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Kuo Pao Kun's theatre : searching for a new contact zone in multiracial Singapore
Author
Ho, Stephanie Louise
Supervisor
Wee, C. J. Wan-ling
Abstract
This Academic Exercise examines four plays written from the 1980s to the 1990s by Singaporean playwright, Kuo Pao Kun. The plays are Mama Looking for Her Cat (1988), OZeroOl (1991), Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral (1995) and The Spirits Play (1998). Kuo observes that Singapore is experiencing a cultural crisis as a result of its material affluence. At the same time, he argues that Singaporeans are "cultural orphans" owing to Singapore's past and its modem politics. Thus, by exploring how Kuo's plays move progressively from an expression of commonalities amongst diverse Singaporeans to a vision of an identity that transcends state-imposed circumscriptions, this thesis argues Kuo urges Singapore's multiracial citizenry to imagine a new cultural identity.
This new cultural identity will transcend the confines of race, language and culture that have been imposed by the state in its drive for modernisation and capitalist development. It will also embody the ideals of multiculturalism. The imagining of a new cultural identity will be considered as a search for what can be called a new cultural "contact zone". Cultural deracination wrought by Singapore's foray into modernisation suggests that this search entails engagement between culture and memory. At the same time, it also involves negotiations with living in a modern capitalist society. The thesis concludes that in spite of the challenges involved in the search, Kuo urges Singaporeans to persevere in their attempt to imagine a new cultural identity.
It is hoped that this thesis will contribute to a larger pool of study of Kuo's works and provide an insight into how Kuo had a clear sense of the direction that Singapoream should take as they strive to transcend the circumscriptions imposed on their cultural identities.
This new cultural identity will transcend the confines of race, language and culture that have been imposed by the state in its drive for modernisation and capitalist development. It will also embody the ideals of multiculturalism. The imagining of a new cultural identity will be considered as a search for what can be called a new cultural "contact zone". Cultural deracination wrought by Singapore's foray into modernisation suggests that this search entails engagement between culture and memory. At the same time, it also involves negotiations with living in a modern capitalist society. The thesis concludes that in spite of the challenges involved in the search, Kuo urges Singaporeans to persevere in their attempt to imagine a new cultural identity.
It is hoped that this thesis will contribute to a larger pool of study of Kuo's works and provide an insight into how Kuo had a clear sense of the direction that Singapoream should take as they strive to transcend the circumscriptions imposed on their cultural identities.
Date Issued
2005
Call Number
PR9555.9.K82 Ho
Date Submitted
2005