research paper yuni
TRANSCRIPT
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UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
EDU 3232
READINGS AND PROJECT WORK
FOR
TEACHING LITERATURE IN ESL CONTEXTS
RESEARCH PAPER
Exploration of streetwise knowledge as the center of human personality in
Great Expectationsby Charles Dickens, The Mill on the Flossby George
Eliot and Robinson Crusoeby Daniel Defoe.
LECTURER: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Malachi Edwin Vethamani
SUPERVISOR: Puan Juridah Md Rashid
PREPARED BY:
Nor Ayuni bt Kamarul Zahan
860911-09-5048
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139786
B.Ed TESL
Thesis Statement:
Exploration of streetwise knowledge as the center of human personality inGreat Expectationsby Charles Dickens, The Mill on the Flossby George
Eliot and Robinson Crusoeby Daniel Defoe.
1.0 Introduction
This paper will discuss the skills that informal education can offer.
Informal education has been around as long as people have grouped
together. It is also well known as the education of daily living. In 19th
century, education has become an important tool for anyone in order to
get a better job and being respected by the society. Plus, 19th century
witnesses the beginning of industrial era and boys are encouraged to
begin their schooling at young age with a hope that it will helps them
become a better person in future. However, formal education alone can
never mould a person into a good personality. Informal education or
streetwise could probably become a better educator compared to formaleducation.
According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English,
streetwise is a skill when the person is able to deal with the dangerous
situations and people that are common in some cities and towns. From
this definition, it shows that streetwise or informal education as the
learning that goes on in daily life. For example, we may well encourage
others to talk about things that have happened in their lives so that theycan handle their feelings and to think about what to do next. Others may
view informal education as the learning projects that we undertake for
ourselves. For example, one may takes traveling as their hobby. Soon, the
activity can be useful for them to cope with their challenging life.
All in all, informal education is a process of helping the person deal
with their life. Therefore, it can be considered here as well that streetwise
knowledge is the center of human personality.
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2.0 Biography of the authors
2.1 Charles Dickens
DICKENS, CHARLES JOHN HUFFAM (1812-1870) was born on the 7th
February 1812 at a house in the Mild End Terrace, Commercial Road,
Landport (Portsea). The house was opened as a Dickens Museum on 22nd
July 1904. Charles Dickens is generally considered as the greatest writer of
the Victorian period because of his writings on social evils, injustice and
hypocrisy. He had also experienced dramatic ends of education in his
youth oppression, when he was forced to end school in early teens and
work in a factory.
The defining moment of Dickenss life occurred when he was 12
years old. His father, who had difficult time managing money and
constantly in debt, was imprisoned in the Marshalsea debtors prison in
1824. Because of this, Dickens was withdrawn from school and forced to
work in a warehouse that handled blacking, or shoe polish to help
support the family. This experience has profound psychological and
sociological effects on his life. It gave him a firsthand acquaintance with
poverty and made him the most vigorous and influential voice of working
classes in his age.
Dickens was allowed to go back to school after his father was
released from prison. However, at 15 years old, his formal education
ended and he found employment as an office boy at an attorneys, while
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he studied shorthand at night. This is the beginning of his involvement into
the world of writing. In 1829, he became a free-lance reporter at Doctors
Commons Courts, and in 1830 he met and fell in love with Maria Beadnell,
the daughter of a banker. However, his relationship with Maria Beadnell
ended, probably because her parents did not think him as a good suitor for
her. Their different family background and his social class seem to be the
reason for his incompatible match for the family. His relationship with her
is rather similar with Pip and Estellas different social class at the
beginning of the novel Great Expectations.
In 1834, his impecunious father was once again arrested for debt,
and he was forced to help the father. Later in his life, both his parents and
his brothers were frequently after him for money. His point of life at this
stage is written in his work; Great Expectations. His duty for the family
was not more than obligation rather than a sense of concerned towards his
family members. With this experiences, Charles Dickens was left alone
without any father figure in his life; similar to Pip in the novel Great
Expectations
Through his experiences with lack of money in life, it could probably
be the reason why most of his writing revolves around the issue of
morality, money and social class. One of the novels is Great
Expectations(1860-1861); which is a novel that will be discussed in this
research paper. Another writing which owns similar issue with Great
Expectations are Oliver Twist (1837-1839) and Old Curiosity Shop
(1840-1841) which depicts the hard years of the societys struggle to cope
with the industrial era, David Copperfield (1849-1850), where Dickens
used his own personal experiences of work in a factory, Bleak House
(1852-1853) and A Tale of Two Cities(1859), set in the years of French
Revolution.
Interestingly, Dickens had a small collection of books which were
kept is a little room upstairs in his house. Robinson Crusoeis one of the
books, which is one the texts that will be discussed in this research. He
plays at the characters and the story in his collections as one of the ways
to sustain the idea in writing. In other words, there are probabilities that
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Dickens writing styles or issues might be similar to Daniel De Foe (the
author ofRobinson Crusoe) writing style.
After years struggling with his health decreasing condition, Charles
Dickens died at home on June 9, 1870 after suffering a stroke. Contrary to
his wish to be buried in Rochester Cathedral, he was buried in the Poets
Corner of Westminster Abbey. The inscription on his tomb reads;
He was a sympathizer to the poor, the suffering, and the
oppressed; and by his death, one of Englands greatest writers is lost to
the world
The inscription truly reflects his identity as a great writer. Despite his
dark life with his parents, all the hardship he had to bear when he was a
youngster and the rejection for his social class, it pays in the end. As an
author of various intellectual writings, he is still remembered until today.
His unique force in literature not only reflects supreme artistic or
intellectual quality, but almost entirely to his inordinate gift of observation,
his sympathy with the inauspicious group of society and his power over
the emotions.
