Myriad 02: Komorebi (Sept 2022)

komorebi

Photo by JOHN TOWNER on Unsplash

Main Committee Chin Shi Xian, Eunice Kishore Kumar S/O Kalai Chalvan
President Vice President
Sub Committee
Faculty Advisor Evangeline Sim Jia En Michelle Wan Kar Ting
Honorary General Financial Controller
Secretary
Nur Fitri Shazwini binte Rosli
Jasmine Cheong Li Qin Creative Director
Creative Director
Ilyatunnisa binte Shaik
Hemalatha D/O Mohammad Iqbal
Ravinthran Events Director
Events Director
Jordi Ong Jing Han
Loh Jia Wen Logistics Director
Events Director
Tilve Tarini Sachin
Wong Si Jia Publications Director
Publications Director
Mabel Ang Mei En
Lee Yong Liang, Conrad Publications Director
Publications Director

Natalie Tham
Writer

Dr Cheryl Julia Lee

Editorial Enquiries Myriad is published annually. For enquiries, please
email us at [email protected].

© 2022 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means
without the permission of the publishers The views expressed
in Myriad are those of the respective contributors, and are not
necessarily shared by the publication or committee members.

contents Creative (Prose)
20 Anatomy of a Clock
Creative (Poetry)
by Clara Goh
6 How Do You Know That
25 Off All the Lilies
by Bernice Tian
by Amanda Lee
7 We still sing the same song
Lifestyle
by Sueanne Chua 34 From Prose to Shows

11 Seasons in seventeen syllables by Wong Si Jia

by Apabi

12 sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch

by Shalani Devi D/O Dayalan

Journalistic

29 Plunging in Pen First

by Tarini Tilve

31 Passion on the Rocks

by Natalie Tham

Others

37 Faculty Spotlight

Explore our Faculty’s work

40 Komorebi, through the lens of the MMC

Get to know our MMC!

44 ELSC Events

AY 21/22 ; A Year in Review

foreword

Hope is a powerful thing.

In a world that is slowly picking up the pieces, the prospect of returning to the past as we
know it fuels an optimistic outlook for the future. The outdoors, previously quiet, has burst
back to life. Passports, previously untouched, are being graced with stamps, and laughter
and chatter; previously confined to online spaces, now mingle together in a physical setting.

As we make new memories out of forgotten experiences, embracing the future remains
a daunting undertaking.

This issue’s theme, komorebi, finds its roots in Japan. Pronounced as koh-mo-reh-bee, it is
made up of the kanji characters for tree ( ), shine through ( ), and sun ( ), and can
be loosely defined as ‘when the sunlight shines through the leaves of trees’. The word lends a
sense of hope and comfort to the murky, uncertain road ahead, reminding us to see the

light in what may sometimes feel like the darkest of times.

It shouldn’t be a lonely struggle, either. Through the voices of our writers and contributors,
we’ve put together a myriad of stories and content pieces that will hopefully accompany

you on the journey and make you forget about your troubles, if only for a short while. May
this melting pot of experiences serve as your guiding light towards a bright, shiny future.

- Conrad, Mabel, Tarini, Si Jia

How Do You Know That

The ground my feet rests upon It’s a shrieking banshee
will not crack and crumble. Of chilling depravity
I will not fall through the chasm
I will get that perfect score Dragging me to Mariana Trench.
I will get that happily ever after. I’m lost and alone.
All the stars will align.
My future bright. “It’ll get better, I’m sure”
How do you know that? That’s easy for you to say
How do you know that?
Hope that things will be better.
will they? I(we) need hope
Things can be better. Today’s baby steps are fine
It’s worth the effort. Today’s best is good enough
is it? Today has tomorrow to look forward to
What can I do
Besides try? How do you know that
if even that.

How do you know that

6

Background Photo by Marjan Blan | @marjanblan on Unsplash

sawmseinesgstiotlhnl eg
By Sueanne Chua

This story revolves around the kinship between a day spirit
and a night spirit. They are equal halves that are meant to
complement each other, but the night spirit, like some of us,

struggles with the feeling of inadequacy in the face of
another's bright radiance. This piece aims to reflect the sense

of awe you feel towards someone you love, and the quiet
sadness it might evoke. Yet the shadows that emerge from
the brilliance of light is just as beautiful, and surely loved by
those around you. It is enough to simply be who you are. At
the end, I wished for this piece to inspire hope and comfort

in those who may struggle with disquiet
thoughts about themselves.

7

8

9

10

Seasons

Smell of earthy Spring In
lingers in the brisk air of
Sunday’s fresh morning.

First sip of cold tea
on a swealtering Monday –
Summer has began.

Seventeen Warm Tuesday evening,
July’s portrait of grey clouds
Against a green dome.

Autumn leaves dancing,
to tunes of old songs that stir
Wednesdays’ heartstrings.

Thursday’s snowy footprints Syllablei s
Measure the steps between me
and where I belong. by apabi

The dawn is not yet. 11
Music moves within my breast.
Friday’s night is still.

By Shalani Devi D/O Dayalan

sight, hearing, smell,

taste, touch.

Images by Aditya Wardhana, Sam, Engin Akyurt, Wei Ding, @iamnah, and Ryan Hutton via Unsplash

12

I.

to see…red+green

= sunlight glinting off tiled walls
= haloed shadows dancing in the cracks
= ripe bananas bobbing beside wet cornflakes
= reruns of cartoons in technicolour years
= slightly salty taste of cheese in half-eaten mee chiang kueh*
= my favourite colour, all dressed up but not yet grown

*mee chiang kueh is otherwise known as a traditional peanut pancake,
which comes with peanut filling sandwiched between the top and bottom halves.

