Set in the late 1960s when Singapore, recently ousted from Malaysia (1965), was compelled to establish its independence, this novel offers a critique of the nation's new regulated democracy and politics. The authorial voice that emerges is a socially conscious one which levels harsh criticism against the authoritarian politics involved in the creation of a highly disciplined community, focussed on achieving economic progress. Central to the novel is the motif of the “rice bowl”, a powerful symbol of the major concern of the nation's materialistic and dehumanised citizens:
Whether you like it or not people do value their rice bowls. They want flats, they want houses, they want cars, they want money in the banks and they're getting them under this system! (144)
Whether you like it…
1377 words
Citation: Lai, Amy. "The Rice Bowl". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 October 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=11868, accessed 22 November 2024.]