2.2 George Eliot
GEORGE ELIOT is a pen-name of MARY ANNE EVANS (1819-1880)
She was born on the 22nd November 1819 at South Farm, Arbury. As the
youngest child of Robert Evans and Christiana Pearson Evans, she had four
siblings: Robert, Fanny, Chrissy, and Isaac. Mary Anne shared an
especially close relationship with her brother Isaac and they were
inseparable playmates. However, in 1824, Isaac was sent to school at
Foleshill, and Mary Anne was sent to Miss Latham's boarding school. Her
stage of life at this moment is rather similar to the relationship between
Tom Tulliver and Maggie Tulliver in The Mill on the Floss; a close and
inseparable sibling. Plus, both of their names, Maggie and Mary Anne are
rather similar. Both name starts with M and ends with E. It seems like the
author is already intense to write the novel based on her life experience.
At Miss Lathim's, missing the companionship and comfort of her
brother, Mary Anne first turned to books as a source of amusement. Those
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who knew her found Mary Anne as a serious, sensitive, and introspective
child. She had straight light-brown hair and a plain face. The authors
appearance is quite similar with her imaginary version of self-reflect;
Maggie Tulliver. In the novel, Maggie is described as unattractive and not
a beautiful child. Unlike her friend, Maggie is being categorized as impolite
young girl for her ongoing and outspoken character.
In 1828, after finishing at Miss Latham's, Mary Anne was sent to Mrs.
Wallington's Boarding School at Nuneaton. Upon leaving Miss Wallington's,
Mary Anne attended Miss Franklin's school at Coventry. It was here that
Mary Anne worked to rid herself of her Midland accent and cultivated the
low, well-modulated, musical voice, which impressed everyone who knew
George Eliot in later years. At Miss Franklins school, Mary Anne became
an accomplished pianist, studied French, was admired for her skill at
writing, and read widely. She also wrote poetry and fiction. Compared to
the women at that particular era, Mary Anne seems to be ahead more
accomplished than any other women. Her self-reflect character; Maggie is
quite similar with her real life character. However, it is not education that
merely changes these two characters but their social values and inner
beauty that actually works as the medium of change.
In February of 1839, Mrs. Evans died, and Mary Anne, 19 years old,
left school to take care of her father. In 1841, Mary Anne and her father
moved to a new home at Foleshill. Foleshill was a larger town than Griff,
and Mary Anne suspected that her father had chosen it in order to enlarge
her social circle, and perhaps help her find a husband. However, Mary
Anne felt distanced from those around her and could not stand in the
estimation of her neighbors. Her emotion was torn between the societys
expectation for women and her own belief that she deserve to break free
from the norm.
Mary Annes father died in 1849 when she was 29. Later, she came
into contact with John Chapman. a London publisher and bookseller.
Having read her translation of Strauss, he asked her to write an article for
the Westminster Review. Later, their relationship becomes closer and Mary
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Anne had to move from the house under Chapmans wife, Susannas
demand.
She met George Henry Lewes in October, 1851 and they decided to
live in unmarried relationship. He was the one who introduce her to the
world of novel writing. On 23rd September, 1856, Mary Anne began to
write The Sad Fortunes of the Reverand Amos Barton, which would later
become a part of Scenes of Clerical Life. Despite his avowed confidence
in her, he still had some doubts about her ability to write fiction. Those
doubts were removed when he read Amos Barton. Lewes sends the story
to publisher, claiming it was a work of a (male) friend who wanted to
remain anonymous because there has not been any female writer yet in
that era. The story was published on New Years Day, 1857 less than 2
months after her 37th birthday. Mary Anne then adopted George Eliot as
her nom de plume. She chose the name because George was Mr.Lewess
Christian name, and Eliot was a good mouth-filling, easily pronounced
word
When the truth about her identity was firmly established, the
publisher balked at publishing her new novel, The Mill on the Floss. He
feared that the controversy surrounding her life with Lewes would keep it
from selling. They live a life like a married couple though they were not
even tied up in a marriage. In those years, the society will look down on
those against the cultural norm. But the book was finally published and
despite all the controversial nature of their relationship, the book was a
success.
Through her experiences with different kinds of people and her
desire to break free from the norm, it could probably be the reasons why
most of her writing revolves around the issue of morality, humanity and
power of knowledge. One of the novels is The Mill on the Floss (1860);
which is a novel that will be discussed in this research paper. Another
writing which owns similar issue with The Mill on the Floss are
Middlemarch (1871-1872) which tells the awakening to the many
complications involved in a persons life and how she should live her life,
Silas Marner(1861), which is about a man who has been alone for a long
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time and who has lost his faith in his any man. She even reflects her own
relationship with her aunt; a Methodist preacher through the novel Adam
Bede(1859). The novel demonstrates happiness as a reward of tolerance,
compassion and understanding.
Mary Anne continues her serious works for years. She was then
regarded as the greatest living English novelist. In 1880, after the death
of Lewes, Elliot married John Walter Cross. She died in London on 22nd
December, 1880. Until now, she still gained the extreme respect and
admiration from her peers and fellow novelists.
2.3 Daniel Defoe
DANIEL DEFOE or DANIEL FOE (1660-1731) was born in September
1660 at St. Giles, Cripplegate, London. He is well-known as an English
novelist, pamphleteer, and journalist. He is considered as the founder of
English novel. As one of the best-known writers throughout the world for
having written Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe lived a very interesting life,
or maybe a strange one which made him one of the most important
figures of English Literature. In 1695 he adopted the more aristocratic
sounding Defoe as his surname. He plunged into politics and trade,
traveling extensively in Europe before he starts writing fiction. He studied
at Charles Morton's Academy, London. In the early 1680 Defoe was a
commission merchant in Cornhill but went bankrupt in 1691. In 1684 he
married Mary Tuffley; they had two sons and five daughters.
Defoe jumps into the world of writing on 1700. He earned fame and
royal favor with his satirical poem The True born Englishman (1701). This
poem attacked those who thought England should not have a foreign-born
king. His subsequent publications, including The Reviewnewspaper, were
not so well received by those in positions of power. Defoe managed to
anger the Anglican Church and the Whig Party in turn, and each had him
thrown into prison for a time. In 1702 Defoe wrote his famous pamphlet
The Shortest Way With Dissenters. He mimicked the extreme attitudes of
High Anglican Tories and pretended to argue for the extermination of all
Dissenters. Nobody was amused; but he was arrested and pilloried in May
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1703. While in prison, he wrote a mock ode, "Hymn To The Pillory" (1703).