13

Hello

Adele

the first time i saw you in the
classroom i cracked more jokes than
usual because i wanted to know what
you sounded like when you laughed

3:55

II. You’re Beautiful

to hear…the mixtape you James Blunt
imagined you received on
Valentine’s Day i see you walking by staring at your
reflection in the window pane trying
to make out where i was and in the
fragmented pieces caked in smudged
thumbprints and dust i wish only that you
would look at me again when you returned

3:33

14

Just The Way You The Moment I
Are Knew

Bruno Mars Taylor Swift

that one time you were outside the we used coloured rice and glue to make
library eating nuggets and i asked for a kolams on paper plates when the teachers
piece i just wanted to stand close to you came round and called ours the prettiest
for a moment now that’s all i get from Old our fingers brushed momentarily not
Chang Kee hoping to run into you again knowing your glasses were slipping

2:41 4:46

She Will Be Loved We Are Broken

Maroon 5 Paramore

i didn’t have the courage so i asked the day after in the canteen slurping
your friend to ask you over the phone on fishball noodles my friends made
how you felt about me as a joke but fun of you and i left the suddenly
there were only cold sweats and unbearable thought of you your
heartbeats lodged deeply in ear canals disappointment and their laughter behind

4:17 3:38

Chasing Cars Somewhere Only
We Know
Snow Patrol
Keane
you held on to the me that was
still beautiful for another year you this is not to say that i never liked you
were on my mind even on the day i because in my head i worked out that
was forgotten amidst the weeping we would end up together only to grow
thunderstorms on graduation day apart when i wake up to the dream of us

4:27 2:41

15

Top notes: cotton, powder lingering like the gaze of my mother on the woman
whom she’s certain loved her but not in the way she needed, a whisper of floral
laundry detergent that stains her batik shirt, incense from the altar where my
grandfather and his gods of various faith watch over us
Heart Notes: ginger, saliva coating the tongue that attempts to speak a language
that is foreign to both me and her, food that is then used to fill the silence, the
stories i understand but can never repeat
Base Notes: lavender, the fear that every next time would never take place in that
corner with the old television, regular intermissions of Mandarin songs from the
radio her neighbour plays too loudly, telling me to repeat myself over and over
from a pedestal i can no longer reach

III.

to smell…the perfume of visiting my grandmother in her
one room flat where time always stands still

16

IV.

to taste…my mother’s
cooking that has pampered
me all these years

because you’ll never get a straight
answer everytime you ask. Everything
you need to know is contained
within a mental repository, conveyed
through muscle memory and acute
gazes.

directions

1. My mother’s cooking was the sunlight that streaked into our kitchen, setting
everything aglow.

2. The way the shallots and chillies spun around the blender blade, a waltz of purples
and reds.

3. The unravelling thread of sweat trailing down from beneath the sleeve of my mother’s
dress, as she pounded the cumin seeds in the mortar and pestle.

4. My mother kept her spices in containers with red lids. There was the usual fare
of turmeric and cardamom, chilli powder and sticks of cinnamon that folded into
themselves.

17

IV.

5. But if your fingers ventured a little further, you would
find something mystical shoved deep inside.

6. It was neither powdery nor solid. When you unscrewed
the lid your fingers were left sticky, like dried down sugar
syrup.

7. The smell made my nose curl, a kind of pungence with
a sweet aftertaste. It was tamarind.

8. She would scoop a globule out with her fingers, and
soak it in a bowl of hot water.

9. Place it in her palm and squeeze when it was ready,
letting the juice trickle down her wrist and into the pot.

10. The way her skin would be interrupted by streaks the colour of the earth, would
remind me of the times I would interlock my fingers with hers, where I would feel her
papery palm and the thrum of warmth that were like currents, meandering underneath
the stark contrast of her skin coloured clay, being moulded by fingertips a darker shade of
wanting—urgent and forceful.

18

V.

to feel...

everything of the above
all at once, and then none at all

19

anatomy of a clock

Tess’s shop was filled with an incessant ticking. In fact, the measured tick,
tick, tick, filled the shop everyday. Dozens of clocks, hanging on walls and
sitting on shelves, all ticking at once. Having run the little store in Bedok for
four years now, Tess paid no attention to it. She was used to the mismatch
in the volumes of the clocks’ ticking. Some clocks ticked with a light
cheeriness while others beat with heavier cadences. Some ticked louder
than others, and those were the ones she hoped would quickly leave the
shop. Though she was generally unbothered by the sound, it nagged her how
they did not tick in unison. Some were a little too fast, others a millisecond
behind, though she did not know what beat she was comparing them to.

Images by Icons8 team, Jon Tyson, @gidlark, Ihor Malytskyi, Sinitta Leunen, and Klim Musalimov via Unsplash

20

Everyday Tess listened to the ticking. Ever since inheriting
the shop from her grandfather, she’d spent day after day
working, having left school at the age of eighteen to
provide for herself and her little sister, May, in primary
school. She had wanted to work as a clerk, or a receptionist,
or something that would pay a little more (and have air-
conditioning), but she did not have the qualifications to be
accepted to jobs elsewhere. Tess had settled for this because
she had mouths to feed. She also had plans to save up for
her little sister. Tess was determined that May would go to
university. She would get the opportunity Tess did not get.

