Growing Up Asian In Australia - Summary
Edited by Alice Pung
STRINE
Amy Choi - The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language
Page 7.
Amy Choi lived with her grandfather (mum’s dad) but was never kind to him. He wrote poetry but she only listened to once as she had let her Chinese go so could not understand much of what he was saying.
After a while her grandfather started losing his memory and could not find his way home from the city.
One holiday, Amy followed her grandfather and guided him when he needed it.
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and three months later, passed away.
Because of her grandfathers death, Amy improved her Chinese and was complimented at a restaurant by the waiter.
PIONEERS
Ken Chau - The Early Settlers
Page. 25
Great-grandfather had arrived at Wahgunyah in 1897 to grow corn cabbage tobacco. He called the first terrorist a fucking bastard in his own language and referred to the early settlers as foreign devils and potential terrorists.
Ken Chau - The Terrorists
Page. 26
Paranoid about terrorists being every where. “When smothered by their attacks”. He wants to die and kill them for making him feel this way. States being born in Australia and being an Australian are not the same.
Christopher Cyrill - The Ganges and Its Tributaries
Page 39.
Christopher’s mother believes the spirit of Visakha takes care of every empty home until family of his choice has entered it. She bought their home because of the three nails shaped like three crucifixes (a representation of a cross with a figure of Jesus Christ on it) the spirit had left. His had decorated their house with maps of India all around. Mother had arranged the cupboard, and replaced statues of Mary and Joseph on Christopher’s bedside table.
BATTLERS
Hop Dac - Pigs From Home
Page. 53
Hop Dac thinks pigs are repulsive and explains his hate for pigs are because of their greediness. He has many animals and grows herbs and vegetables.