Boom Literature Notes

G-ArgumentsbetweenBoonandMotherG-Boon-onlyscenesG-JeremiahandcorpseG-Mother-onlyscenesAct1Sc1:PropertyagentsandBoonpromotingshowflatSc2:FirstargumentbetweenBoonandMotheronsaleofhouseSc3:DirectorandJeremiahonnewburialsystemSc4:PropertyagentsteasingBoonSc5:Boon’smonologueaboutFatherSc6:Jeremiah’sfirstmeetingwithCorpseSc7:SecondargumentbetweenBoonandMotheronsaleofhouseSc8:Mother’srecountonseeingZionMansionforthefirsttimeSc9:Jeremiah’smonologueaboutcorpsesSc10:Mother’schatwithFemaleNeighbourSc11:Jeremiah,ColleagueandDirectorresponsetolettersSc12:JeremiahandColleagueconversationaboutcorpsesSc13:Mother’smemoryofredunderwearSc14:Corpse’smonologueondeathSc15:JeremiahandDirectorconversationaboutsitereportSc16:ThirdargumentbetweenBoonandMotheronsaleofhouse(Boon离家出走 :)Sc17:Mother’smemorywithFather, whereFatherhastoleaveforabusinesstripagainSc18:Jeremiah’ssecondmeetingwithcorpseSc19:Agent2givesBoonkeystoshowflatSc20:Boon’smemoryofFatherpaintingoverloansharkmarks Act1Scene1-Boonisbeingthoughtbypropertyagentsonhowtoenticebuyers-TheSingaporeDream(ownershipofproperty):unattainable-Progress: propertyagentsexploitprogressfortheirownmaterialgain-aperspectiveofthenegativeimpactsbroughtbyprogress Showflats-RepresentedtheSingaporeDreamwhicheveryonewantstoattain,furtheramplifiesthatmoneybuyshappiness-Thewaytheagentsmanipulatedthepeopletomakethemviewtheshowflatsmoregrandthanitactuallyissignifiesthatwhatyouseemaynotbewhatyouget-Peopleareoftendrivenbydreams,illusions,choosingahousebasedonfakesettings,liketheexampleoftheshowflat. Singaporeansarebeingdrawnintothemeaninglessandendlessmaterialwealth Propertyagentsare:Manipulative-insteadofsellinghouses,theyweresellingillusionsCunning/machiavellian-“yourmostpowerfultoolsaretheirowndesires”

ContrivingScheming “Therewillbenomorearguments, nomoretantrumswiththatpanoramicseaview.”-Don'tgotogether;illogical-Comparingtangible&intangibletomakepeoplethinkthattheirlifewillbeperfect Illusions“thetrickisimagination”Madeuseofpeople’sdrivetochaseforperfectionwhichareapartofhumansTheyusedhigh-classwordslikecusp,givingbuyersanimpressionthattheywillbreathethroughhigh-classairconair. Thisgivestheperceptionoftheagentsasveryprofessional,whichleadsthepeopletotrustingthemandbuyingtheflat.TheSingaporeDreamisalwaysontheedgeofachievingbutimpossibletoattain.Manywanttoattainaperfecthome,whichisimpossiblebecausehomeisnotaperfectplace Whatthepropertyagentsdid:Theylistedmanygoodthingsabouttheshowroomtoallowthepeopletopicturetheirownviewoftheirperfecthomeratherthanphysicallyviewingtheflat.Thisincreasedthepeople’sexpectationsoftheflattheyviewedastheSingaporeDreamwhichtemptedthemevengreatertogettheflat. Theyusedhyperboleslikeparanomicview,luxuriousliving,heaven,paradisewhichexaggeratedwhattheactualflatcouldofferandmanipulatedthepeopletopicturethattheflatisverygrand. Theyusedimagerytodescribethedetailsoftheflatstoevokesensestothepeople.“Snuggledunderagoose-featherduvet”whichisatactileimageryevokesanimmersiveexperienceofcomfortandluxurytothepeople Useofirony:Ahouseisusuallyasymbolismtogivepeopleasenseofbelonging,safety,security, andaplacetorestandcreatememories.However, thepeopleweretoodrivenbytheSingaporeanDream,thedesiretoattaintheirperfecthouseofluxury. Theyfocussedtoomuchonmaterialthingsandforgetimmaterialthingsandthemainpurposeofahouse. Whatareyourimpressionsoftheagents?Theagentsaremanipulative.Insteadofsellinghouses,theyclaimedtheyweresellingillusions.Theysaid“thetrickisimagination”“letthemimaginebeingwokenupinthemorning,bythegentlechirpingoforioles”thisshowedthattheirmindsetisnotaboutsellingtheflatbyshowingthemhowitlookslike,buttoplayintotheSingaporeDreamideallivinglifestyle,andrelyonthethebuyersownimaginationtomakethemthinkthatthehouseismoregrandthanitactuallyis.Theysaid“yourmostpowerfultoolsaretheirowndesires”“themoreunattainablethevision,themoretheirheartswilldesireit”thisshowsthattheagentsareusingtheirowndescriptivewordslikeusingimagerytodescribethedetailsoftheflatstoevokesensestothepeople.“Snuggledunderagoose-featherduvet”whichisatactileimageryevokesanimmersiveexperienceofcomfortandluxurytothe

