A BRAVE MAN IS NOT HE WHO DOESNT FEEL AFRAID BUT HE WHO

CONQUERS THAT FEAR WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE TEXT, DESCRIBE

HOW THIS IS POTRAYED BY ONE OF THE CHARACTER AND EXPLAIN HOW THIS
QUALITY WOULD BENEFIT YOU.

Sing to the Dawn by Ming Fong Ho is the novel I

learnt. The story is about a young Thai girl called
Dawan who wins a scholarship to study in a city
school. She faces the disapproval of her father who
thinks that studying is not for girls and she should
give the scholarship to her brother as he is second in
the test. Dawan tries many ways to convince her
father to let her pursue her studies. I believe that a
brave man is not he who doesnt feel afraid but he
who conquers that fear. One of the character who
potrayed this is Dawan. The arguments with her
father, her brother Kwai and the head monk prove
that Dawan doesnt feel afraid but conquers her fear.

Firstly, Dawan is not afraid when she tries to convince

her father that he should give her a chance to study.
When she approaches her father she keeps on failing
but she never gives up. She continues to do so and
succeed in her mission. This is shown in the novel
when she mustered courage and spoke up bravely to
seek justice from her father. She is feared because her
father has the primitive thinking that a girls place is
in the home and they do not to go to school. He
treated his flesh and blood unfairly as he favoured
Kwai over Dawan. He told Dawan that more
education for a girl will be wasted. Bravely Dawan
told her father that the scholarship is rightfully hers.
She aspired to study and find a new system to help
the villagers as well. She pleaded and convinced him
to believe in her dreams and to give her the chance.
She failed many times. Eventually, she managed to
convince her father. He relented and let her went to
the City School. It is clearly shown that Dawan
conquers her fear when she tries to convince her
father that he should give her a chance to study in the
city.

Secondly, Dawan is not afraid when she argues with

her brother, Kwai. After the teacher announces she
wins the scholarship, she knows that her brother is
angry and unhappy. This is shown in the novel when
Kwai demanded to know why she should pursue her
studies as she will end up being a housewife. He
belittled her by saying that she has no leadership
quality to make changes and lead the villagers like
him. Kwai pushed her and she had a bad cut on her
ankle when they argued at the market. Dawan
displayed her braveness after the fight at the market.
She talked to her brother because she feared the
differences between them to widen. She told her
brother him that she wished that both of them could
go to the City School. She pleaded that it was her last
chance and Kwai still has many chances to apply and
go later. She told him that she felt scared about going
to the city and pleaded to him not to make it more
difficult on her. She was concerned and worried about
his health during a heavy downpour at the bridge. She
scarificed her comfort for him by giving him the
umbrella that she needed too. She did not want her
brother to regret and thought that she forced him
later. Kwai realised that her sister was fair to him.
Kwai was determined to let her sister go the City as
he was very sure about what he wanted. It is as clear
as day that Dawan conquers her fear when she tries
to convince her brother that he should give her a
chance to study in the city.

Lastly, Dawan is not afraid when she argues with the

old monk. The head monk discriminates against
female. He believes in the old ways and customs and
does not want to change the order of things in the
society. This is shown in the novel when he did not
think that girls need to be educated. He told Dawan
that it was unfortunate that Kwai her brother did not
win the scholarship. He refused to help Dawan to
persuade her father to let her go to the City school.
The head monk discouraged her and told her that she
can learn everything she wanted in the temple. He
talked about religious and life to Dawan. He told
Dawan that nothing last in the world. He told her that
not to waste time dreaming of useless ambitions
because she cannot achieve anything as a mere school
girl. The monk told her if it was Kwai her brother then
there would be no problem. Dawan was angry at the
injustice towards her. She bravely told the monk that
he did not live with the pain of the world outside the
temple. He lives in the monastery and everything was
provided for him. Dawan told the monk off when he
told her not to waster her time dreaming. She bravely
retorted that he was unfair and left the temple feeling
angry, bitter, hopeless and heart-broken. It is clearly
shown that Dawan conquers her fear when she tries
to convince the monk that she should be given her a
chance to study in the city.

In conclusion, the arguments with her father, her

brother Kwai and the head monk prove that Dawan
doesnt feel afraid but conquers her fear. Dawan is a
brave person. I learnt to be brave from this character.
I learn to argue with patience and maturity in any
occasion. I learn to forgive and forget. I shall fight for
my rights and make my dreams come true.
SUGGEST ONE CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL THAT YOU
HAVE READ WHO YOU THINK HAS ADMIRABLE
QUALITIES. DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER AND GIVE
REASONS FOR YOUR CHOICE WITH CLOSE REFERENCE
TO THE TEXT.

