Why does it matter? The Asian disease.

Read any story that we haven't read yet and write a review of the story and explain why it matters. Why should anyone care about the story/read it?


The Asian disease       by Simone Lazaroo


This story is about the author's father, who is suffering from a disease which slows down his speech and movement, and looking back into his past.


This story show's another light on the country her father came from. It shows that the places immigrant's come from really are bad enough to run away from. They are full of deadly diseases, cruel people and horrible living spaces. They are not entirely like this but it is still the majority. Children can't always get enough food and those that can are usually from the rich family's in the area. Emmanuel (the father) is killed because of a malnourished childhood, as his  doctor says "We suspect he suffers from the type caused by childhood malnutrition."


In the book it tells us of loss, she losses her father to a disease and it is hard for her. During the last months of his life Emmanuel's movements are slowed, almost to a halt, he is unable to speak recognisable English because the disease has slurred his voice and they don't let him eat solid food as he may choke upon it. Loss is so common in her family that they even have a saying about it: You haven't  grown up until you've faced your parent's death. It helps us to realise that no matter how sad death is, it's just another part of life.


She isn't trying to get attention from this, and she isn't trying to get our sympathy. All she is trying to do is how another side of the Asian immigration story.

Why does it matter? The relative advantages of learning my language

Read any story that we haven't read yet and write a review of the story and explain why it matters. Why should anyone care about the story/read it?


The relative advantages of learning my language         by Amy Choi


This story is about the author's grandfather dieing and her not listening to him prior because of lack of interest and ability and her learning the language as a result.


It show's that immigrants are treated badly for their differences. The grandfather is even mistreated by his own granddaughter because he is Chinese and she see's him as different because of that. She refused to listen to his poems and she didn't like being in the same room as him, which she points out in the book by saying "'I hope he doesn't sit down'". If he was treated like this by his granddaughter, how badly must he be treated by others.


The author proves once again that family is more important than anything. She learns the language, not to learn more about her past or discover more about her culture, but to be able to communicate with someon in her family that she loves. Whether it is an uncle or an aunt she wants to be there for them when they need it. As she says in the book: "I am simply trying to ensure that the next time an elderly relative wants me to listen to them, I am not only willing, I am able."


Loss is normal and this story helps us to realise it. She isn't spending the whole story grieving for her grandfather, instead she is just telling us to care for our family before it's too late, as nothing can be more important than our families.

My First Kiss by Lian Low

1. How does the author describe Malaysia in regards to showing affection?

In Malaysia peoplenso are against public shows of affection. They censored tongue kisses, homosexuals, anti-government sentiment and pretty much anything else that could offend someone.

2. What happens to the author when she hits puberty?

When the author hit puberty she moved away from her friends and most of the time she was alone reading a boo k in the library or in the attic of her house.

3. What is the author’s experience at school when she first arrives to Melbourne?

When she first arrived at the school in Melbourne the white kids paid no attention to her and the only people who tried to be her friend were other Asians. She was put in an ESL class, even though she spoke fluent English, just because it was her first time in Melbourne.

4. What is it that made the author feel that she wasn’t Australian even though she spoke English fluently?

She didn't feel Australian because even though she spoke the language fluently she had an accent which gave her away as an outsider.

5. What else was it about the author that further alienated her from her peers?

She was interested in woman instead of men.

6. What does the use of description like ‘crash hot’ do to the audience’s perception of the author?

It makes the audience believe that the author is still pretty much a teenager even as that is the kind of slang that younger people use.

7. What opportunity does university give the author? What is it about university which would allow her to express herself more freely?

She meets someone else who is like her and then she realises there's nothing wrong with it so she doesn't have to be ashamed of it any more.

8. What role does creativity play for the author? Why do you think that creativity would be so important to her?

It allows her to express herself and not be ashamed. She can make plays and stories about things that she is interested in. Because of her creativity the highlights of her life where public events instead of the times in the library.

Teenage Dreamers by Phillip Tang

1. What are the first two sentences of the story and how do they create a tension in the story?

"My father had a sixth sense. He knew when people would die." It creates tension because as soon as you get into the story, you are told about someone who knows when people die and it freaks you out.