peopletolurethebuyersintohandingthemthecheque.Thisway, thebuyersgetexploitedbythepropertyagrentstobuythehouse.Thustheyaremanipulative. Theagentsaremoney-minded.Whenagent1wasgivinghisspeech,hesaid“youaresellingalifestyle.Thatis,astyleoflifethattheydonotyetpossess,butareonthecuspofattaining.”Toachievetheirgoalofmakingbuyersbuythehousesotheycouldearnmoney,theagentslistedmanygoodthingsabouttheshowroomtoallowthepeopletopicturetheirownviewoftheirperfecthomeratherthanphysicallyviewingtheflat.Thisincreasedthepeople’sexpectationsoftheflattheyviewedastheSingaporeDreamwhichtemptedthemevengreatertogettheflat.Theythus“use”clientsastoolstoachieveprofitandexcludetheirmoralconscienceonwhatistherightthingtodo.Whentheyendedtheirspeech,theysaidaltogether“bringthatcheque”thisendingonahighnotetogainbuyersattentiontohandthechequefurtheramplifiesthattheagentseyesareonlylyingonthecash.Allthegoodpointsaboutthehousewastopersuadethebuyerstohandthemthemoney, showinghowimportantmoneyistotheagents.Thusthroughthewordstheyuseandthepersuasivewaytoconvincethebuyerstohandthechequetothem,i cantellthattheagentsaremoney-minded. Theme:SingaporeDreamSingaporeDreamiswell-foughtafter. ManySingaporeanspursuetheSingaporeDreamof5Cs-Condo,Car,Cash,Creditcard,Countryclub.Theybelievethatacquiringmaterialwealthequatestogainingsuccess,respect,statusinSingapore’ssociety. Thusone’spropertyisanindicatorofone’sstatus–statussymbol,causingthemthestrongdesiretobuythenewluxurioushousesintroducedbytheagents.Whengivingtheirspeech,oneoftheagentssaid“letthemimaginebeingwokenupinthemorning,bythegentlechirpingoforioles”thisshowedhowintensetheSingaporeDreamhasbeeninbuiltintoSingaporeans’minds,causingthemtodreamabouttheirideallivinglifestyle.TheirdesiretoachievetheSingaporeDreamissostrongthattheycanrelyonthetheirownimaginationtoconvincethemselvestobuythehouse,withoutneedingtophysicallyseeit.Anotheragentsaid“yourmostpowerfultoolsaretheirowndesires”Totheagents,itissoeasytomanipulatethebuyersintobuyingthehousebecauseSingaporean’smentalitytoachievetheSingaporeDreamissostrongthatlittleworkneedstobedonebytheagents.ThusthisshowsthatmanypeoplewanttoachievetheSingaporeDream. TheSingaporeDreamencouragesamaterialisticmindset.Theybelievethatacquiringmaterialwealthequatestogainingsuccess,respect,statusinSingapore’ssociety. EventheagentshaveastrongdesiretoobtaintheSingaporedream.Theydosobytryingtheirbesttoconvincepeopletobuythehouse,evenifitmeansgoingagainsttheirconscience.Whentheyendedtheirspeech,theysaidaltogether“bringthatcheque”thisendingonahighnotetogainbuyersattentiontohandthechequefurtheramplifiesthattheagentseyesareonlylyingonthecash.Allthegoodpointsaboutthehousewastopersuadethebuyerstohandthemthemoney,showinghowimportantmoneyistotheagentsintheirchaseformaterialism.Thusthroughthewordstheyuseandthepersuasivewaytoconvincethebuyerstohandthechequetothem,itamplifiesthematerialisticmindsettheagentshaveintheirprocessofachievingtheSingaporeDream. [CantweaktoanswerMaterialism] Act1Scene2

-Boonfeelsthatthehouseisold, wornout,inamess,likea“dump”Characters:BoonandMother-comfortablerelationship-useofinformal,colloquiallanguageaddsauthenticity-eventhoughBoonisanadult,motherstillcaresforhim,showingtheirloveforeachother,andtheymeanalottoeachother Family:intimacybetweenMotherandBoonisapparentdespitetheirdifferencesinperspectiveandattitudes Mother-cherishesmemories-hoardsthingsasshefeelstheyarephysicalmemoriesofthepast,sheusesthemtorememberthememories“wholeshelffulliftackysouvenirfigurines”-treasuredmemories“stillremembersfigurinefrom1974whichwasverylongago”-sentimental Alltheitemsasnecessaryandkeepsthembecauseshelinkseachimportantmemorytoapartofthehouse.Theycontainhappiermemoriesofthepast,whichmotherconstantlylookbackonandholdsontobecauseshecannotrelievethemanymore. Long-standingdisagreement•Motherobjectsagainstmodernity•Boonsupportsmodernityandisdisdainfultowardsthepast(inthewayhereactstowardshischildhoodmemoryofplayingSuperman)andaspirestohave