21

Besides selling clocks, Tess fixed clocks too. She had learnt all the tricks of the
trade from her grandfather, who had also passed on. Presently, she was working
on a deep green wall clock with a white face and gold hands. She unscrewed
both bolts on the front of the clock face using pliers - one in front of the hands,
and one behind. Once the bolts were off, the hands fell out, and she pulled out
the square holder from where it sat hidden inside. While propping the new
holder on the back of the clock, she put the new washer on the front, then
threaded the new nut on top of the washer, securing it tightly with a socket.
Picking up the hands, she spray-painted them gold to cover the rust that had
bloomed, waiting for them to dry before gracefully placing the smaller hour
hand on, followed by the larger minute hand. It was important not to cross-
thread the two hands or the clock would stop. Lastly, she replaced the batteries
with new ones. Tess heard soft metal clinks as the mechanism shifted into
the right configuration, and the hands came to life with a tick, tick, tick…

22

After the funeral, the only thing that She once asked why they left. Standing
lifted her out of the abyss of grief was in front of the grey tombstone (Luke and
the thought of her little sister, May, Yasmin Yeo. 1974-2018), Tess recalled how
aged eight, who did not contemplate the she, strapped to the backseat, could only
notion of never coming back. May, who scream as the car spun uncontrollably.
would get scared when Tess woke up in How her father had panicked as his seat
their shared bed sobbing in the middle of belt jammed, blood oozing from his
the night. May, who would cup Tess’s face head and collecting in his eyes. How her
in her hands, wipe her tears away with mother had slept as he yelled at her to
her tiny hand, and whisper soft words of wake up, her mouth open, as if in mid-
comfort. She had brought Tess out of her sentence. How, upside-down, the blood
grief and shown her, in her innocence had rushed to Tess’s head, her heart
and lack of understanding, that life could pounding louder than the traditional
be beautiful and exciting, even without drums that assed by their house during
their parents. Tess’s little sister was the Chinese New Year. But more than that,
reason she woke up every day. Alone, she wondered if she could have prevented
she grieved, but with May she knew she it. If sitting in the backseat and seeing the
did not have to face the world alone. growing shape in the rearview mirror, she
should have said something, should have
told her parents: that car is getting close.
If only she could turn back time.

23

Tess looked up as a customer entered the
shop. It was an old lady with a cat peeking
out of her handbag. She told Tess that her
watch, despite being new, told time wrong.

“How can it be 6.74pm?” She shook her head,
making a tutting sound with her tongue, and
unstrapped the watch from her wrist, slapping
it onto the front counter. Tess put the wall
clock on the shelf behind her, squinting at the
rubber rectangular-faced watch, as the old
lady left the front desk to wander the store.

Four years had passed since the accident. Tess
knows it is easy to get angry at things that do
not make sense. To want to fix what cannot be
fixed. But she also knows that the whole point
of fixing something is so it will get better. And
she will not heal if she dwells in her grief. Losing
her parents was painful, but the future held
hope, possibilities, and beginnings. A shot at a
different life with May. Today, she would carry
on. The clocks ticker on in a constant rhythm.

24

Of All the Lilies

by Amanda Lee

There’s a cup on the counter. In its usual spot next to the stovetop. A pristine white
mug half-filled with black liquid and gentle wisps of steam still rising from the top. The
smell of coffee hangs in the air, cloying instead of cathartic. There’s a lilac post-it note

on the toaster. Just one word, spelled out in neat little block-letters.
“MALLORY”.

I peel off the sticky note and fold it in half, throwing it in the bin as I leave the kitchen.
The coffee cup all but forgotten.

Similar notes are scattered around the house. On lampshades and bathroom mirrors,
behind closed cabinet doors and across blank walls.
Names scribbled atop each little note.

The house is impossibly still. I push the door open gently and a half-furnished room
stands. A freshly-assembled dresser to the right by the window. A rocking chair. Post-it

notes stood in place of the missing pieces, “bookcase” and “crib”.

Background Photo by Kiwihug on Unsplash

25

With the curtains drawn apart, light streams in from the window like a beacon and somehow I end
up in that rocking chair. The sky stirs awake and the trees outside glisten with hues of lemon and
tangerine. Back, forth, back, forth, back. The forest, always tranquil in its own soft and loving way,

feels different today. It seems to stare back at me. Reverent. As though it knows.
They say that Zeus took his son Heracles, born of the mortal Alcmene, and tricked his wife Hera
into nursing the infant. When she discovered the truth, she pulled him from her breast and her milk
spilt across the heavens to create the milky way. A few drops fell to earth and from there the first
lilies bloomed. Hera hated Heracles. A child conceived without her knowledge, without her assent.
I stare out into the lush greenery as the sun begins its leisurely ascent. The forest moves ever so
slightly. Tiny insects inch along arbitrary paths, leaves rustle as the birds come and go and the
sweetest-smelling Lilies of the Valley steadily grow. At every corner there is life, but the trees mask
the chaos within. I stare out into the forest wishing it would engulf me whole. Then as if on cue, the
sunlight turns intrusive and harsh light streams in through the glass and forces my eyelids shut.

Can you miss something you never wanted?
“What’s happening? What’s happening?!” he screamed.
The sirens blared incessantly in my ears as they lifted my leaden body onto the hospital stretcher, even as
they wheeled me further and further away from the noise. I was struggling to keep my eyes open in the
spinning world of fluorescent white lights. I put up a fight, but only because closing them meant I would be
plunged back into the darkness. I would be held hostage by the sickening sensation of a warm sticky liquid

trickling down the insides of my thighs.
“Sir, you can’t go in. You’ll have to wait for your wife outside.”
I laid there for what seemed like hours, falling in and out of consciousness. The faces gradually stopped
changing and the frantic voices mellowed out. Still, the calm inflections did little to soothe the ache in my

chest nor the emptiness in my belly.

Background Photo by Kiwihug on Unsplash

26

In this new coral-tinged darkness I feel the heat wrap itself around my body, holding me in its warm
embrace. Then it sinks into my skin and begins to sting. I force myself to move.