2. What has happened to the author’s father as a result of his wife’s death?

He has become obsessed with "Leslie Cheung".

3. How does the description of the father removing his hands from his face as ‘unmasked’ related to the seriousness of his following statement?

When he removes his hands from his face he looks more serious then his son had ever seen him before. It shows that he is serious about the man dying in a month, that he wasn't fooling around. If he hadn't looked as serious as he had then his son would have just assumed that it was brought on by the movie and he wouldn't believe that the person was actually going to die.

4. Consider how the father lives his life and conducts himself and the other people in the theatre for the film the author and his father are watching. How does this relate to the title of the story?

The father lives his life around Leslie. He laminates posters of him and he tells stories about Leslie's childhood. Everyone that you hear about in the cinema are massive Leslie fans. You are told about the father, later on you learn that the son is a fan and there are also the girls in the front row hugging each other because the guy is injured in a movie. It relates to the title because all the people in there cared about him and possibly even dreamed about him.

Conversations with my Parents by Oanh Thi Tran

1. What is ironic about the way the author and the father become close? What has to happen to the father?

It is ironic because the thing that brought them together could also tear them apart as the sickness could kill him.

2. How would you characterise the conversation that the author has with her parents?
I would characterise the conversation as very formal. It's not like the phone calls we're used to, where we talk about how we've been. It's more present and to the point.

3. What is it that worries the author most about these conversations?
Oanh is worried because she is has never told them that she loved them. Because the author is far from them she feels that she should tell them but she doesn't know how.

4. There is a gap between the author’s need to express feelings common in western countries and her family’s lack of desire to express their feelings verbally. How does the family still express their feelings for their child, just not verbally?
They subtly try to see that she is okay. They ask about the weather to see if she will be too cold and  they ask if she I healthy so they can know that she is well. This is how they express their feelings.

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

1. There is a stark contrast created in the opening of this story between what the narrator had been doing before entering school and what will be expected at school? What is this contrast and what does it immediately create in the story?

Before he went to school he helped out at his parents fruit shop and at school they expect to teach you how to work but he was already learning that at home.

2. The author continues this theme of contrast at the start of the story. How does he do this in his description of his experience of Sydney’s North Shore?

He describes the North Shore as his parents fruit shop as he didn't see anything else as a kid.

3. What was the father’s background in business before he opened the fruit shop? What has helped him become successful?

He didn't have any background in business before the fruit shop. He became successful because he was kind to the customers and talked to them.

4. The narrator’s description of his father is complex. What makes the father a complex character?

His father is complex because he is trying so hard at his job. He is the one talking to the customers, he is the one unloading the truck and he is the one doing the accounting. He also is a person that must have modern stuff so he gets it.

5. (91) How does the author describe his role in doing ‘things that counted’?

He believes that he wasn't able to do the things that counted.

6. What experience does the author have at school while keeping to himself? What does he learn from this experience?

While keeping to himself he is attacked by a bully. When he comes out alright and actually "wins" he learns that he can look after himself no matter what else happens

7. How would you characterise the narrator’s tone in regards to the events that are occurring around him?

He has an almost indifferent tone in regards to the occurrences around him.

8. How does the narrator characterise the ways that one could ‘get the strap’ and ways that one could avoid it?

He characterised it as many ways to get the strap and only a few to avoid it.

9. What event evokes a racist speech to the class by the teacher?

Because he couldn't swim he got a note to not have to participate in the swimming carnival. This makes the teacher say that Chinese people contribute nothing and shouldn't be in the school or the country.

10. What effect did the author’s experience with ‘Strap Happy Jack’ have on him?

He felt invisible, alone and unwanted because of him.

11. What was the one advantage school provided the author?

It taught him to be passionate.

12. What did the author do at his school? What was his motivation for doing it? What did he feel was lacking at school?

He started a workshop program. His motivation was to change the current competitive system. He felt he was lacking discipline.

13. What did the parents want their son to do at school? What did the author fear would happen by obeying his parents?

They wanted to obey the teachers and learn what the teachers wanted. He feared he wouldn't be able to be independent if he did what they said. 

14. At school, what did the author learn about his own type of thinking and how to use it?
He just had to find the right time to use it.

