A Study Guide for Hamsad Rangkuti's "The Fence"

By Gale and Cengage

A Study Guide for Hamsad Rangkuti's "The Fence," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Short Stories for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Short Stories for Students for all of your research needs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cengage Learning - Gale
• Release date: Jul 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781535836548

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The Fence

Hamsad Rangkuti

1997

Introduction

The Fence is a short story by Indonesian author Hamsad Rangkuti. It takes place during the rainy season in Sumatra, Indonesia, where Rangkuti lives. The story can be found in the textbook British & World Literature for Life and Work (1997).

The story is narrated by a child of unknown age and gender. It begins in the pouring rain. An old vagrant takes shelter under the eaves of the house where the Narrator lives with Mother and Father. This leads to a discussion between Mother and Father about whether they need a fence to protect their house.

Mother is convinced they should build a fence to keep vagrants away. Father, on the other hand, believes they do not need a fence because they have nothing valuable in the house to protect. He thinks they should open their doors to vagrants who need help. But Mother manages to convince Father that a fence is needed. Once the fence is built, the family feels protected for a short time. But one day, during the rainy season, the family forgets to lock the gate and learns a lesson about fences and life.

Author Biography

Rangkuti was born in 1943 in Medan, Indonesia. As a child he lived in Kisaran, a town in North Sumatra, Indonesia. There were no libraries where he lived. His family was very poor and he could not even afford to buy a newspaper. Rangkuti managed to read great authors like Anton Chekhov and Ernest Hemingway by visiting the local government office, where the Sunday editions of local newspapers were posted on the wall. Rangkuti also learned about storytelling