Sunlight glimmers against the white walls, shadowy leaves and gently swaying branches adorning
the vacant space. The lovely outlines feigning innocence and pretending to be so demure when the

heat had been beating down on me just before. I stare at the notes on the wall.
I traipse around collecting the notes from every corner of the house, methodically folding each one
in half to toss out. There were a few other things too. A fuzzy rabbit with floppy ears and a ribbon

still tied to its neck, a box of unopened bibs, a tiny pair of mary janes.
I hear the front door click and unlock, swinging open with gentle caution. A sweet fragrance wafts
through the room. I watch him as his eyes scan across the newly bared walls and the empty spot on

our coffee table where a certain stuffed bunny once sat. He hands me a bouquet of saccharine
scented Calla Lilies.

“I forgot to put this one up,” he says as he pulls out a note from his shirt pocket.
The tears well up instantly, and he holds me knowingly. We find ourselves back in that unfinished
room, now bathed in a tender shade of saffron. The evening light shimmers and the trees dance
along the walls carefree, completely unbothered by the fading light. I shift the sticky notes so that

“crib” now sits amongst the swaying branches. Then as an afterthought, I scribble something
just above it.

It reads, “Lily’s Crib”.

Background Photo by Kiwihug on Unsplash

27

The Significance of Lilies:

The lily is often associated with purity, innocence and fresh life. In China, lilies are used for

weddings as the Chinese characters are (Bai hé) which is reminiscent of the Chinese

proverb (Bainián hao hé). This is translated as ‘ one hundred years of happy

union’. The Assyrians and Babylonians associated lilies with the goddess of fertility, Ishatar.

Christians associate them with the Virgin Mary and Easter. In Singapore, lilies are a

popular choice of flowers for funerals. The flower serves as a symbol of sympathy and are

ideal because of their durability. They do not easily tear or wither and can last for up to two

weeks with minimal maintenance. The lily also symbolises rebirth and resurrection,

a bloom that gives hope to grieving families.

Background Photo by Kiwihug on Unsplash

28

Plunging in
Pen First
Surrounded by tasteful potted plants and eccentrically
framed deconstructed cameras, Sofia Mariah Ma
contemplates what types of writers her cats would be.

TILVE TARINI SACHIN talks cats, “I think my ginger cat is a fighter just like Margaret
literary inspiration, and future plans Atwood. She writes whatever she wants and does not
with alumnus Sofia Mariah Ma, the care what anyone thinks,” the 37-year-old muses. “My
receipient of the 2022 Commonwealth grey tabby… she’s a poet. She doesn't say much but she
Short Story Prize (Asia). knows when she does, you have to give it to her. So
she’s more like a poet… maybe like Boey Kim Cheng!”

Image by WONG SI JIA The playful response boasts the kind of nuance that
comes with having a well-versed understanding and
knowledge of the literary realm, which has led Sofia to
win the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize in the
Asia category. Shortlisted from a pool of 6,370 entries
from 52 Commonwealth countries, her piece, “The
Last Diver on Earth”, follows young freediver Rumi
who lives on the coast of the fictional Lesser Sunda
Islands. When her mother’s dead body mysteriously
washes ashore, Rumi decides to retrace her mother’s
last dive to find closure.

29

Although set in a future that has been ravaged by climate “Postmodernism really taught me that you can write
change, Sofia reveals that the inspiration for this scene whatever you want, that there will be an audience for
comes from a childhood trip to Indonesia where she you and you should just write the story that you want to
visited a coastal community and saw children freediving. write,” she enthuses.
She reckons that the unusual nature of that image is the
reason that it has stuck with her for so long. She ended up finding inspiration in Kazuo Ishiguro’s
works, eventually returning in 2018 to pursue her
“I think it’s so different from our life in Singapore, isn’t Master’s Degree. Moving forward, she is currently
it? When you step out of your comfort zone, you realise working on a fiction novel aimed at middle-grade
that things don’t always work but people still find ways children and a series of shorter works on climate change.
to survive. I think that’s inspirational, you could put us
in the most extreme cases and we would still find ways to Sofia describes her writing process as akin to winemak-
survive. We still find ways to have a legacy, whether that ing. “I too often let stories soak in my brain for a long
be on a biological level like our climate, a while, almost a year or more, then do some research, and
communal level or even on the level of narrative.” then finally write the story in about 1-3 months… I can
only hope I created something good, but one day I hope
But the theme of human perseverance doesn’t only to be prolific!” she says.
resonate in the fictional setting. Back in the real world, a
younger Sofia took a big leap of faith during her Just like how the Sofia of the past stuck to her gut, the
NTU days, swapping out scientific and mathematical literary enthusiast of the present continues to put faith
knowledge for literary exploration. Originally an in herself. Rea rming the importance of self-assurance,
Engineering student, the affable writer met Professor she advises current students, “Don’t hold yourself back.
Neil Murphy and Professor Tamara Wagner during a A lot of opportunities can come your way if you let them.
module that was part of NTU’s cross-disciplinary efforts You just have to go on knocking on as many doors as
to expose students to other fields. The two faculty possible and if they don’t open then say heck it and just
members then inspired her to switch her major to open your own door! Dream big.”
English, and she did, eventually becoming part of the
pioneer batch comprising about 50 students.

“In all the years I have been there, NTU has always been
a refuge for me. Even just getting there feels like this
journey you take to your own little island!” she shares,
describing her batch as a “small and close cohort that
grew up together”.

Another part of Sofia’s memorable experience can be
attributed to Professor Neil Murphy, whom she credits
as “not only an academic advisor but also a life coach and
a wonderful mentor” who continues to shape her. Some
of her favourite modules as an undergraduate were
Postmodernism and Contemporary Literature, both of
which were taught by Professor Neil Murphy at the time.

“Don’t hold Image by WONG SI JIA
yourself back.”