The poem was sold in the streets and so, he was regarded as an
unscrupulous, diabolical journalist.
Through his experiences with political issue, economic and
government structure, it could probably be the reason why most of his
writing revolves around the issue of morality and made him weary of the
dangers inherent in political commentary. It gives him a broader exposure
towards life from his encounter with various groups of people. Later on, in
April 1719 he turned to fiction, writing Robinson Crusoe, based on the
true account of a shipwrecked mariner. He was one of the first to write
stories about believable characters in realistic situations using simple
prose. He followed the success ofCrusoe with Captain Singleton(1720),
AJournal of the Plague Year(1722), Captain Jack(1722), Moll Flanders
(1722), and Roxana (1724). These novels hold a similar theme with
Robinson Crusoe.
Besides literature works, he even wrote countless essays and
pamphlets on economic theory which were advanced for his time. Indeed,
he would have been a wealthy man if he had taken his own advice. While
his years as a broker endowed him with insight into human nature, his
risky judgment always steered him in debt, deceit and political double-
dealing. Still, in his mind and heart, he undoubtedly saw himself in the role
of solid, middle-class family man. He wrote numerous treaties which
demonstrated that he considered himself as an expert in economic and
family matters. However, his marriage to Mary Tuffley, despite its length
of 47 years cannot be considered as a model of matrimonial paradise. His
unstable fortunes, his extended visits abroad, and his absence for works
lead to a wide barrier between him and the family.
Unlike the 2 previous authors; Charles Dickens and George Elliot,
Daniel Defoes background does not reflect much of the story line in the
novel Robinson Crusoe. The character in the novel is not only a good
trader, but an excellent practitioner of voyage trading as well. However,
Defoes family background and Robinson Crusoe was a little similar
because both of them seem to care less about their family and focus more
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on their own life. It seems like their personal desire is much more
important than spending the time with their family.
Even though the novel seems to suggest positive value and
encouraging ending, the writer however did not reflect much of the
positive side of the character. Both the story line and his life seem to imply
an irony statement. It suggests the idea that Robinson Crusoes
experience might be Defoes dream of his life. Defoe faced bankruptcy in
1692. After another arrest in 1715, he spent his time covertly editing other
newspapers as he worked on the novel Robinson Crusoe and Moll
Flanders. He died on 1731 in Ropemakers Alley, Moorfields, poor and
fighting for the debt.
3.0 Synopsis of the novels
This section will discuss the storyline of the three novels; Great
Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Mill on the Floss by George Elliot and
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. The main characters experiences will
lead them to a better person compared to formal education that they had
received before. Through the novel, the readers will be able to see that
their experiences have brought a great impact towards their personality.
Even though all of the characters receive formal education during their
young age, but the education has done a great harm on some of the
characters. On the other hand, streetwise education seems to be the one
that helps them to take control of their life and makes them become more
respectable by the society.
3.1 Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
This novel was published on 1860. Similar to the year when The Mill
on the Floss was first published. The story revolves around the main
character; Pip (Philip Pirrip). Pip, who is a young orphan lives with his sister
and her husband in the marshes of Kent. As a child, he had an encounter
with an escaped convict who springs up from behind a tombstone. He
orders him to bring him food and a file for his leg irons. Pip obeys, but the
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fearsome convict is soon captured. However, the convict protects Pip by
claims that he stole the items all by himself.
One day, Pip is taken by his Uncle Pumblechook to play at Satis
House. During his visits he meets a beautiful young girl named Estella,
who treats him coldly. Pip however, falls in love with her and dreams of
becoming a wealthy gentleman so that he might be worthy for her. He
even hopes that Miss Havisham intends to make him a gentleman and
marry him to Estella. But his hopes are dashed when after months of
regular visits to Satis House, she tells him that she will fill out the papers
necessary for him to be a common laborer in her familys business.
With Miss havishams guidance, Pip is apprenticed to his brother in
law; Joe, who is the village blacksmith. Pip works in the forge unhappily,
struggling to be better in education. One day, a lawyer named Jaggers
appears with strange news that a secret benefactor has given Pip a large
fortune. Therefore, he must come to London immediately to begin his
education as a gentleman. He happily assumes that his previous hope has
come true, that Miss Havisham is his secret benefactor and the old woman
intends to marry Estella to him.
In London, Pip befriends a young gentleman named Herbert Pocket
and Jaggerss law clerk, Wemmick. Thinking that he has become parts of
the middle class group, he begins to deny Joes existence and went after
Estella. Education however, brings him more trouble for he has to run on
debts in order to maintain his wealthy lifestyle. Several years past, until a
familiar figure barges into Pips room one night. The convict, Magwitch,
stuns Pip by announcing that he is the source of Pips fortune. He tells Pip
that he was so moved by Pips boyhood kindness. Therefore, he dedicated
his life to make Pip a gentleman.
Pip is appalled, but he feels morally bound to help Magwitch escape
from London as the convict is pursued by the police and his former partner
in crime, Compeyson. A complicated mystery begins to fall into place
when Pip discovers that Compeyson is the man who has abandoned Miss
Havisham at the altar and Estella is Magwitchs daughter. Miss Havisham
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has raised her to break mens hearts, as revenge of all men. Pip was
merely a boy for the young Estella to practice on.
As the weeks pass, Pip begins to see the good side of Magwitch and
begins to care for him deeply. Before Magwitchs escape attempt, Estella
marries a gentleman named Bentley Drummle. Pip makes a visit to Satis
House, where Miss Havisham begs for his forgiveness for the way she has
treated him in the past. Pip forgives her. Finally, the time comes for Pip
and Herbert to help Magwitch escape from London. They try to sneak
Magwitch down the river on a rowboat, but they are discovered by the
police. Compeyson is the one who gives the information to the police. Both
convicts fight in the river and Compeyson is drowned. As a result,
Magwitch is sentenced to death and Pip loses his fortune.
