heart to let off four kyat. The TV owners agreed, he
said, just for this night. Mar Mar Tin carried the folding chair
with the wet burlap seat wondering how she could keep the
make-up on until tomorrow. Sein Hla carried his father,
wondering about how this night U San Tin had been so nice.
The audience made their way home, talking about the show.
The first one portrayed images of the people
preparing for Sein Hla and Mar Mar Tin’s
wedding, as seen in the story. The next
paragraph describes Mar Mar Tin’s wedding
day attire. She felt stunning in her gown,
make-up, and hair for that big day.
If you thoroughly read the story, you can
easily imagine the scenarios in it. One great
example is when the group of people saw the
car where they will ride. You can easily
picture out their faces while waiting and the
car since these were perfectly described in
the story.
Yes. Based from the story, it was very similar to the
weddings of the ordinary citizens in the Philippines
especially those living in the rural areas. The wedding
celebration does not end in the church because
Filipino couples and their visitors often proceed to a
wedding reception right after the wedding which,
most of the times, takes place in the house of the
wife’s family, similar to the story.
The plot’s simplicity, as well as the use of
imagery, helped us imagine and comprehend
Myanmar’s wedding culture. We can easily
comprehend the story because it is well-
written and the use of words to portray each
and every scenes were on point.
The story focuses on the wedding
culture in Myanmar, particularly the
wedding reception which happened
after the wedding proper.
The author makes use of imagery a lot in the
entire story. He uses descriptive languages
very well that makes us, readers, imagine
and feel like we are experiencing the story. It
is very realistic to the point that we easily
see the image the story wants to portray.
 Thank you sa
mga nagtype
Myanmar ng “1” <3
Yarnxczs

Group 7
cuties

Sana ‘di mo
tinulugan
group namen
UwU

PPT is LYF

SANA MAY
NATUTUNAN
UwU KAYO SA’MIN
<3
Asean Lit
is <3