Literature :D

1) Do the respective authors use these traditional chinese rituals ( eating paper dissolved in drink, burning of paper and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors) just for irony or for more profound purposes? What are these purposes?

Profound purposes. Lighting joss-sticks and praying to ancestors shows that they still remember those who have already pass away. An example is the story 'Paper'. Tay Soon had always wanted a house which he planned on buying after saving up. Though, he was caught-up with the stock market. Became greedy and in the end he died. His mother then bought for him a house that he had always thought of. Perhaps for him in the afterlife.

2) Would you yourself, as a modern young Singaporean, see the relevance of such cultural rituals in your society as necessary still, or are a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking?

Cultural rituals are still necessary in this modern complex. It is important to always respect the cutural rituals that exist. Society nowadays have been neglecting such cultural rituals and thus should not see it as a hindrance to progress and enlightened thinking. Cultural rituals are also tradional ways where have been passed on from generation to the next generation. Therefore, it is necessary of such cultural rituals to take place.

3)Do you think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world? How far is it a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more that a person, especially an elderly one, can want?

Elderly in singapore are always generally seemed to be out of touch with the contemporary world. Due to their incompetency in technologies as Singapore is always upgrading and improvising itself. Though on the other hand, there are elderly singaporeans who still earn a living and are able to keep touch with the latest technologies. Thus not all elders in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world. It is a virtue to remain contented as she being contented means that she is happy with what she has. Though she must also be looking ahead in the future and not only be in her comfort-zone.

4)Is looking back at the past necessarily a good thing? This particular story uses the past to affirm strong ties, emotion and sentiment, but when can it become a negative habit?

Looking back into the past necessarily is a good thing. If it is necessary to do so. Some people always live in their past where they don't look forward to the future and this is unhealthy. This shows that the person is not letting go of the past and this will ultimately affect people around them. Therefore, looking back at the past necessarily is a good thing but also to have the discipline to not get carried away by the past.