Lit nation

Abstract

The roots of literature in Singapore stretch back to the island’s colonial past, when it was used to teach students the values of their English colonial masters. When Singapore gained independence in 1965, there was less of a need to study such values, neither was there space for an art form seen to contribute little to the economic progress of pragmatic Singapore. Snuffed by society in its decades-long push for progress through math and the sciences, and by students for being a “hard to score” subject, literature’s place fell behind. Yet, despite that, the literature scene has been quietly blooming on its own, with passionate characters doing their part to push literature further to the forefront of society and into the hearts of Singaporeans. This feature writing final-year project thus seeks to explore the different characters in the close-knit Singapore literature scene as they work to keep literature alive in Singapore. All the while, overcoming the challenges of old and new times, particularly, the notorious enemy of the pen and paper - electronics and digital platforms.