The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

1. How does this title refer to two groups of ‘settlers’? Who are they?

It shows that one group is the early European settlers and the later settlers such as Italians and the Chinese and so forth.

2. How is the first line of the poem successful at being ‘forceful’ regarding the Great-Grandfather’s presence in Australia?

It says "Great-Grandfather arrived". It makes it seem more forceful than something like "My Great-Grandfather arrived in Australia"

3. What action are the ‘early settlers’ doing that gives them equally a strong presence?

They are entrenched, this means that they are already firmly placed in the land instead of just being there. They know what to do as they have been there for a while

4. How is the intention of the Great-Grandfather juxtaposed to the beliefs of the ‘early settlers’?

He has the intention to grow corn, cabbage and tobacco which is juxtaposed to potential terrorist

5. What action does the Great-Grandfather do that ties him both to the ‘early settlers’ and to his own culture?

He insults calls him a "fucking bastard" showing his anger towards the man as he damaged Great-Grandfathers new country and he does it in his own language connecting him to his culture.
6. How does this short poem highlight the irony of the hatred that immigrants experience when they come to a 'settled' land like Australia?
They were thought of as terrorists and that is how the Aboriginals thought of the Early settlers when they arrived


techniques: pun, alliteration, vulgar slang, ambiguous pronouns


The Early Settlers
Great-Grandfather arrived
in 1897 to grow corn
cabbage tobbaco in Wahgunyah
the early settlers
already entrenched
each a foreign devil
a potential terrorist
the first terrorist
he called a fucking bastard
in his own language

The Relative Advantages of Learning my Language by Amy Choi

1. The author opens the story with an anecdote. What is the anecdote and what effect does it have on the reader?

It's about her grandfather, it lets you into the her life although only a little.

2. What is the author’s view of the Chinese language in the 2^nd paragraph?

She thought of it as useless as she lived in Australia and spoke English all the time.

3. What is symbolic about the house that the Grandfather mistakes for his own? What does it say about the assimilation of his family into Australian culture? What does it say about his understanding of Australian culture? What is ironic about the inhabitants of this house?

It looks just like their house. It says that things look the same here to them and they're having a little bit of trouble adjusting. It says Australian culture is different to Chinese. It is ironic because the inhabitants of the house are also of an Asian culture.

4. What does the death of her grandfather inspire the author to do?

It inspired her to learn Chinese.

5. Why is she motivated to know Chinese? What is it she wants to ensure she is able to, regretting that she couldn’t do it with her grandfather?

She is motivated to speak Chinese because before her grandfather died he wrote Chinese poems but she wouldn't read them because she couldn't understand them. She wants to be able to speak Chinese in case a member of her family dies so she can be willing and able to listen.

The author makes us consider what it really means about understanding someone's language. What basic human skill/ability is the author highlighting that cuts across all cultures?
The human ability is compassion. We can all be compassionate towards others and she highlights her compassion. She also highlights our ability to communicate to each other, as without communication life would be dull and boring.
Describe a time when you were at fault for not communicating with someone because of your own selfishness or lack of compassion.

Growing Up Asian in Australia: Intro + Pigs Questions

Introduction by Alice Pung

1. What were Asian-Australians referred to as when the author was growing up?

Power-points.

2. How does she interpret this title?

She thought it was meant in a way to she was smart and dweeby in a Microsoft-magnate way. As in to say she had potential.

3. What did this title actually refer to? Did the author find this demeaning? Why/why not?

Our power-points look like the stereotypical Asian face.

4. ‘All that untapped potential! All that electrifying brain power!’ What techniques are being employed by the author? How do they highlight the misunderstanding?

Repetition, they highlight the point she is making.

5. What did the teen author take away from teen fiction? What did she feel that she needed to do? Why? What does this say is essential to fitting in to a culture?

She took away the fact that all the people where good looking and white. This made her feel that she needed plastic surgery because she was different and to fit into the culture you needed to look the part.

6. Who are the authors that she turns to? Why?

She turns to John Marsden and Robert Cormier because they where honest.

7. In the third paragraph how does the author use repetition. How does it highlight the focus of this book?

The word 'first'. It highlights the 'growing up' part of the book and also shows that it is about firsts (obviously).

