Chocolate

Have been looking for more elaboration of this clip, to find the meaning underlying it, found it today finally...

But it's in Mandarin, will translate it later, if i am capable enough =p

Link : http://opinions.sinchew-i.com/node/11197?tid=17

Author : 郑丁贤

见笑了~

If you ask me what I have observed in the short clips released recently by 15Malaysia, my answer would be “myself”.

In “Chocolate” by Yasmin Ahmad, the mother of a Chinese family, owner of the grocery store, wants the boy (her son) to leave ‘here’, because ‘here’ (the land) is not belongs to him; he will not have bright future if he stays.

The boy is not willing to leave because he claims that he meets a lot of friends ‘here’, on the other hand, he doubts that the reason his mother asking him to leave is because she wants to be with her boyfriend.In the argument, a Malay girl comes to the grocery store to buy battery and chocolate. The boy is attracted by the gentle young girl, the atmosphere is relaxed down.

All of a sudden, the mother shouts from the back, “Why are you having such a long conversation with the Malay girl?” The atmosphere turns intense again, the girl lacks of 5 cent, and the boy takes back the chocolate.The girl walks away disappointingly, the boy wishes to give her the chocolate, meanwhile, the mother speaks again, the boy dispels his thought, leaves behind the regrets.

This 2-minutes-plus short story, perhaps, it is not a story, only a scenario. The scenario of a story, or may be the scenario of the society.

Yasmin managed to portray the alienation Malaysian Chinese feel about themselves, and the contradiction in emotions. “Here” does not give you a fair chance, no future. Only by leaving “here”, you will get a better prospect.

However, the boy has a deep feeling towards ‘here’. There might be scholarships and opportunities out there, but, the place is an alien to him, he will lose all the connection he has here.

The appearance of the Malay girl, is a kind of catalyst, represents the connection of the relation in the society. However, the catalyst has only temporary effect. The sound of the mother, representing the inherent stereotype and prejudice of the society, also strength that refuse to change, pulls everything back to the original situation.

I have some dignified feeling after watching the clip.

Everybody does not like the way the mother talks, but, we can sense that the same thoughts are found in almost every Chinese family. Everybody feels sorry for the boy, he should be more open and warm, without limiting himself about what he should do.

In fact, the Chinese living in Malaysia have too much worries and indecisive thinking; especially when they need to express themselves in the society and the political life.

That’s why I said, everybody can see ‘themselves’ through the clip.

This short clip by Yasmin Ahmad, was the finding she found by observing the contradiction the Chinese face living in Malaysia. She did not suggest a way or give a conclusion; maybe she had no clue too. She just pointed out the question, so that everybody can spend some time to think about it.