The author wrote different ending for this novel. The original ending
does not suggest any reconcile between Pip and Estella. The author,
Dickens plans to ends the novel like this;
After the death of Magwitch, Herbert decided to go abroad for his
business and Pip plans to follow Herbert. However, he changes his mind
because he becomes too ill because of the fever. Knowing about Pips
condition, Joe comes to help him. Then, he leaves Pip again and returns to
the village. Realizing the mistakes that he had done and thinking that
Biddy was once in love with him, he rushes back home; intends to marry
Biddy. But it was too late for she is already married to Joe. So, Pip goes
abroad to Herbert, who is happily married to Clara and Pip becomes his
clerk.
The author then, plans on different endings starting from this point.
The first ending is a typical situation of an unexpected meeting in the
street after years of separation between Pip and Estella. Estela is in the
carriage, accompanied by the servant and there is a strange feeling
between the two them. Another ending is quite similar to the revised
version where Estella is treated cruelly by her husband, Drummle. After
the death of her husband, Estella is married to a doctor. And she meets
Pip who is bought to him by her husband.
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The revised version, which is the ending of the book used for this
research paper ends in different way. In this ending, Pip and Estella meet
again in the ruined garden at Satis House, but the possibility of them
being together or even married, is left open, contrast to the original
version. Drummle, her husband treats her badly, but he is now dead. Pip
finds that Estellas coldness and cruelty have been replaced by a sad
kindness. They leave the garden hand in hand and Pip believes that they
will never part again.
3.2 The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
This novel was published on 1860. Similar to the year when Great
Expectationswas first published. The novel is based partially on Eliots
own experiences with her family and her brother Isaac, who was three
years older than Eliot. Eliot's father, like Mr. Tulliver in the novel, was a
businessman who had married a woman from a higher social class, whose
sisters were rich and self-satisfied, similar to the character models for the
aunts in the novel. By the time Eliot published The Mill on the Floss, she
had gained a notoriety as an "immoral woman" because she was living
with the writer George Henry Lewes, who was married, though separated
from his wife. The society disapproved their relationship and makes the
publishing almost impossible but when it was published, the book received
remarkably supportive by the readers.
The story revolves around Maggie. Maggie Tulliver is the impetuous,
clever younger daughter of the Tullivers of Dorlcote Mill in St. Oggs.Maggie frustrates her mother with her unconventional dark skin color and
unnatural activeness and intelligence. Compared to other young girls, her
character and physical is quite different and she is considered as
unattractive young girl. Maggies greatest happiness is her brothers
affection, Tom Tulliver. His disapproval and cruel comments towards her
always creates dramatic despair in Maggie. Though Tom is less intelligent
compared to Maggie, Mr Tulliver decides to pay an additional education for
Tom rather than to have him take over the mill. In late 19th Century,
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schooling education requires a large amount of money and it is given
priority to men.
Mr. Stelling, who is a clergyman, takes Tom on as a student, and
Maggie visits him at school several times. On one of these visits, she
befriends with another Mr Stellings student, the sensitive, crippled Philip
Wakem. He is the son of her fathers enemy, Lawyer Wakem. Soon,
Maggie is sent to school with her cousin, Lucy but at 13 years old, she is
called home when her father finally loses his extended lawsuit to Lawyer
Wakem over the use of the river Floss. Mr Tulliver is rendered bankrupt
and ill. Tom returns home as well to support the family. The Dodsons,
whom strongly disagree earlier with extending Toms education offer little
help.
At this critical situation, Tom provides as much help he can offer to
the family, with a help from Bob Jakins, a childhood friend of Tom. Years
later, after losing contact with Philip Wakem, Maggie reencounters Philip
Wakem on one of her walks in the woods. Philip and Maggie meet secretly
for a year, since Maggie's father would be hurt by their friendship as hehas sworn to hold Lawyer Wakem as his life-long enemy. Philip finally
confesses to Maggie that he loves her, and Maggie, at first surprised, says
she loves him back. Soon,Tom discovers their meetings, cruelly upbraids
Philip, and makes Maggie swear not to see Philip again. On a business
venture with Bob Jakin, Tom has amassed enough money to pay off Mr.
Tulliver's debts. On the way home from the official repayment of the
debts, Mr. Tulliver meets Lawyer Wakem and attacks him, but Mr. Tulliverfalls ill himself and dies the next day.
Several years later, Maggie who is now a tall, striking woman
becomes a teacher in another village. She returns to St Oggs to visit her
cousin, Lucy who has taken care of Mrs Tulliver. Lucy has a handsome and
rich suitor named Stephen Guest, and they are friends with Philip Wakem.
As Lucy mentions the name again, she longs to see Philip again. Therefore,
she asks Tom for permission to see Philip and Tom grudgingly gives her.
Maggie and Philip renew their close relationship, and Maggie starts to
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consider marriage to Philip, if only his father approved. Lucy realizes that
Tom wishes to purchase back Dorlcote Mill, and she asks Philip to speak to
his father, Lawyer Wakem. Philip speaks to his father about selling the mill
and about his love for Maggie, and Lawyer Wakem is eventually
responsive to both propositions.
Meanwhile, Stephen and Maggie have become helplessly attracted
to each other, against their expectations and wishes. Maggie plans to take
another teaching post away from St Oggs soon so that their attraction will
be meaningless. On the other hand, Stephen pursues her and Philip
quickly becomes aware of the situation. Feeling ill and jealous, Philip
cancels a boat ride with Maggie. Lucy on the other hand decides to send
Stephen. It leaves both of them alone with each other. Stephen rows
Maggie pat their planned meeting point with Lucy and begs her to marry
him. Maggie gives no answer towards his proposal. They sleep over on the
boat deck and when they reach Mudport, she holds firm in her decision to
part with Stephen and return to St Oggs.
