Chapter Summaries Happiest Refugee
Chapter 1: Introduction to Anh’s parent’s family, their struggles and background.
“That’s not the way to treat a young lady.” (Anh’s father said) pg.3
“On their third meeting he buys her a lemonade and makes a young guy in the carriage stand up so that she can sit down.” (Father’s actions) pg.3
“This particular girl had been enrolled in a convent until earlier that year. She was supposed to be a nun by now, but the communists had closed down all the catholic churches and convents.” ( Anh on his mother) pg.3
“My father grew up in extreme poverty. “ (Anh on his father) pg.6
“His mother gave birth to twelve children but four had died in childbirth or early infancy. Even with eight mouths to feed Grandma found it in her heart to adopt two more boys” (Anh on his Grandmother) pg. 6
“One sunny afternoon my father walked into the remote re-education camp dressed as a high-ranking communist officer. He marched right through the front door of the commanding officer’s room. ‘These two men need to come with me’ he demanded.” (Anh on his father) pg.8
Chapter 2
Summary
-Escaping Vietnam and the journey at sea
-Preparing to escape from Vietnam
-Meeting at the ‘Motherfish’ to not cause suspicion from communist patrol boats
-Description of conditions on the boat
-Attacked by pirates
-Second pirates attacking
-Germans saving them
Themes
-Risk taking
-Trust
-Communication
Quotes:
‘Soon the sky darkened further, turning a sinister, tumultuous black as the wind shrieked and skidded across the deck like a panicking ghost.’ Page 19
‘We were an exposed pimple on the vast face on the ocean’ Page 27
‘There was no escaping the heat or the people. There was no space to stretch out your legs and arms. Everywhere were sweating, salty bodies with brown, dirty faces peeling from sunburn and slowly darkening.’ Page 22
CHAPTER THREE
Theme
Not giving up
Giving to the less fortunate
The arrival
Characters
Mum
Anh do
Dad
Uncle six
Classmates
Brother khoa
Sister Tram
Uncle huy
“That’s not the way to treat a young lady.” (Anh’s father said) pg.3
“On their third meeting he buys her a lemonade and makes a young guy in the carriage stand up so that she can sit down.” (Father’s actions) pg.3
“This particular girl had been enrolled in a convent until earlier that year. She was supposed to be a nun by now, but the communists had closed down all the catholic churches and convents.” ( Anh on his mother) pg.3
“My father grew up in extreme poverty. “ (Anh on his father) pg.6
“His mother gave birth to twelve children but four had died in childbirth or early infancy. Even with eight mouths to feed Grandma found it in her heart to adopt two more boys” (Anh on his Grandmother) pg. 6
“One sunny afternoon my father walked into the remote re-education camp dressed as a high-ranking communist officer. He marched right through the front door of the commanding officer’s room. ‘These two men need to come with me’ he demanded.” (Anh on his father) pg.8
Chapter 2
Summary
-Escaping Vietnam and the journey at sea
-Preparing to escape from Vietnam
-Meeting at the ‘Motherfish’ to not cause suspicion from communist patrol boats
-Description of conditions on the boat
-Attacked by pirates
-Second pirates attacking
-Germans saving them
Themes
-Risk taking
-Trust
-Communication
Quotes:
‘Soon the sky darkened further, turning a sinister, tumultuous black as the wind shrieked and skidded across the deck like a panicking ghost.’ Page 19
‘We were an exposed pimple on the vast face on the ocean’ Page 27
‘There was no escaping the heat or the people. There was no space to stretch out your legs and arms. Everywhere were sweating, salty bodies with brown, dirty faces peeling from sunburn and slowly darkening.’ Page 22
CHAPTER THREE
Theme
Not giving up
Giving to the less fortunate
The arrival
Characters
Mum
Anh do
Dad
Uncle six
Classmates
Brother khoa
Sister Tram
Uncle huy