30

Passion

Image by NATALIE THAM

on the Rocks

NATALIE THAM talks cocktails,
storytelling, and being different with
alumnus Charmaine Thio, the first
Singaporean to be accepted into the
prestigious Tales of the Cocktail
Apprentice Programme.

31

BARTENDING was the furthest thing from Fortunately for Charmaine, she was surrounded by a
Charmaine Thio’s mind when she first applied to supportive few who recommended her books that not
NTU's English programme over a decade ago. As only detailed the recipes of various concoctions, but
she had cut her teeth at luxury fashion brand Gucci, also the history behind most spirits. What sets a
the bright-eyed A-level graduate set her sights on bartender apart is their knowledge, she says. “Anyone
becoming a journalist for fashion magazines, or can pick up a recipe, but it’s the sharing of stories and
a major newspaper. Today, aspirations for a career in ideas that people come back for.”
either field are a thing of the past for the 31-year-old,
who revels in her current line of work and has no plans In fact, it was the opportunity to connect with
of quitting anytime soon. others through stories that allured the mixologist to
bartending in the first place. From the kitchen, she
In a span of eight years, Charmaine has made a name had observed her bartending colleagues engage guests
for herself in the spirits industry – she was the first in illuminating conversations about the various spirits.
Singaporean to be accepted into the prestigious Tales
of the Cocktail Apprentice Programme, an exclusive Having spent four years reading and writing extensively
mentorship programme for up-and-coming bartenders in NTU’s English programme, she realised that she
to learn from the biggest names in the industry. could scratch the perennial itch for storytelling behind
the counter. As interactions were few in the stuffy
In 2018, she was appointed by Hendrick’s Gin, a kitchen, the bar’s promise of camaraderie and
household brand among alcoholic beverages, to be connection seemed far more appealing to the
their Southeast Asia Regional Brand Ambassador. charismatic and witty individual. Eventually, she
Since then, she has become the face of the brand, and made the pivot to bartending, and the rest is history.
has been spreading the ‘gospel of gin’ on Instagram,
where she has amassed over 5000 followers. As such, her current role as brand ambassador is the
perfect gin-infused blend of her passions. The role
For Charmaine, mastering the art of bartending did encompasses relationship-building, copywriting and
not come easy. While most bartenders she knew had the crafting of stories she finds meaningful – which she
been practising since a tender age, Charmaine had said her university years were instrumental in honing.
completely no experience when she first stumbled into “It’s been a wild ride,” she enthuses. “It’s everything I
the field as a part-time kitchen helper at a bar. could ever want in a job.”

“I didn’t even know that the base of a mojito is rum
and not vodka,” she laughs. “I knew nothing about
spirits and cocktails aside from how to drink them.
My colleagues were far more experienced than I was,
which motivated me to learn faster, just because I felt
like I had to play catch up. But I think it’s the same
with any new endeavour, where you fumble around for
a bit until you find your footing.”

32

“You don’t have to
be everyone’s cup of gin.”

“Gin and Literature”, an original narrative event that Reflecting on her undergraduate education, she
she co-hosts occasionally with a friend at Hendrick’s, believes it taught her that “it’s okay to take a different
is the ultimate marriage of her interests. Although gin path, and it’s okay to be different”.
and literature are seemingly unrelated, the two fields
have had some historical intersections. “Growing up, I didn’t realise this, because I suppose
fitting in is quite important to us at that age, but
“Many famous literary writers really enjoyed drinking, having an unconventional perspective in the
or imbibing. Gin was one of the favourite spirits,” workplace is actually really valuable. A lot of industries
Charmaine shared. “(The novelist) F. Scott Fitzgerald’s need someone who’s going to offer a different view.”
favourite drink was a gin rickey, for example.”
She added that her experience in NTU’s English
The brand is always on the lookout for novel ways to programme was a great launchpad for the rest of her
capture the interest of consumers without sounding life, as the creative freedom enabled her to blossom
like preachers, she said, acknowledging that people into a more authentic version of herself. Now, she
are generally more engrossed in things when a counts herself lucky for working at a company that
story is involved. celebrates being different, which is something she has
learned to embrace.
Thus, the appeal of stories never leaves her mind when
she creates cocktails. Her magnum opus was an entire “There will be people who don't like you and people
menu where every drink was made with a singular you don't gel with, and that's fine,” she says. “You don’t
botanical that had its unique folklore roots. Juniper, have to be everyone’s cup of gin. Remember to stay
for instance, was believed to cure ailments like asthma true to who you are, hold fast to your values, and act
while other gin ingredients were believed to be witch out of love.”
repellents or remedies that prevent infidelity. These
amusing historical tidbits, which she included in the Image by NATALIE THAM
menu, piqued the interest of guests.

Fun Facts!

1. Among Charmaine’s most cherished memories
of her time in NTU was Professor Neil
Murphy’s Irish Literature module, where the
class listened to Irish singer-songwriter Van
Morrison’s music for an entire lecture.

2. She shared a love-hate relationship with
modernism and postmodernism – the draw of
these subjects was met with the ‘existential
crises’ they caused. Her favourite postmodern-
ist author is Samuel Beckett.

3. If she ever writes a book, her genre would
be magical realism.

33

From Prose to Shows

TV adaptations of literary works are hardly novel (pun intended), but they don’t always inspire faith from enthusiasts –
even as the bookshelf-to-small-screen pipeline continues to grow. Over the years, countless pages have been transformed
into moving pictures and digital frames, spawning rare gems hidden amongst the smorgasbord of projects. Here are some
to check out, especially for those who want to update their (neverending) to-watch lists.

