- 12 year old boy, Malaysian Indian
- just about to start secondary school
- bookworm, well-read
- father is an alcoholic
- mother is a battered woman
- he suffers from verbal abuse from father and some rough man-handling, father has not hit him yet
- mother isn't affectionate, resents his presence because he is the reason she is tied to the father
- he seeks comfort from neighborhood kids, school friends
- has no prejudices - mingles with kids from different ethnic backgrounds
- his dog Sergeant serves as his confidant
- shy and somewhat broken due to his family background
- easily influenced, eventually picks up bad habits from peers
- longs for belonging because he doesn't belong at home
- longs for identity, eg. parents always refer to his as "boy"
He runs to his room, slamming the door behind him. He's heaving with anger and frustration. He immerses himself in a book, trying to drown the sounds of the monster's barking. However, curiosity gets the better of him and he puts down Robinson Crusoe. His mother is silent as a mouse, as the monster berates her with petty attacks. "Don't you know how to cook a God-damn thing?!Such a blady useless bitch you are lah!!" He squeezes his eyes shut and expels a soft sigh. He hopes his mother wasn't the appetizer of the monster's anger, because that would mean he would serve as the main meal for the monster to dish out his verbal abuse. He goes to bed early, dreading the start of tomorrow. He didn't want to start his first day at secondary school with thoughts of the monster resonating in his mind.
Arththi Sathananthar
A129086
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