THE CURSE learnt to be a responsible person

Using details from the novel you have studied, describe how it has taught you to be a responsible person. Give examples of how you learned to be a responsible person.

    The novel I have read is The curse by Lee Su Ann. In the novel, we learn about responsibility in terms of thinking before we speak and not spreading rumours. The gossipy villagers spread rumours about Madhuri’s death and how it will bring a curse to the village. Puan Normala begins to spread rumours by claiming to have seen Madhuri’s dead body and white blood. To make matters worse, she starts to link happenings like the endless rain and flood to the curse. This only creates more fear among the villagers. Puan Normala and her neighbours gossip and speculate about everything. To top it all off, when the Old Lady is sought after by Mohd Asraf to treat his sick grandmother, the villagers gang up to chase her away because they consider her evil as she had murdered her husband in the past. They feel that she is the cause of the curse.

    Sadly, due to the irresponsible villagers’ rumours at that time, the Old Lady becomes the victim and she is labelled as a mad woman and a murderer. She was forced to leave the village and had to live in a deserted house in the jungle. She is forced to come to the village again when Mohd Asraf pleads with her to treat his grandmother. When his grandmother passed away, the villagers were quick to accuse the Old Lady of poisoning Mohd Asraf’s Nek and it was enough to convince Mohd Asraf to confront the Old Lady at her house. When things got out of hand, the house is burned down and the Old Lady dies.

    On the other hand, Azreen is a responsible person by the way she treats her parents even though she feels that they love Madhuri more than her. She never receives her father’s warmth as his daughter as much as Madhuri but being the responsible daughter that she is, she continues to treat her father respectfully. Azreen also takes care of her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s till her mother’s death.

    I have learned that I have to be responsible for my own actions. I should not spread rumours nor cause harm to others without thinking carefully no matter what happens or challengers I have to face. For being irresponsible, we can also cause harm to other people.