Before getting the scholarship, Dawan and Kwai always being honest and kind to

each other. They share and support each others thoughts, feelings and dreams.
Later, everything has changed when there is a gap between them. It is all about
being kind to each other that makes the relationship between them ends with
kindness.
Nobody agrees to allow Dawan to pursue her study in the city. In order to gain a
support from the head monk, who is the most respected person in the village, she
goes to the market alone. It is here that she meets Bao who later provokes Kwai
about Dawans rights and opportunity to go to the city. He loses his patience and
tries to slap Bao but accidently pushes Dawan. Dawan falls on top of the pile of
broken birdcages and cuts her ankle. Feeling guilty, Kwai attempts to wipe the blood
with the banana leaf but is refused by his sister. Dawan starts blaming and accusing
her own brother, Kwai for not supporting her to further her study. The relationship
between the siblings is now being tested. It is because the act of kindness shown by
Kwai that tries to wipe the blood that has cooled the situation in the market. He just
keeps quiet and does not argue with Dawan who constantly questions him about
the scholarship. It is this act of kindness towards his own sister that halt the conflict
from worsen.
As Noi appears and helps Dawan to bandage her ankle, Kwai leaves them alone.
Dawan limps off

Q : Briefly describe the parent (s) expectations of the main character in the
novel that you have read . State whether these expectations changed towards
the end of the novel and give reasons for your answer with close reference to the
text.
Based on the novel Sing To The Dawn written by Minfong Ho, I have found many
parents expectations of Dawan as the main character. However, these expectations
changed towards the end of the story due to some reasons.
First is that Father expects Kwai will get the scholarship and
pursue his study in the city. However this expectation changes as it is Dawan
who wins it. Father allows Kwai to study at school with a hope that his boy is smart
and can pursue his study at the city. He knows the familys life can only be changed
with education. At first, Father has no intention at all to school Dawan. He permits
Dawan to study just because he is persuaded by Kwai .He has no hope for Dawan
as he believes that womens life is supposed to be spent at home, cooking and
entertaining their husbands. Before they go to school that morning, both of them
have already talked at the river bridge about the opportunity to be in the city.
Dawan herself convinces Kwai, that he will win the scholarship and Father will be
proud of his son. However, he is so surprised when the teacher tells him that Dawan
gets the 1st place and Kwai is the 2nd in the examination. His expectation to send
Kwai to the city to learn new things is abruptly changed as at the end, it is his
daughter, Dawan who will pursue her dreams to change the life of the family.
Second is Father expects that Dawan will let off her
scholarship to Kwai. If Dawan waives her rights as the 1 st winner, it will be shifted
to the 2nd winner that is Kwai. He knows that Kwai still has the opportunity to
continue his dreams in the city as the teacher has informed him. However it is only
his own speculation, as Dawan refuses to let the chance to be taken by Kwai. She
persistently believes that she has the same rights to go to the city. In addition,to
change Fathers principle, she comes to the extend which she bravely meets the
head monk so that he will support and coax her father. The results of meeting with
the head monk is not really satisfying since he is also in the same shoes with the
Father. Kwai at last has also surrenders his dreams and willingly supports Dawan.
He even threats his father to hand over the scholarship to Thak Citt who is in the 3 rd
place . She doesnt know how to give up. Fathers expectation that Dawan will let
off the scholarship to Kwai is diminished and changed as at the end, Father agrees
that Dawan is eligible to get the scholarship.
The last expectation is that, Mother expects Dawan will change
her opinion about beautiful life in the city when she meets Noi. She does not
volunteer herself at first, as it is an action out of sympathy towards Grandmother
who wants to accompany Dawan to Nois house. Mother does not expect that
Dawans determination is risen after hearing Nois story. Even though Noi narrates
the injustice life of women who are manipulated by men , it does not give any

impact on her desire to go to the city. Selling cigarettes, candy and become hookers
just to pay for living, should be predicament s for Dawan to pursue her dreams.
Mother does not expect that Nois experiences and exposures of the city life will
strengthen Dawans desire to further her study in the city, instead, she becomes
more determined to go there. Thus, Mothers expectation has changed.
As a conclusion, the parents expectations do change due to reasons stated above.

Suggest a character in the novel you have read who you think is a good role model for
teenagers. Briefly describe the character and give reasons for your choice with close
reference to the text.
Based on the novel Sing To The Dawn written by Minfong Ho, I think, Dawan is a good role
model for teenagers nowadays. This is due to some reasons.
Firstly it is because Dawan is a very determined girl in chasing her dream.
Eventhough the village system is dominated by men, she determinedly fights for her rights.
As she wins the scholarship to pursue her study at the city, it becomes her goal to convince
her family members especially Father and Kwai to support her. She realizes that Kwai is
avoiding her since the result is announced and the conflict between them erupts in a
market. Kwai accidently pushes Dawan after he is provoked and questioned by Bao,
regarding Dawans rights to pursue her study in the city. Besides, her own Father expects
that she will waive her right as the first winner to her own brother, Kwai (2 nd place) to go to
the city. For him, girls life will end up at home, entertaining and cooking for the family. The
determination that she possess, enables her to face the system that her Father and Kwai
have inherited from the past generations.
Therefore, this evident has clearly shown that determination is very important for teenagers
as they have to face many obstacles in life. As when your own family members against your
dream and do not believe in you, it is very hard to convince them that you are capable to do
it. Instead, Dawan really shows that she is really determined in order to achieve her dream
and obviously, she is a good role model for teenagers.
Secondly, for me, Dawan is a good role model because she is a
courageous person. It is proven when she goes to a market for the first time by herself. She
tries her luck to buy a lotus bud with some coins that she has. She wants to give the lotus to
the head monk who is the most respected person in the village. The aim is to persuade the
head monk to be on her side and helps her to coax her father regarding her decision to
further her study. She bravely goes to the temple and sits among the prayers so that she
has a chance to meet the head monk eyes to eyes. It is an etiquette not to stop the head
monk without an urgent excuse. However for Dawan, as the head monk leaves the temple,
she hurriedly chases and able to have a conversation with him. Here it shows that Dawan is
really a brave teenager who will do anything to achieve her dreams. The head monks status
is as the respectable icon who is on par with the head village in our society. It is hard to
approach a powerful man just to let him listen to our personal problems, while at the same
time he has to settle much more urgent matters. Hence it is the reason why Dawan is a good
role model for teenagers.
Dawan is also a good role model to the teenagers because she is
forgiving. The introduction part of the story reflects the strong relationship between these
two characters. They support and being honest towards each other. He is the one who
pleads Father to let her study at school and keeps motivating her to be confident and believe

that she has a potential to further her study at the city. However, the relationship is put on
test when Dawan wins the scholarship. She realizes that Kwai leaves the classroom when
everyone congratulates her. She knows that Kwai really wants to win it but she does not
expect that he does not support her. He, who is supposed to be Dawans backbone, has
threatened to tell Father that he can replace her to go to the city. His wrath explodes at the
market when he pushes Dawan. It is Dawan who forgives Kwai for his cruel intention and
action. So, instead of letting him to be drenched in the rain, she willingly gives away the
umbrella to Kwai. It is true that blood is thicker than water, but it is not easy to forgive and
forget for what has happened. Therefore, for me Dawan is a good role model for teenagers.
As a conclusion, teenagers should have determination and courage in all
matters that they do nowadays. Try to forgive others is the key to an eternal happiness. All
these can be seen in Dawan. Hence, Dawan is my choice as a good role model for
teenagers.