Resourcefulness in Scarcity: Exploring Lat’s Kampung Boy: Yesterday and Today (1993) as a Sociology Comic through the Perspective of Collective Memory

Hailed as a both cultural hero and a true Malaysian icon, Lat's works have been featured on countless cultural exhibitions and television programs.Many of his comics are well-received among Malaysians from a diverse walk of life particularly those who find his social commentary both witty and whimsical.Kampung Boy: Yesterday and Today (1993) is one of his very first works that was published partly in colors.Apart from being more visuallyappealing than his earlier works and a commercial success, the comic also compares the lives of Malaysian children who grew up in the 80s and 50s.Because of this, the comic serves as an effective bridging tool between the two generations.This study aims to examine the text from the geographical standpoint in relation to collective memory through the use of pathos.Examining how the depiction of three types of resourcefulness: survivalist resourcefulness, improvised gaming and life hack resourcefulness, in poverty generates different categories of pathos, namely empathetic, nostalgic and sentimental pathos, this study highlights how emotional appeal is effective in bringing people together through shared collective memories.This analysis contributes to understanding how Lat's work, situated in a specific Malaysian geographical and historical context, serves as a sociological tool for bridging different generations while reinforcing collective identity and social solidarity.