On her return to St Oggs, she is treated in town as a fallen woman
and a social outcast. Despite public knowledge about Stephes letter,
which acknowledges all the blame upon himself, Maggie had to continue
carrying all the burden and pain. Maggie is befriended only with the Jakins
and the clergyman Dr Kenn. Lucy, who has been prostate with grief,
becomes well again and secretly visits Maggie to show her forgiveness.
Philip as well, sends a letter of forgiveness and faithfulness. Stephen sends
Maggie a letter renewing his pleas for her hand in marriage and protesting
the pain she has caused him. However, Maggie vows to bear the burden
she has caused others and must endure herself until death. Still, she
wonders on how long this trial and her life will be.
At this moment, when she is too preoccupied with the thought about
her life and death, water begins to rush under the Jakins door from the
nearby river Floss. Maggie wakes the Jakins and takes one of their boats,
rowing down the river in a feat of miraculous strength towards Darlcote
Mill, worrying about Tom and her mother. Maggie rescues Tom, who is
trapped in the house and they row down the river towards Lucy. But
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before they can reach Lucys house, the boat is capsized by debris in the
river. Both drown in each others arms. Years go by and Philip, Stephen
and Lucy visit the grave.
3.3 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
This novel was published on 1719. The novel is about a mans life
named Robinson Crusoe and his adventure around the world. Robinson
Crusoe, who is a young and impulsive wanderer, has defied his parents
and decided to travel to the sea. Soon, he is involved in a series of violent
storms and is warned by the captain that he should not be a seafaring
man. Ashamed to go home, Crusoe boards another ship and returns from a
successful trip to Africa. He decides on taking off again but he is taken
prisoner in Sallee. One day, his captors sent Crusoe out to fish, and he
used this chance to escaped, along with a slave. He is rescued by a
Portuguese ship and begins a new adventure. He lands in Brazil. Hoping to
increase his wealth by buying slaves, he aligned himself with other
planters and undertook a trip to Africa in order to bring back a shipload of
slaves. One night, due to the storm, Crusoe and the others are
shipwrecked. He is thrown upon the shore alone as the only survivor.
Alone on the island, Crusoe makes immediate plans for food, and
then shelter, to protect him from wild animals. He brings as many things
as possible from the wrecked ship. He begins to develop talents that he
had never used in order to provide himself with necessities. Cut off from
the company of men, he begins to communicate with God, which he has
abandoned before. In order to entertain himself, he writes a journal about
the tasks that he has done everyday. As time pass, Crusoe becomes a
skilled craftsman. He also learns about farming, as a result of some seeds
which he brings along with him. He explores his island and discovers
another part of the island which is richer and more fertile, and built a
summer home there.
One of the first tasks is to build a canoe to escape from the island.
But the canoe is too heavy to get into the water. Then, he builds a small
boat and travel around the island. After spending about 15 years on the
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island, he finds a mans naked footprint and it worries him. He considers
many possibilities for the footprint and starts to take extra precautions
against a possible intruder. Later, he is horrified to find human bones
scattered about the shore, evidently the remains of a savage feast. He is
plagued again with new fears. Then, he starts to explore the nature of
cannibalism. He becomes cautious for several years, but he encountered
nothing more to alarm him. Sometime later, a group of cannibals lands on
the island and a victim is escape. Crusoe saved his life and named him
Friday and taught him English.
Friday becomes Crusoes devoted slave. They plan to leave the
island and built another boat. However, their voyage is postponed due to
the return of the savages. This time it is necessary for him to attack the
cannibals in order to save 2 prisoners. One of them is a white man, a
Spaniard and the other is Fridayss father. Four of them plan a voyage to
the mainland to rescue 16 compatriots of the Spaniard. However, they
build up their food supply first to assure enough food for the extra people.
Crusoe and Friday agree to wait on the island while the Spaniard and
Fridays father bring back the other men.
A week later, they spy on a ship but quickly learn that there has
been a mutiny on board. By devious means, Crusoe and Friday rescues the
captain and the 2 other men. The grateful captain gave Crusoe many gifts
and took him and Friday back to England. Some of the rebel crewmen are
left marooned on the island. Crusoe returns to England and finds that in
his absence, he has become a wealthy man. After going to Lisbon to
handle some of his affairs, he begins and overland journey back to
England. Crusoe sells his plantation in Brazil for a good price, married and
have 3 children. Finally, he is persuaded to go on another voyage and
visits his old island. He promises that there will be other adventures in his
later account.
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4.0 Analysis
Streetwise can serve variety of functions. It is not merely survival
skills but it can even serve experiences and knowledge of the world. Plus,
it can even offer entertainment, information, and helps us deal with
personal or social values. We tend to think of learning principally in a
tutorial or didactic sense. Actually, most learning takes place in a more
informal manner. Not all the learning that does take place is of the formal
task accomplishment variety (F.Borgatta, 1973) The idea given by F.
Borgatta about the process of learning which is not merely focusing on the
sense of achievement through formal education shows that informal
education which is streetwise or experiences can be reliable as well for
molding a human personality. In this research, there are five ways that
informal education can offer for shaping the center of human personality.
In these three novels, streetwise seems to be the one that forming the
characters into a more respectable person.
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First of all, streetwise seems to be the best educator to
teach about real life experiences which is much more meaningful
and reliable since the person conclude its understanding based on
his or her own experiences. Plus, since real life experience is a long
journey of education, then there is definitely no expires date for the
knowledge gained. It means that, as long as the person continues
breathing, the person will definitely keep learning and experiencing new
knowledge.
In the novel Great Expectations, based on his own experience, Pip
learns that greediness brings nothing but failure and disappointment in
life. After a long struggle to cope with the middle class society, he finally
realizes that all he has been through is just pretending to be what he is
not. In order to suit himself with the society, he has to carry on debts and
interacting with those within the middle class; thinking that he could be
part of them. However, he finally realizes that he can never be part of
them because there are too many sacrifices he has to give in just for the
sake of getting into the group of people.
