Mariah, by Che Husna Ashari

Mariah by Che Husna Azhari Introduction Mariah is a short story written by Che Husna Azhari who is a prominent Malaysian writer of literature. She received a degree from Tunku Khurshiah College, Seramban in 1973, and her A Levels from Oxford College of Further Education in 1975. In 1979, she received a degree from Brunel University of West London in Polymer Technology. In 1985, Che Husna was awarded a PhD in Response Engineering from Brunel University of West London. Che Husna is a Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, specializing in non-metallic materials processing.

She also serves as the Director of the Center for Corporate Planning and Communications at that university. Ms. Che Husna’s writings are generally set in Kelantan, Malaysia, and her best known short stories are used as standard teaching texts in Malaysia. Synopsis Mariah is widower who sells her 'Nasi Berlauk' at her stall in order to survive herself and being admired. This Che Husna Azhari artwork is about polygamy issue within Pak Imam, which can be considerd as a big character besides Mariah. Pak Imam already has a wife, Cik Yam, who is a loyal wife and being the icon of other woman with full package in her own.

After Pak Imam had discussed with her about his intention to have another marriage with Mariah, Cik Yam felt upset and do not agree on the time. But because she loves his husband so much, he agreed to let Pak Imam to get married. As for Pak Imam, even though he is known as Imam and respected by the whole villagers, but he is still just an ordinary person that cannot being separate by other human being by behaving like he is (want to get married with Mariah although he already have Cik Yam as his wife).

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Themes The theme is about women’s discrimination, sacrificial love and polygamy. Cik Yam agreed to the second marriage of her husband because she loved him so much and did not want him to be sad. She did not prevent Pak Imam to get married with Mariah, the Nasi Belauk seller. At first, when Pak Imam tell Cik Yam that he want to get married another one, she just get sad for a while and and she gave permission to Pak Imam after that to be married with Mariah. In this story, issue of polygamy is not a big issue. However, he issue of polygamy is important in this story when it is about Cik Yam decision, whether she want to give permission or not to let the polygamy between herself and Mariah. Character Mariah A beautiful widow Usually wears Baju Kebaya Sells Nasi Berlauk in Molo Admired by men in her village Pak Imam A pious man Respected by all people in the village Husband of Cik Yam Friend of Che Gu Leh Fell in love with Mariah Cik Yam Wife of Pak Imam Characterized as perfect wife based on the sentence “The Imam looked at his wife with obvious pride.

There was not a living man in Molo who did not envy him for having such a devoted wife. ” Barren according to Pak Imam “Why couldn’t his wife bear children like other women? Some women, it seemed, have the fecundity of rabbits, but not his wife. ” - Very devoted and loyal to Pak Imam A former politician. Plot The story begins with the exposition of the main character who is Mariah as the beautiful Nasi berlauk seller. It describes how Mariah’s beautiful figure appears as she walks as in “all eyes were transfixed on a figure coming through the entrance. It was the figure of a woman.

She was delicately balancing two huge basins on her head, her hips swaying gaily to and fro with the rhythm of the balancing. That particular gyrating seemed to mesmerise the men and glue them to their places”. It also describes how Mariah was admired by men in the village. The rising action starts when Mariah was accused of putting something into her nasi berlauk to enchant all men in the village including Pak Imam by the head of womenfolk Che Gu Nab. It follows with the flashback of Pak Imam’s past about his unforgettable secret love with the daughter of his master, the Sheikh.

The climax of this story is when Pak Imam asks permission from his wife to marry Mariah as in “He then told Cik Yam of Mariah, how he had fought his emotions and how he had lost. He begged Cik Yam’s forgiveness, kissed the hem of Cik Yam’s sarong and asked for her permission to take Mariah as his second wife! ”. The falling action of this story is when Cik Yam finally agree to let Pak Imam to marry Mariah under the condition of equality. The story resolves with Pak Imam finally marry Mariah.

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