Sing to the Dawn by Ming Fong Ho is the novel I

learnt. The story is about a young Thai girl called
Dawan who wins a scholarship to study in a city
school. She faces the disapproval of her father who
thinks that studying is not for girls and she should give
the scholarship to her brother as he is second in the
test. Dawan tries many ways to convince her father to
let her pursue her studies. Dawan has many
admirable qualities such as determination, loving and
caring.
First of all, Dawan is a determined girl. Her parents
think that it is wasteful and foolish for girls to attend
school. She is given the chance to attend school only
because her brother Kwai had insisted that she be
allowed to study along with him. In her community,
girls are expected to stay at home and help with the
housework and when they are older, get married and
have a family of their own to take care of. Young girls
such as Dawan are deprived of their basic rights.
Many of them have to resign to their fate. Dawan,
being a determined girl refused to give up on her
dreams. She refused to follow such traditional biased
custom. Hence, she fought for her right for education.
There were many situations where determinedly
fought for her right for education in the novel such as
the arguments with her Father. This is shown in the
novel when her father pressured her to give up the
scholarship to Kwai. He was disappointed when
Dawan won the scholarship. He had hoped that Kwai
would study in the city and help him and the villagers.
He believed that she cannot do anything by studying
more. He demanded to know why she should study
more as she will end up to be a housewife just like her
mother. Dawan determinedly met with the
disapproval of his father when she told him that she
wanted to pursue her studies in the city school.
Dawan wanted her father to be fair and kind to her as
his flesh and blood. She pleaded with her father to
give her a chance and believe in her dreams. Her
father asked her probing and challenging questions to
be convinced that he is sending the right person to
the City to study. She convinced him that she too can
help the people in the village and perhaps her
country. Although, her father is autocratic, seeing her
determination, he listened to her explanation and
finally gave in to Dawan wishes and let her study in
the City. As we can clearly see now Dawan is a
determined girl as she refuses to give up on her
dreams and fights for her rights.
 Dawan is also a loving and caring sister. Dawan
and her brother Kwai have similar ambitious plans to
improve life in the village. In fact, both of them hope
to win the scholarship which will be a stepping stone
to their dreams. He discriminates her as he was not
happy that Dawan won the scholarship. This is shown
in the novel when he talked about his dreams and
desires without thinking of her sister feelings. He
assumed that Dawan did not want to go to the City to
study. Kwai accused her sister of trying to get Noi on
her sides to convince their father to let her go. He was
unsympathetic when told her sister that he still had
the chance to go as he was second in the test. He also
said that she has no leadership qualities to make
changes and in the village and lead the villagers. He
repeated that more studying is useless as Dawan will
end up being a housewife. He told her that a girl
cannot fight, argue and make the village a better
place to live after studying in the city like him. When
his father eventually relented to Dawan, he hid his
hurt and sorrow. His teardrops fell on the floorboard
but he quickly covered it with is toes. On the
contrary, Dawan being a loving and caring sister
listened patiently to him when he talked about his
plans and dreams. Dawan told him kindly that she
was also confused and scared to go to the city to
study. She pleaded with him not to make things
difficult for her. She told him kindly that he will have
other chances to pursue his studies in the city unlike
her. She forgave Kwai and forgets the incident in the
market place where she cut her ankle again a sharp
wooden splinter as she loved him. Kwai felt ashamed
that he caused his sister troubles. Kwai was upset
because things would be better for her and he would
be lonely and things would change when she came
back. His sister was kind, loving and caring and
concerned about his health and even gave him her
umbrella that she needed to. He was determined that
his sister should go to the city to study. He stood on
the bridge and sang their morning song with
outstretched arm gesturing to hug her and send her
off. It is as clear as day that Dawan is a loving and a
caring sister.

In conclusion, Dawan has many admirable qualities

such as determination and loving and caring. Her
determination pays off when her father relents to her
dreams to pursue her studies in the city. She loves
Kwai dearly. Kwai was deeply touched by her sisters
loves. He tells his father that he has no right to forbid
Dawan from studying in the city school. He defies his
father and insists that he will not go if he does not
Dawan go, so Takchit, who is third will go instead. It is
undeniable that being determined and loving and
caring are important when one faces challenges and
difficulties in life. We should never give up on our
dreams.