In The Mill on the Floss Tom learns that despite all his lesson in
school, it is not enough yet for it teaches him nothing but the knowledge
which he cannot even apply it when he need to cope with business matter.
Id rather not have any employment of that sort, uncle. I dont like
Latin and those things. I dont know what I could do with them unless I
went as usher in a school, and I dont know them well enough for that;
besides, I would as soon carry a pair of panniers. I dont want to be that
sort of person. I should like to enter into some business where I can get on
a manly business where I should have to look after things and get credit
for what I did. (The Mill on the Floss, Book 3, page 232)
These lines show that all the knowledge that he gained in school
before does not help him much when he needs to help his father solve the
bankruptcy problems. Instead, it is through streetwise that he finally
manages to settle the problem. It is actually experiences and
communication skills that help him in the end, solving the business
problems.
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lessons; no matter how difficult their life is, they must never give up and
takes the challenge as a journey towards success.
Secondly, streetwise helps the characters to see the true
color of other characters in the novel and it makes them value
the gist of relationship with those who are sincere to them. The
word true color in this context refers to the characters personality in this
novel. In other words, informal education helps the person view the other
characters personality in this novel.
For example, in Great Expectations, Pip learns about other
characters true color through his experiences instead of formal
knowledge. Formal education makes him see the beauty of the world but
blinded him when it comes to the relationship and the value of friendship.
Why should a man scrape himself to that extent, before he could
consider himself full dressed? Why should he suppose it necessary to be
purified by suffering for his holiday clothes? Then he fell into such
unaccountable fits of meditation, with his fork midway between his plate
and his mouth; had his eyes attracted in such strange directions; was
afflicted with such remarkable coughs; (Great Expectation, Chapter 27,
page 204-205)
These are all his comments towards Joe Gargery. Thinking that he is
already apart of middle class society, he begins to look down on Joe. Pips
education seems to disperse him from his past. He begins to feels
annoyed at Joes attitude for he thinks that they are now at different level
of society. The education has widened the gap between Joe and him.
However, in the end of the story, Pip manages to see the true color of
each character. However, it was not education that brings him closer to
their identity but it was only through his informal knowledge and deeper
understanding of the characters. For example, when he first encounters
Magwitch as a child, he does not seem to be afraid of him for he views him
as not a harmful person. In his second encounter, as an educated person,
he is afraid of him and worries if the relationship with a criminal would
affect his status as part of the society. Education seems to design him into
a self-conscious person. However, towards the end of the story, through
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experiences of the relationship with Magwitch and as he begins to mix
with various groups of people, he learns to see the differences and the
true identity of each characters.
In The Mill on the Floss, the main character, Maggie Tullivers
experiences has makes her realizes about the others personality. The
most obvious example is her relationship with Philip Wakem. Despite his
unattractive physical, Maggie seems to be the one who falls in love with
him and close to him. She does not seems to care about other peoples
perception about Philip and continues befriend with him. Philip is seen as
Maggies reflection because Maggies character is quite similar to Philip in
a sense that both of them are judged as indifferent by the society.
Because of Maggies dark skin color, and her outspoken character,
her family considers her as ugly and rude girl. Philip on the other hand,
although he is only lack of physical attraction but he is taken as rather
unusual by the society. Taking into consideration that Philip has gone
through similar painful experiences, it could probably be the reason for
Maggie to fall for him. This is probably because Philip seems to reflect
peoples perception towards Maggie.
In the novel Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe is able to understand
peoples character through his long loneliness in the island. Being alone in
an island makes him realizes the importance of having someone to
communicate and share their thoughts together. He believes that living
alone on that island is Gods punishment for him since he refuses to listen
to his fathers advice before. I had lived a dreadful life, perfectly destitute
of the knowledge and fear of God. I had been well instructed by father and
mother; neither had they been wanting to me in their early endeavors to
infuse a religious awe of God into my mind (Robinson Crusoe, Chapter
13, page 131)
Therefore, after his encounter with Friday, he makes use of all the
knowledge he has and teaches him about language, religion and manner
but at the same time, he takes into consideration of Fridays feelings as
well. He does not force him to learn all these but encourages him to do so.
His experience of loneliness seems to be able to make a better and more
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Magwitch makes Pip realizes that one needs to be brave enough in order
to make any changes in life or make a better life.
In The Mill on the Floss, Maggies close relationship with those she
loves; her mother, Tom, Lucy and Philip has brings her courage to face the
societys segregation. For her, losing the faith from those who are close to
her is more painful than facing the societys segregation. Since she is
always being alone ever since her childhood, she begins to realizes the
importance of these people for her. Therefore, she is willing to take the
risk as long as she can be with them.
Maggie paused too, three yards before him. She felt the hatred in his
face, felt it rushing through her fibres; but she must speak. Tom, she
began faintly, I am come back to you; I am come back home for refuge
to tell you everything (The Mill on the Floss, Book Seven, page 496)
From these few sentences, it shows that Maggie has struggle all her way
long from the river where Stephen takes her to. However, all her hard
work seems meaningless. Tom cannot forgive her and the society blame
her for what they thought she did; elopes with Stephen Guest. Even
though she can be happy with the man she loves; Stephen but she
chooses to come back home, letting the happiness away for the sake
family pride. But, none appreciate her action. Maggie seems to be
courageous enough to make such a brave decision. She seems to have an
unexpected strength because of her relationship with those she loves; her
mother, Tom, Lucy and Philip. It seems that her relationship with these
people has brought her courage to face the societys segregation.
In the novel Robinson Crusoe, streetwise has teaches Crusoe to be
more matured in making wise decision and not easily gives up. After going
through the life in the island alone, he learns to deal with the difficulties of
living alone in an uncivilized island. After a few years, he is finally able to
make himself comfortable on the island although he feels lonely once in a
while.
