1. In your opinion , how key is the parent-child relationship to Vinod's inevitable end?

In my opinion, Vinod's parents gave him the education and oppotunities that many others would love to have, but they have neglected what he wants, which is love, instead, and puts pressure on him to become what they want.

They think that by giving him education and pushing him to the top, being very successful, would make him happy. But little do they know that he does not want the certificates only, but most importantly the love from his friends and parents that he desires and longs for. He studied for his parent's sake, trying to make them happy, thus causing the emense pressure and stress that led him to depression and finally his tragic suicide.

Although there are other factors that contributed to his suicide, his parents were the ones that pushed him to his limits and even after he falls into depression, they do not want to face the truth and continues to push him by sending him overseas, the USA to study. This eventually led to his suicide.

2. 'Vinod's high expectation oh himself caused his downfall." To what extent do you agree with the analysis of Vinod's predicament and tragedy?

I agree to large extent with the analysis. His desperation to reintegrate into the society has caused his illness to worsen because of the physical consequences, for example, people shun him when they see his hands tremble, a side-effect of the medicine as a result he opposes consuming medicine which is necessary to control the symptoms of the illness. His rejection to the medicine can be seen when he said “They see my hands tremble, my eyes sleepy sleepy they will avoid me."

His relationship between Saloma and him is like a project for him. To him Saloma is a lost kitten he has found, one that he had to protect and shield from the cruel world. Without the friendship and being needed, he has no purpose in life. Saloma is his centre. It is clear that Vinod regards Saloma as his inferior in terms of education. He often treat her as someone who needs information, and frequently displays his knowledge about books and philosophy. It is also apparent that Vinod regards he as an inferior in terms of mental girth, which is why he is so devastated when he realizes that she has become stronger than he is after the robbery.

Vinod’s presumptuous air of superiority pushes him to reject Saloma when she becomes stronger than him. Instgead of being happy for Saloma when she finally makes progress to be reintegrated into society, Vinod becomes unhappy, even distraught. He hurts her by hurling insults and discouraging her like saying “Great! Saloma Nightingale. Who will faint first? The person receiving the injection or the person giving it?”

His inability to protect Saloma and Saloma slowly reintegrating into the society made him feel inferior to her. His failure to become “centre” has made him suicidal with his rejection to medicine. Thus lead to his downfall. Therefore I agree to a large extent to the analysis of his high expectation leading him to his downfall.

3. Discuss the reasons for Saloma's transformation in the play.

Saloma changes from a shy girl to one who survives from mental illness. She's even able to reason out with mak at the end. as she expresses her desires to live.

The first turning point for Saloma is when she meets Emily at the halfway house. Even though she starts out using the mantra, Emily taught tentatively, she does turn out to be the stronger chatracter between her and Vinod. For instance, although Vinod is the better educated one between the two, Saloma is one who is set on writing to the newspaper to address the discrimination against mental patients.

When Vinod shuts himself in his room, Saloma grows desperate without him. What becomes the turning point for her, pushing out to face the real world, is the bird in her room. Whether this bird is real or a figment of her imagination is not the point.

This marks the second turning point for Saloma because before Vinod withdrew from the world, including her, she did not know what to do with her self, even where to go or what to do.

One night also argue that Mak is a reason for Saloma's transformation and survival. After all, Mak is constantly reminding her of her need to turn to God, an idea which Saloma accepts and even repeats to Vinod.

4. "Though a minor role in the play , the character Razali is the key to the plot of off centre." To what extent do you agree with this assement?

I do not agree with this assement to a large extend. To Saloma, Razali plays a role as her dad, he is the one who buys epok epok (curry puff) for her, which her real father did, one who talks to her, gives her advices and says what she wants to hear. He fufills the role of showing fatherly love to Saloma.

However, to Vinod, Razali plays the role of someone who is supposed to protect the community as he is a security guard and by right should protect everyone in the community. However during the robber incident, he fails to protect them both, Vinod and Saloma, thus Vinod blames him for not being there when they needed him the most.

Vinod was also tested against his manhood when the robber said "Your boyfriend coward ah?" and "Your boyfriend got balls anot?". This sentence affected him a lot and he finally breaks down, reminding him of the similar series of events which he faced when he went back to army. PC asked Vinod, Are you a man or not Vinod?" Razali plays a role to help both Vinod and Saloma, but not to a large extend, therefore he is not the key to the plot of off centre.

5. "Datta , Dayadhvam , Damyata" means to "Give , Sympathise , Control". How did the major characters in the play exert control in their enviroment and / or their lives? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Major characters like Vinod exert control in their environment by his intelligence. As a person who thought that his life was over when he didn't get straight As for his A levels, met Saloma whose education level was only up till VITB, he uses his intelligence to "show off" to Saloma as he feels that Saloma had become the stray kitten he found in the middle of the expressway. He would give his reasons/lectures to Saloma on why the Gods are not good. Eg: The indian boy whose head got chop off by his own father because he didn't allow him into the house because he obey his mother because she said not to allow anybody to the house when she's taking a bath.Vinod exert control in his live by being the better/smarter person between the both off centre person, namely himself and Saloma.

As for Saloma, she exerts control by asking Vinod to take his medication. Like the medicine could help him get better but he think otherwise. She also exerts control at the last part of the play by asking Vinod to go the the dance with her when he didn't want to as he felt useless after the robbery. In her life, Saloma exert control when mak ask her to stop taking the medicine as she feel that her own daughter is not mad at all and taking the medicine would not help. Saloma didn't listen to mak and this is how she exert control.

6. Based on the text Off Centre, discuss how peer acceptance and family support are vital to social status and mental well-being.

Vinod's parents' marked absence in the play reveals their non-involvement in Vinod's life . They always leave Vinod alone to his own devices most of the time . Instead of being worried that Vinod has been shutting himself in room for weeks , they feel annoyed because they think that Vinod is taking advantage of their patience . He desires love and warmth but they are very proper and distant because of their high status . Therefore , Vinod is unable to get love and warmth from his parents and this is one of the reason that led to his death because of the abandonment from his parents .During Vinod's JC days , Charlie , Denise and Johnson were close to Vinod as they were in the same class .

They associated with him because of his literary brillance and often made photocopies of his excellent work as model essays to learn from . However , after Vinod's nervous breakdown , they ceased contact with him . When Vinod met them at the NUS , Vinod realises that people will always remember and remind him of his breakdown . This is why Vinod believes he will never be able to get past his history and move on normally as he gets negative reactions from ex-classmates .From here , we can state that peer acceptance and family support is very important .

Q1b
- Act2 Scene3 Page 63

"Saloma had become the stray kitten he found in the middle of the expressway."
(Vinod feels that he need to look after her, shield her from the cruel world and make her laugh,
which shows that he likes to have the responsibility to takecare of someone.)

- Act2 Scene3 Page 72
"Then everybody read and say, "Wah!! They can write!"
(Majority of the society thinks that they are stupid)

- Act1 Scene1 Page 7
"What are you suffering from?"
(Vinod is the one who pick up the courage to ask Saloma)

- Act1 Scene4 Page 39
"So many months you never pray"

(Saloma's mother is religious)

- Act5 Scene3 Page 129
"We're f***king Singaporeans and Asian societies can't touch touch hug hug right?!!"
(Shows how much Vinod wants people to show love and care for him)

Q2
Page 15
"Caroline's daily effort to laugh George's scruples into absurdity."
(Caroline's point of view was to laugh at George's observant detail about his mother's illness)

Page 179
"Mummy will pay for your education. You study hard, you can go any university."
(The author is very determined.)