Good Omens (2019)

Genre: Fantasy comedy
Language: English
Based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman,
Good Omens features Scottish actor David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Welsh
actor Micheal Sheen (voice of White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland) as the main
stars. The Amazon Prime series follows demon Crowley and angel Aziraphale,
longtime acquaintances who have grown accustomed to life on Earth as
representatives of Heaven and Hell, coming together to prevent the advent of
the Antichrist and Armageddon, the final battle between Heaven and Hell.
Like the book, it takes a witty, humorous look at some very serious,
thought-provoking themes, and mixes in great acting, writing, soundtrack and
cinematography. The six-episode show isn’t entirely faithful to the source
material, but manages to build on the established worldbuilding nicely.

Nirvana in Fire (2015)

Genre: Historical wuxia (Chinese martial arts)
Language: Mandarin
Nirvana in Fire has a host of accolades under its belt, and for good reason. Not
only was the drama dubbed as “China’s Game of Thrones,” it also received the
highest government honour for outstanding achievement in the television
industry. The show enjoyed overwhelming popularity even beyond China, and
has been translated to and dubbed in different languages.
The premise is adapted from Hai Yan’s book Lang Ya Bang, and tells the story
of Lin Shu, who enters the capital of Liang under an alias to seek justice for a
conspiracy that labelled his family as traitors 12 years before. It’s largely
praised for its characters, storyline, and historical accuracy, right down
to costuming detail.

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Pachinko (2022)

Genre: Drama
Language: Korean and Japanese
An American series based on the 2017 novel by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko revolves
around one Sunja (whose Japanese name is Bando Nobuko) as she fights for a
better life in a Korea dominated by the Japanese. The themes in its literary
counterpart, such as discrimination and stereotyping, translate well to the
screen, with the Apple TV+ show receiving critical acclaim for its writing and
acting.
It has also gotten the stamp of approval on Rotten Tomatoes, currently standing
at an average score of 9.2 out of 10. The website’s critical consensus give high
praise for Pachinko, stating that it “is a sweeping epic that captures the arc of
history as well as the enduring bonds of family."

The Handmaid’s Tale (2017)

Genre: Tragedy, Dystopia
Language: English
Ah, a familiar name. Taking after the 1985 classic by Margaret Atwood, The
Handmaid’s Tale features a dystopia following a Second American War that sees
fertile women being subjected to child-bearing slavery in a totalitarian society.
There’s plenty to expect here, from its faithful recreation of the novel and
stunning visuals to its careful pacing.
Similar to the source material, the show can get a little too grim, overwhelming,
and emotionally taxing at times. But that also means it has done an excellent
job at conveying the tone and message of the original narrative, which makes
The Handmaid’s Tale a must-watch for fans of the novel.

35

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

Genre: Coming-of-age period drama
Language: English

Netflix’s adaptation of Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel is a case study of the immense
influence that fiction can bring. The miniseries, the title of which refers to the
chess opening called “Queen’s Gambit”, spurned increased public interest in the
board game, with eBay registering a 215 percent increase in chess set and
accessory sales in 2020 after the release of The Queen’s Gambit.

Revolving around an up-and-rising chess prodigy who’s struggling with drug
and alcohol dependency, the show is known for its accurate depictions of
high-level chess, masterful cinematography, and great acting – particularly from
Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays protagonist Beth Harmon. That's a triple checkmate
for the 11 Emmy Awards winner!

The Witcher (2019)

Genre: Action-adventure fantasy drama
Language: English

The Witcher would be a familiar name to video game enthusiasts, but Netflix’s
take on Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski’s epic saga actually sticks more to its
literary roots. Set on a fictional, medieval-inspired landmass known as the
Continent, the fantasy drama series explores the legends of three main charac-
ters in a non-linear fashion: Geralt of Rivia, a monster-hunter for hire (other-
wise known as a Witcher), Crown Princess Ciri of Cintra, and sorceress
Yennefer of Vengerberg. The trio later form an alliance as their respective
stories merge into a single timeline.

While it didn’t quite recreate the rich world-building elements in the novels,
The Witcher still charms with its dark humour, high-octane action, and charac-
ter-building dynamics. Fair warning, though: the time-jumps in the show may
be a little jarring and confusing at first, but you’ll get used to them soon
enough.

36

faculty Assoc. Prof Barrie
spotlight

Macau, that redolent, overcrowded hive of faded Portuguese culture, glossy Sherwood
American casinos, and overarching Mainland governance is what hapless,
lovelorn Zeke Oliveira calls home. An eccentric himself, for the most part
he’s at ease with the city’s eccentricities, but when his best friend is
murdered Zeke goes on a search for those responsible, a search that takes
him into an undercurrent of crime beneath the city that he never knew
existed. An adventure, a social commentary and an unconventional
cookbook, The Macanese Pro-Wrestler’s Cookbook is ultimately the portrait
of a man struggling to find a balance between the cultural identity he has
inherited and his own individual destiny.

The Macanese Pro-Wrestler’s
Cookbook. Penguin Random
House. 2021

Assoc . Prof Bede Scott It is 1951, and Jean-Luc Guéry has arrived in Indochina to investigate the
murder of his brother, Olivier, whose body was found floating in a
Too Far From Antibes. Singapore: tributary of the Saigon River. As an avid reader of detective fiction, Guéry
Penguin Random House, 2022. is well aware of how such investigations should proceed, but it is not
immediately clear that he is capable of putting this knowledge into
practice. In addition to being a reporter for an obscure provincial newspa-
per, he is also a failed writer, an incorrigible alcoholic, and a compulsive
gambler who has already squandered a fortune in the casinos of the Côte
d’Azur. Despite his dissolute tendencies, however, and his aversion to
physical danger, Guéry does eventually manage to solve the case. In order
to do so, he is obliged to enter a world of elaborate conspiracies, clandes-
tine intelligence operations, and organized crime – only to discover, in the
novel’s final pages, that the truth behind his brother’s murder is far
stranger than he could have imagined.