In a word, the nature and experience of things dictated to me upon
just reflection that all the good things of this world are no farther good to
us than they are for our use; and that whatever we may heap up indeed to
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give others, we enjoy just as much as we can use, and no more (Robinson
Crusoe, Chapter 13, page 129)
Through his experiences on the island, he realizes that he must
never give up and willing to try on something new so that he is able to be
brave and be more confident with himself. Therefore, in the end of the
novel, the author seems to suggest that Crusoe will go on another
adventure for he seems to have the courage that he can survive on
another adventure.
Looking back at the novels, all of the characters finally get their
courage and become a strong person after long painful experiences. The
experience does not hold them back, yet it turns out as their motivation.
All of the three characters gain different courage based on different
experiences. It shows that experiences should be taken as motivation to
provoke a better personality.
For the next effects of informal education, streetwise makes
the person becomes more satisfied with what they have and they
turns out to be a happier character than those who merely
focusing their life on formal education. This does not necessarily
mean that the characters show no desire to improve but being satisfied
with what they have shows a sign of gracious towards their life. It may
seem simple but most people find themselves difficult to be happy for they
always wanting more in life. Plus, the habit of comparing between what
one have with the others make their life ends up more miserable.
In Great Expectations, Joe Gargery seems to be a character whom
practice informal education as his own philosophy. Informal education
makes Joe a better considerate person compared to other characters in
the novel. His simple, yet meaningful life makes him a character that is
important for Pips growing up model. Despite Pips ungracious attitude
towards Joe, Joe still forgive him and accept Pip with all his heart. He does
not holds any grudge towards Pip because he knows that Pip never really
intense to hurt his feelings. Experience teaches him that whenever one
gets too excited, they tend to make mistakes. Through his experiences
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dealing with different kind of people, Joe has long understood Pips
reaction as an accidental mistake.
Pip, said Joe, appearing a little hurried and troubled, there has
been larks. And, dear sir, what have been betwixt us-have been. At night,
when I had gone to bed, Joe came into my room, as he had done through
all my recovery. He asked me if I felt sure that I was as well as in the
morning (Great Expectations, page 430)
In The Mill on the Floss, the character that seems to suit the effects
of streetwise knowledge towards one life is Lucy. She is Maggie and Toms
cousin. She seems to have fewer obstacles in her life. This is probably
because of her simple personality. She always follows the societys
expectation of what a woman should be; kind, beautiful, caring and
talented. Therefore, she never shows any desire to move herself further
for she simply accepts her life the way it is.
However, it does not necessarily mean that she never cares about
anything or has no feelings at all. For example, whenever she find out
about Maggie and Stephens betrayal towards, she falls sick. Her sickness
shows that there are certain things that she cannot accept in her life. But
as she decided to forgive Maggie, it shows that learns to accept what has
happen before and since there no other turning ways, the only thing that
she can do is giving forgiveness. Her willingness to forgive Maggie shows
her satisfaction with her life. It does not necessarily mean that she enjoys
it, but her forgiveness shows that she realizes that people will never stop
making mistakes.
In the novel Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe turns to religious belief when
he is alone on the island. Getting closer to God makes him appreciate his
life better. Since God gives him life and protect him whenever he is alone,
he decided to surrender himself to God.I learned to look more upon the
bright side of my condition and less upon the dark side; and to consider
what I enjoyed rather than what I wanted; and this gave me sometimes
such secret comforts that I cannot express them; (Robinson Crusoe,
Chapter 13, page 130)
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The 2 novels, Great Expectations and The Mill on the Floss reflects
similar sign of satisfaction in a life. Both Joe and Lucy accept others
mistakes and forgive them. It does not mean that they are being defeated,
but they are actually the true winner. Sometimes, forgiveness is the most
precious gift to offer. On the other hand, Robinson Crusoe shows that his
satisfaction comes from his belief towards God. Therefore, satisfaction
from streetwise can be achieved from any forms of experiences. It
depends on the challenge that they have to face in life.
For the last point, streetwise changes the characters
personality in terms of their relationship with the other
characters in the novel. Experiences makes the characters realize how
they have been less sensitive towards other people before. After going
through many ups and down in life, they finally realizes that all these long,
they have been spending too much time on hurting other peoples
feelings.
For the novel Great Expectations, through her own experiences,
Estella finally learns her lesson. In the end of the novel, she becomes a
better character. The author describes her as a more sympathethic
character and less cruel.
The freshness of her beauty was indeed gone, but its indescribable
majesty and its indescribable charm remained. Those attractions in it, I
had seen before; what I have never seen before was the saddened
softened light of the once proud eyes; what I had never felt before, was
the friendly touch of once insensible hands (Great Expectations, Chapter
59, page 441)
It shows that her cruelty has been replaced with a sign of kindness
and perhaps, regret for what she had done to Pip. The eyes shows that
she has witnessed various situations in order to make her a better person.
For these entire lives, she always wants to be among middle class group of
people, but she finally realizes that her desire brings her nothing but
unhappiness and suffering. She finally learns her lesson when her husband
treats her cruelly. She finally learns her lesson that happiness is not in the
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hand of status, but it lies in a heart. For the first time, Pip is able to feel
her kindness which Estella keeps on holding back before.
In The Mill on the Floss, streetwise has changes her outspoken and
rough personality when she was a child. Why dont you sit still, Maggie?
her mother said peevishly. Little gels mustnt come to see me if they
behave in that way, said Aunt Pullet. Why, youre too rough, little miss,
said uncle Pullet (The Mill on the Floss, Book 1, page 92)
The extract shows that the family seems to regard her as a person
who is lack of positive attitude. They keep on commenting on how she
should behave and how she should react to certain situation. All these
comments, though it may sounds rather harsh and cruel for her but it
helps her a lot in future. She refuses to be the black sheep of the family
anymore. Therefore, a long her process of growing, she learns to build a
better personality so that she can get along with the society.
