Little Ironies "Taximan's Story by Catherine Lim
Diving into "The Taximan's Story by Catherine Lim's "Little Ironies" felt like stepping into a slice of Singaporean life. The story was all about a taxi driver who shares his thoughts with a passenger, called 'Madam'. He talks about his job driving tourists and social escorts, and how he dislikes the younger generation for their choices. But things take a twist when he reveals his own daughter was once a social escort, leaving him feeling ashamed and conflicted. We picked this story because it explores relatable themes such as the relationship and trust between parent and child, generational conflicts, and societal changes. The literariness of "The Taximan's Story"is evident as it is obviously made up of words and texts, and careful use of language. It is a short story that can be read artistically given that it was written in First Person's Point of View and open to interpretations.
Our goal is to help students really connect with literature. That's why we get creative with how we adapt this short story. Nowadays, students our age are now more engage with multimedia due to the advancement of technologies and now that we are more exposed in media. We use things like videos and cool digital platforms, like (Alternative Universe, also known as AU Stories), to make stories feel more real and personal. Text-chat videos are also on trend on TikTok recently. Using this fact to our advantage, we incorporate our chosen literature in a way students would enjoy watching and at the same time, learn this literature.
When it comes to any changes we make from the original text, it's all about giving readers a fresh perspective. Take, for example, shifting the point of view from the father to the daughter in "The Taximan's Story." In the original text, we only hear the father's side of the story, but by flipping the script, we open up a whole new world of interpretations.
We wanted to get everyone thinking. So, we asked questions like, "What else could this story mean?" and "How does it relate to us?" We believe understanding stories like "The Taximan's Story" isn't just about reading – it's about exploring and finding new ideas. And that's what we're all about.
leader: Antonio, Erika E.
members: Crisostomo, Shane Leanne C. Lectura, Joedahlia N. Maniago, Jenie Babe D. Marquez, Cianna P. Muñoz, Alexa Faith B. Quidor, Jana Andrea G. Tuyor, Jian Geile M.