Written in the style of Graham Greene and Eric Ambler, Too Far From
Antibes is a ‘retro’ thriller that brilliantly evokes the city of Saigon during
the early 1950s, when it was a centre of intrigue, insurgency, and empire.

37

faculty
spotlight

Asst. P rof Jonathan Hui The Saga of Vilmundur the Outsider is an entertaining romance composed
in the late Middle Ages in Iceland, where it remained popular for another
five centuries. It tells of the adventures of Vilmundur, the rustic son of a
farmer, whose rise through society is characterised by a combination of
unrefined social etiquette and raw athletic prowess.

Vilmundar saga viðutan: Influenced by narratives of both indigenous and foreign origin, the saga
The Saga of Vilmundur the Outsider, is a good example of the eclecticism that characterises medieval Iceland's
ed. and trans. J. Y. H. Hui. London: indigenous romances. It also holds a place of folkloric significance, as it is
Viking Society for Northern currently the earliest known variant of the Cinderella folktale (ATU 510A)
Research, 2021. which contains a cinder-name. Discussion of all this and other points of
literary, textual and folkloric interest can be found in the introduction of
this volume, which precedes a facing-page text and English translation
of the saga.

Asst. Prof Kevin

This book shows how Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days Riordan
changed the global imagination. Through his novel, the world was
converted into a personal itinerary, scaled to the individual traveller and,
by extension, to the individual reader. Exploring Verne’s modern legacy,
this study shows how subsequent generations of artists and writers took
on Around the World in Eighty Days as an adaptable guidebook to the
modern world. It investigates how Verne’s work leads its reader beyond
the book itself. It considers Verne’s place in world literature, traces some
of the many real reenactments of Verne’s itinerary, and recalls the
theatrical adaptations of Verne’s story. Published to coincide with the
500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation and the 150th anniversa-
ry of Verne’s novel, this book offers new insights into the largely
overlooked influence of Verne on twentieth-century literature and
culture and on the field of global modernism.

Modernist Circumnavigations:
Around the World in Jules
Verne's Wake. Palgrave. 2022.

38

faculty Assoc. Pro f Tamara Wagner
spotlight
The Victorian Baby in Print: Infancy,
Focusing on the figure of the baby in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Infant Care, and Nineteenth-
Culture, The Victorian Baby in Print: Infancy, Infant Care, and Nineteenth- Century Popular Culture.
Century Popular Culture draw on a variety of texts, including novels by Oxford University Press. 2021
Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Mrs Henry
Wood, and Charlotte Yonge, as well as parenting material of the time
(such as and not limited to magazines, childrearing manuals and
advertisements).

The book includes chapters on particular aspects of the baby’s
representation in key texts, with the conclusion advancing the discussion
and exploring debates on infant care today.

39

Komorebi ,

through the lens of the MMC

eunice kishore

president vice-president

Etymologically, komorebi refers to the sunlight that shines While komorebi refers specifically to the light that’s dappled through
through a canopy of trees, but what is particularly the trees, my mind went into free association mode and ended up on
compelling about komorebi is how it also creates an interplay the Japanese concept of mono no aware, which is a sensitivity to the
between shadow and light. To me, this interplay evokes a transience of things. The sun won’t stay in the same place forever, and
subtle ambivalence about the ever changing nature of life. the nature you find yourself in, no matter how old, isn’t guaranteed to
During my Brisbane-Tasmania trip in 2018, I had the last forever. It’s a tragic, frightening realisation, but one that’s equally
privilege to experience many beautiful things, the scenery in liberating. Light and shadow aren’t absolute states, and neither are the
this photo being one of them, that managed to stir up that highest of joys nor the deepest of griefs. That impermanence lends to
exact feeling in me. an unspeakable beauty to me, as seen in the photo I took – which is
only one of many impermanences that I’ve sought to capture.

michelle evangeline
honorary general secretary
honorary financial controller

“I also wished…that I could hide in the shade… But I couldn't. In the midst of the hubbub of daily life, I find respite in the
I had no…hiding places, but only sunlight. 24 hours, mesmerizing beauty of common landscapes. As the world rushes by,
uninterrupted, radiant and warm, shining on all things.” candid moments of komorebi fill my camera roll with picturesque
- A Sun, 2019 re-interpretations of everyday settings.

One may perceive being shrouded in darkness as desolate but The enduring beauty of sunbeams dancing through the leaves of
perhaps not being able to seek shade from the sun is equally roadside trees brings me comfort when the fast pace of society seems
as bleak. May komorebi be with you – where the shade finds unbearable.
the sun, and the sun finds its shade.
40

jasmine shaz
creative director (outreach)
creative director (design & social media)
The night is my refuge and the moon is my sunlight,
This is what komorebi looks like at a distance - you’d the soft light in the darkness that becomes the strength
probably be able to witness the sunlight filtering through the of my spirit.
leaves if you were walking through the forest. Since komorebi My gentle komorebi.
is about witnessing this interplay between shadow and light
(and all the philosophies associated with it), komorebi is also
spatially tied to the viewer’s position under the trees. It is
only with proximity to the site of komorebi that one can
experience it.

ilya jordi
events director
logistics director

Rather than watching the product of this interplay of Taken at the Istana during a volunteering stint for its
shadows and light found in sunlight filtering through the Open House. After enduring a tumultuous pandemic, it
trees, I was watching the making of it. They were clouds was refreshing to enter the Istana and experience its
dancing with sunlight, another kind of komorebi – the luscious garden amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.
size of which I could never fully comprehend but could The contrast between the towering skyscrapers of the city
fully observe. I felt a shift in perspective seeing it all; the centre against the vast variety of plants and trees on
clouds moving, slowly, changing with the wind, the display was a breath of fresh air. It had been a long time
greens, stretching out for kilometres, the sunlight kissing since I’ve managed to participate in these volunteering
treetops, singing over tea plantations. It felt humbling. I events, owing to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19.
tried to capture that feeling in these images. Yet, upon witnessing the garden and the large crowds that
graced it, I realised that there was some end to this
exhaustion we have been feeling throughout these
past two years.