For one instant Stephen could not conceal his astonishment at the
sight of this tall, dark-eyed nymph with her jet-black coronet of hair; the
next, Maggie felt herself for the first time (The Mill on the Floss, Book 6,
page 384) As she grows up, Maggie turns a more attractive person. She
never intends to attract Stephens attention but all she has been doing is
just to be treated fairly by the society. In other words, she learns to
improve her personality just because she wants to cope with the
relationship with the expected society.
Even though the main character in Robinson Crusoe does not
communicate much with people for he has been deserted for quite a long
time on an island, but he is able to learn his lesson in terms of his
relationship with the other characters in the novel. One of the characters
is Friday. Crusoe has always long for a companion after years of
loneliness. As Friday show up, he has decided to teach him as much
knowledge he can offer. However, he never forces him to study. Instead,
he becomes more patient for he teaches him slowly about language and
religious issue to him. He has changes a lot compares to the time before
he starts his adventure. He was a level headed person before.
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if I would ruin myself, there was no help for me; but I might
depend I should never have their consent to it; that for her part she would
not have so much hand in my destruction; and I should have it to say, that
my mother was willing when my father was not (Robinson Crusoe,
Chapter 2, page 11-12)
The extract shows that because of his stubbornness, he makes a
move on this adventure even though the family has never approved with
his decision. However, as he grows older, he realizes the mistakes he has
done. As it was too late to turn back, he decided to change the future and
become a more tolerate person.
Based on these three novels, it shows that streetwise changes the
characters social. Estella and Crusoe become soften towards people
around them. As for Maggie, she learns to adapt herself in the society. All
in all, informal education has been a teacher for them. Though it might
take a long journey for the characters to realize their discontented life, but
they finally make it in the end of the novel.
5.0 Implications
Literature in English has long been implemented because it could
improve students language skills which are reading, writing, speaking and
listening. At the same time, literature can be considered as the source of
knowledge. Carter (1988) considers the information-based approach as a
way of teaching knowledge about literature as literature is seen to offer a
source of information to the students. This approach requires students to
study the historical background, cultural and social issues in the text in
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order for them to understand the message conveys. The novels Great
Expectations, The Mill on the Flossand Robinson Crusoeimplies similar
issues and culture. In these novels, the students will be able to learn about
the living in 19th century. It will even the students to study the
geographical knowledge since the settings are not implies in Malaysia.
Carter and Long (1991) Another justification for the inclusion of
literature in the language classroom is that literature is a product of
culture and contains a compendious store of information through which
learners get insights into the culture, history, traditions and conventions of
the target language Therefore, reading literature texts like Great
Expectations, The Mill on the Flossand Robinson Crusoewill be able to
provide learners with tantalizing glimpses towards a range of cultures. It
will not only broaden their world-view, but more importantly, it will help
learners to compare with their own culture and perhaps, incorporate the
tolerance aspects. Therefore, if the texts could be used in our syllabus,
then the teacher could probably consider teaching the students about its
culture since the cultures are quite different with our Malaysian context.
Malachi Edwin Vethamani (2004) Texts must also be accessible to
students. Teachers should consider using texts which are slightly difficult,
yet it should not be too difficult as this could lead to much frustration for
the student. As applied for Robinson Crusoe, the Ministry of Education
has taken the step to provide abridged text for students in secondary
school. The original text is rather difficult for beginner and intermediate
level of proficiency students. Therefore, as a way to encourage students to
read, the used of abridged text seems to a good method because too
difficult text might discourage students to read. As for Great
Expectationsand The Mill on the Floss, it could probably be consider as
the texts for literature students because despite its lengthy, the language
is not too difficult for intermediate readers.
Plus, learning literature helps the students to deal with their daily life
and practice their reading of literature as one of the ways to solve a
problem or perhaps as their philosophy of life. Ganakumaran
Subramaniam (2007) this theory suggest that students should not be
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subordinate to the literature, but active participants in the reading
process, making personal meaning and significance from the literature
they encounter. The theory refers to personal development model
suggested by Carter and Long. Studying literature encourage students to
provide their own personal response based on their reading of the text.
Different students may come out with different understanding since all
students own different schemata. Therefore, the readers for each novel
might interpret their understanding of the novel based on their previous
knowledge. Some might thinks that they agree with the actions taken by
the characters but there are chances that some may not.
In addition, understanding the novels helps to be a better person in
society. These texts can create awareness among students about other
people who have to work very hard to survive so that they should be more
appreciative towards what they already have. In other words, it teaches
students to value their life and never easily gives up. Through these three
novels, students will be to learn in order to achieve success in life; one
might needs to do a lot of sacrifice before they manage to taste the
beauty of achievement. Plus, the novels suggest the idea that one must
live their life to the fullest in order to become a better person.
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6.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, streetwise knowledge is the center of human personality.
The novels Great Expectationsby Charles Dickens, The Mill on the Floss
by George Eliot and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe proves these
states through the writers exploration of the characters. Since informal
education is a long process of learning, then person will always learn
about new things as long as they keep on living and never gives up in life.
Therefore, reading these texts will encourage the students to keep on
trying though they might find it difficult to face the circumstances in life.
In other words, reading literary texts will brings the students towards
life appreciation and make their life as meaningful as possible.
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References
Ganakumaran Subramaniam, Teaching of Literature : An Introduction in
Approaches to Teaching Literature: Theory and Practice, Malachi Edwin
Vethamani, 2007,Sasbadi Sdn Bhd
Gurnam Kaur Sidhu, Literature in the Language Classroom: Seeing
Through the Eyes of Learners in, Teaching of Literature in ESL/EFL
Contexts, Malachi Edwin Vethamani, 2003Sasbadi Sdn Bhd
Malachi Edwin Vethamani, 2004, Developments in Teaching of Literature
in English, Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
Ronald Carter and Michael N. Long, 1991, Teaching Literature, Longman
Inc
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English: The Living Dictionary, 2003,
Person Education Limited
Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe, published by the Penguin Group
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, published by the Penguin Group
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George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss, published by the Penguin Group
Liz Drisscoll (Abridgement) Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, (Literature
in English for Lower Secondary Schools), 2000, Darulfikir Sdn Bhd