The Aesthetic Values Behind Kampung Boy - The Universal Themes

While catered primarily to Malaysian audience, Kampung Boy managed to reach far and wide, across the country and the whole globe. There are many factors that can consider, such as the vivid art style and the clever and humorous writing. But that was only scratching the surface. The value of the story – the aesthetic value – is laid behind them: the beauty of the kampong life. At first I asked myself, how something that is set in a kampong can attract even foreign readers, which of course are unfamiliar with it?

The kampong is merely the setting of the story; the culture and lifestyle within it are the substance. What made the book engaging however was the emphasis of the universal theme and experiences behind Lat’s childhood:

 playing games 

hanging out with friends 

getting scolded by parents for getting into trouble 

Situations that are relatable for most people, and things that readers can connect to when they read the book. On top of that, the story is an honest reflection of the author’s experience, which managed to draw the readers in and bring them into what we can call this ‘other world’ and won their hearts.