1

jia wen hema

events director events director

Komorebi refers to the sunlight that filters through the I personally feel like the essence of the word komorebi is
canopy and branches. that it’s the light that pushes it’s way through and
Here’s my mum, a light that always pushes through the brightens up a dark space. And I believe that while the sun
trees to reach me. You embody komorebi for me. is the most obvious example, people too, have this quality
within them. The picture I picked is from an outing with
someone that reminds me of this quality: of how they
made sure their presence burned bright in my life so that
I’d know I was never alone :)

tarini si jia
publications director
publications director

Strictly speaking, komorebi is the sunlight that shines The nuance of ‘komorebi’ may be lost in translation, but
through a canopy of trees. At the same time, it can also be its significance of capturing sunlight streaming through
read as light passing through any medium to illuminate. the leaves still resonates. While this image isn’t an exact
Light alone is beautiful, but light that reaches you through interpretation of the word, it serves as a reminder that
something takes on an almost softer, transcendental quality. there’s always beauty to be found in our day-to-day hustle
During my trip to Spain in 2022, I came across many scenes and monotony. The streak of sunlight also reinforces that
that reminded me of that. there’s nothing wrong with feeling lost – even as the road
ahead seems bleak and uncertain , there’ll be constants
1 that act as a guiding light.

conrad mabel

publications director publications director

Komorebi is the sliver of light in the dark, an unexpected I watched the sunset for the first time in months.
hope. This was the sky on a night I hope to have many Perhaps it was the wind, the colours in the sky, or the fact
more of. that I was at the beach.
But I felt nothing and everything, all at once.

Komorebi ,

what is it to you?

1

ELSC Events

a year in review

Halloween

Coffee, Cookies and the Phantasmal
Halloween is one of NTU English's hallmark events, and we didn't
let pandemic restrictions dampen our spirits (pun intended)! In
addition to a contactless trick-or-treat session, we had an
informal discussion session on Zoom called Coffee, Cookies
& the Phantasmal.
Our guest speakers Daryl Qilin Yam and Cat Chong, both
postgraduate students from NTU's Creative Writing programme,
took attendees on a journey through what the supernatural meant
to them and the effect of the supernatural in horror narratives.
They also took the chance to share some of their own encounters
with us for a spine-chillingly fun time!

Treat Yo’ Shelf

Book giveaway on Instagram
To encourage the English community in NTU to create good
reading habits (that involve reading texts outside of their module
syllabi for personal enjoyment and pleasure), the English Sub-Club
organised Treat Yo’ Shelf, an online event in which books
recommended by our faculty members were given away through
our Instagram account.

44

Back to School

Write a letter to your future self + ELSC Virtual Marketplace

There’s Monday blues, and then there’s the back-to-school
blues...or not! Held from 17 to 23 January, the ‘Back to School’
event welcomed students back on campus with three activities:
the English Virtual Marketplace, a ‘Write a Letter to your Future
Self’ booth, and an NTU English-themed Bingo on Instagram.

The marketplace showcased products from businesses run by
English students comprising first- to final-year individuals from
different batches.

The booth, meanwhile, saw students penning down their goals for
the new semester on letters that were mailed to them at a later
date. Cat stickers were also offered as a token of appreciation,
which then turned out to be quite the cat-ch!

Lastly, the Bingo session had students tagging their peers on
Instagram to fill up a template filled with shared experiences.

Valentine’s Day

Origami hearts + Coffee, Cookies, Can we be together?

Valentine’s Day is often associated with romantic affections, but
the English Sub-Club’s event encouraged otherwise. The series of
activities held from 8 to 17 February celebrated love in all its
forms, with a campaign on Instagram Reels and YouTube kicking
things off.

The social media initiative engaged students in a word-word
association game, where they had to add more words to
contribute to a discourse on love. This was followed up by an
origami event, which saw participants personalising a pre-folded
origami heart to give to their loved ones.

‘Coffee, Cookies & Can We Be Together’, the last on the list,
marked the first time our Coffee, Cookies series was held in
person since the beginning of the pandemic. The return was
graced by guest speaker Diana Rahim, who hosted a discussion
revolving around the theme of love in Asian literature and
communities. Onward to the next iteration!

45

TOP Subject Area Day One of our games, “Shakespeare and Lepak”, brought a Singapor-
ean take on the most popular works of the Bard. Our students
Welcoming our Freshmen teamed up to localise works like “The Tempest” and “Romeo and
Juliet”, bringing local flavours to these well loved works.
Getting the jitters on your new chapter in university? We are here
to ease your way into it with our Subject Area Day! Another game, “The ELSC Fashion Show” had our creative
students devising outfits based on their favourite literary
Held on the last day of orientation, SA day is your chance to meet characters. From a modernised Dracula to a reenactment of
and bond with your cohort mates as well as some helpful seniors Ophelia’s death, the sky was the limit in this challenge!
(that’s us!). Get ready for a day of fun filled events, all related to
your major and meant to familiarise you with the school layout. Had a good time at this year’s SA day? Be sure to look out for our
recruitment drive and sign up as a GL for the next one!
This year, we had the “Black Widow” mass game which saw
students exploring the hive in groups to complete mini and main
games. Each game gave teams clues which they used to unlock the
mysterious red room and save the world!

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end