Essay on Engaging Readers Through Conflict in Literature: Overlapping Struggles

Literature without conflict is considered boring. The struggles in a story are necessary to keep the reader engaged and entertained. However, it is usually painful for the audience to notice how their favourite character goes through hardships. Literature is very diverse; the amount of research in the world has it for variations in the types of conflict and character experience (Lo, 1992). According to (Rosiana, 2004), the stories are not exclusive mutual, thus have overlapping struggles; the struggles contain many characters and storylines.

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In the Singapore theatre, Emily Gan is a complex female figure (Guanyinmiao, 2010). The character of Emily extends to the entire genre of English Literature. Various commentaries and reviews have also recognised the distinct role of Emily. Her character portrays the dichotomy of the "oppressed" and the "oppressor' as witnessed from monologue to monologue; however, this trait is seen when scenes shift between the past and present. Stella Kon, in her play, presents Emily as a victim of circumstances. At least Emily is portrayed this way in several episodes. Also, from the dramatic monologues she has, one can conclude that she is justifying her actions and decisions based on her experiences. Therefore the life-journey that Emily goes through makes her think that she needs to be valued for her to validate her existence.

This paper analyses conflict in Stella Kon's Emily of Emerald Hill, and The conflict is based on the character Emily. For instance, the famous monologue, Emily undergoes. Also, the drama captures Babar tradition, and the tradition is considerably connected to the character of Emily; her character is instantly recognisable to all.

A character against self-conflict is an internal struggle that a character face (Guanyinmiao, 2010). The high internal conflict for Emily is the dramatic monologue. For the entire play, Emily presents her life story to the audience as a single speaker. The address gives the reader an emotive view of the life of Emily. There is a lot of emotions witnessed with the audience having a conversation with Emily. "This one-woman monologue captures, in wonderful detail, aspects of both Singapore's cultural past and its present." (Guanyinmiao, 2010).

Emily versus society. In general, a person versus society conflict always follows the storyline of a conflict group or an individual; sometimes, one gets successful or not so successful against injustices in a society (Rosiana, 2004). Characters struggle with various vices, for instance, corrupt power structures; others strive to create a new culture. The play Emily of Emerald Hill is an advance towards a modern society. Emily Gan is a precursor to the advance, although her relatives and children do not remain with the traditional outlook (Guanyinmiao, 2010). Through the entire play, Emily refers to Singaporean-Peranakan beliefs, and the views are considered traditional, they express how a woman should be submissive to her husband and the way the first grandson is always favoured. Eventually, Emily fails to solidify the changes; the changes are outdone by urbanisation and modernisation. She is, therefore, left alone in Emerald Hill.

Conflict with the family exists in Emily's character. This is an example of a Person versus Person conflict (Rosiana, 2004). In this type of conflict, one person struggles to win over the other person or group. For instance, in Stella Kon's Emily of Emerald Hill, Emily only and Susie maintains their cordial relationship on the surface (Guanyinmiao, 2010). The reader is left wondering whether there is true love in the family of Gan. Especially when considering the significant role played by domestic politics. In the relation between Susie and Emily, Emily only cares for aspects like clothing and food. The conflict between Susie and Emily was evident when they were using Freddy and Richard to curry-favour in the presence of their father-in-law. This happens as the women struggle to make sure that they secure a share of the will for their sons. The competition for the will makes Emerald Hill cold and distant. Also, the effect is seen on Emily as she is only able to express what she feels in an outsize manner. For example, the way she does with Bee Choo, her friend.

Besides, the Singapore Nonya, Emily Gan, struggles against patriarchy. She also works against her, thus becoming the Nonya matriarch. Emily dominates her family; however, the ending is not as good as such since she loses what she loves the most (Guanyinmiao, 2010).

In the play, time fluids and audiences move backwards and forwards, considering various scenes in the life of Emily, where "she has to perform the roles of being a good daughter-in-law, a good mother, a good wife, a good hostess, and a good woman behind the man, manipulating and ambitious" (Rosiana, 2004). Several Nonya traditions and customs have been added into the play, and this has made the story valuable cultural record, exciting and compelling drama.

Conclusion

Overall, a key question to ask is whether Stella Kon's play, Emily of Emerald Hill is a conflict feminist text. The paper has discussed the play through the character Emily. We see Emily controlling each aspect of her family (Guanyinmiao, 2010). Her conflict life revolves around monologue, clashing with Susie and even the advances Emily has towards the modern society. Emily ends up alone at her old age. In general, conflict makes people disown one.

References

Guanyinmiao, J., (2010). Stella Kon's Emily of Emerald Hill. The Book Club. Retrieved from: https://kwanjinyao.com/2010/06/12/stella-kon%E2%80%99s-emily-of-emerald-hill/

Rosiana, J., (2004). Emily's struggles to survive in her patriarchal family, as seen in Stella Kon's Emily of Emerald Hill. ResearchGate. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/39742775_Emily's_struggles_to_survive_in_her_patriarchal_family_as_seen_in_Stella_Kon's_Emily_of_Emerald_Hill