[Rapha] "...feelings of gratitude, pride, and pressure... implies recognition and honor, but the responsibility of maintaining Singapore's positive image."

[Rapha] Writing serves as a "tool for national representation and global diplomacy," emphasizing literature's role in shaping a country's cultural identity worldwide.

[Clare] "...it seemed like she was the right fit for what the government wanted — one who can ‘offer only the best’..."

[Clare] She might have experienced a parallel situation where a character had to be changed for "fear of offending certain cultures."

[Clare] "The government expects artists to present an 'accurate' and 'ideal' image of the country," implying compliance even at the expense of artistic and general freedom of expression.

[Bloo] " ...a great honor yet a very demanding task."

[Pam] "Moreover, dialects like Hokkien were not recognized as a language by the state."

[Stella] "On the surface level, the coerced decision to remove the parrot’s use of Hokkien may reflect the goal of the Unit for the Revitalization of Mother Tongues (URMT) to unite Singaporean tongue through enforcing their multilingual policy. (Mandarin And English)"

[Bloo] "...a means to display values and symbols that exhibit the nation's identity."

[Pau] "Hokkien is more often associated with profanity and vulgar language...an obstacle to establishing Mandarin and English as the primary languages of the Singaporean."

[Pauha] "These situations show that a government has the power and authority to regulate what can be written about their country even though there’s democracy."

[Stella] "This decision reflects the state’s desire to represent and appropriate itself as one that is modern and developmentally forward, even if it means the insidious erasure and breakage of Hokkien immigrant communities in Singapore."

[Spencer] She is "benefiting from a national honor," allowing larger entities to exert influence over her without jeopardizing her opportunity.

[Spencer] The state's "hyper-fixated sentiments on national image compromise Catherine's agency and expressiveness."

[Gina] "...she felt compelled to maintain a respectful relationship with the state due to the power they hold over her."

[Prince] "The ending is more of an insult towards Singapore than it is a compliment...The story's state itself could represent Singapore's situation of trying to present itself as a respectable nation but instead lost sense and meaning in trying to do so."

[Vicky] "...although to some the story is incomprehensible, for others, they acknowledged it as one of the pioneers of a new literary form."

[Kurt] "...even though the narrator's story isn't a hit in the traditional sense, it's celebrated for its innovation and daring. It's like a thumbs-up for pushing boundaries and creating something totally new, even if not everyone "gets" it right away."

[Rapha] "Despite the possibility of misinterpretation and confusion among judges, she wrote a text that defies boundaries and and pushes beyond limits, ultimately contributing to the representation of their distinct culture in a global aspect.

[Gina] The imbalance implies that "the state's historical ability to remove 'offensive passages' before publication pressures writers to align their works with narratives promoted by the state."

[Ryan] The government "uses coercion and ideological control to project a 'civilized' image, instilling a culture of fear and conservatism within a country."

[Ryan] "reflects her recognition of the state’s authority and influence, which necessitates a certain level of submissiveness."

[RG] "...reveals the position of the narrator, as an ordinary citizen, beneath the power structure of Singapore."

[RG] "Government agencies exert power by twisting her narrative to align with their notion of good writing, reflecting a power dynamic where the state indirectly controls the media to ensure political harmony, resulting in writers feeling disconnected from their craft."

Simulates real-life exchanges and negotiations, allowing readers to gain insight into the challenges faced by writers.