8. What metaphor does the author use to highlight the writers and the writing style in the third paragraph?

"The writers are the tree, and they write from its roots."

9. Why does the author use a quote in the 4^th paragraph? What does it say about her reaction to the stories in the book?

"Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur: 'Change only the name and this story is about you.'" It says that she thinks of them as her own.

10. On page 2 the author talks about the themes that she loosely choose for the collection. What are they and why is it ironic that they show up in this book?

The battler, the pioneer, the legend. They are someone who fights, someone who explores and someone who does great deeds. It's ironic we mainly think of those traits as only for white people.

11. At the bottom of pg 3 on to page 4 the author says that sociologists have described Asians as the ‘model minority’. What is meant by this? What difficulties arise out of this label for young Asian-Australians?

It means that they work hard and people should stop being racist to them but rather learn from them. It makes people have high expectations towards them and if they don't do well they aren't contributing towards society

12. What are the editor’s hopes for the collection of stories?

She hopes it will make people question instead of assuming and lead an insight into the hardships that some Asians face

Pigs from Home by Hop Dac

1. How does the author start this story which is in direct contrast to the title of the story? What effect does this have on the reader and their expectations of the story?

The author says that pigs are horrible and this makes it seem like it's about horrible people from the authors home.

2. What core Vietnamese value is instilled in the author?

A good Vietnamese family is a self sustaining one.

3. What is humorous about the mother’s ‘flair for natural medicine’ in regards to her personality?

She is obsessed with her health and she is surrounding herself with healing herbs.

4. How does the description of the killing of pigeons continue the style utilised in the introduction of the story?

They are self sustaining, they kill pigeons on there land and use them as food.

5. What is the author’s opinion of pigs? Give two quotes to support your conclusion.

The author isn't a fan of pigs. Two quotes are "the only name I've ever given to an incarnation of the porcine genus was 'breakfast'." So basically he only thinks of them as food. He also says, and I quote, "Pig shit is the most repulsive smelling of all shits." This shows that he believes that even the excrement of pigs is worse than other animals.

6. In the paragraph on pgs 53-54, give two examples of alliteration employed by the author.

"older ones" and "feeding frenzy"

7. On pg 54 what simile is used to describe pigs? How does this simile work for the situation it is used?

"A pig is like the ocean", it is useful because when the ducks back was turned the pig bit it and when your back is turned to the ocean it knocks you down.

8. What simile does the author use to describe his  grandmother sunning herself? How does this relate to the core focus of the story?

"turning herself slowly like a rotisserie chicken". It relates to the fact that they're a self sustaining family, and they live on a farm, they know how to cook there animals.

9. What does the author describe as ‘the divide between the old world and the new’? What do you think is meant by this statement?

The grandmother eating a duck she had just killed and gutted while the author refused after seeing it happen.

10. What is the author’s reaction to the slaughter of the pig at night? What statement does the author make about the neighbours which displays the way he feels about the whole experience? What is important about including this statement?

He thinks of it as a bad experience. His next door neighbours had a daughter who was the authors friend that went on the same bus to school and wondered if they heard. This shows that the pigs scream was loud and without this statement we couldn't have been sure of this.

11. Why don’t the parents have pigs any more? How does this relate to the description of the burial of the last pig they owned?
They don't need pigs any more because they have a friend who gives them pork, practically throws it at them. every time he visits. This is like how they simply threw the last pig into a hole.

12. How would you characterise the description of the mother’s treatment of the pig’s blood? Is it appetising?
She adds salt, onion, pepper and water. Then as it congeals she cuts it into cubes, then boils them. I personally seems very appetising and it sounds like a good way to not waste anything.

13. What is ironic about the way the author has a popular Vietnamese dish? What is it about the way the author describes the experience of having pigs that makes it ironic?

The author has the dish with pigs blood. It is ironic because earlier in the book he described the pigs as 'breakfast'. He also says it reminds him of home and the story is called pigs at home.

14. How does this story relate to the title Pigs from Home?

It's mainly about the pigs he had at home and at the end when he has pig blood it reminds him of his home.

15. Why do you think this story is in the Battlers section of the book?

Because they had to fight the pig at the end when they killed it.