# data[].attributes.body
Pondering our surroundings immediately stepping off the plane, Australia's evident wealth made a distinct impact on me. In the few seconds it took to walk down the aluminium steps onto the tarmac, I knew life wasn't going to be the same again. Though our family itself was not affluent, I felt distanced from the abject poverty of my birth nation. 

# data[].attributes.body
When Mum first told me that inter-gender friendships between Sri Lankan and non-Sri Lankan youth were not tolerated in our culture, her eyes drifted beyond me - it was as if she were remembering her own childhood and perhaps the pain of lost innocent opportunities. In one sense, it was evident she was performing her maternal duty, though in another I felt she may not have completely supported the restrictive notion. Such a simple concept - friendship - was to be controlled by outdated traditions. Swallowed by silence, I measured the weight of her words and a great emptiness washed over me.

# data[].attributes.headline
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      "Marginalisation” is an interesting word, it isn't really in the Australian vocabulary, but it surrounds us ubiquitously. Honestly, I've only heard of it in the English curriculum, not in the media or newspapers. Even though the term itself isn't a household name, its effects certainly are. Of course the big ticket items get almost a daily mention in the media at times - refugees, the lgbt community and Muslims, however within our own borders, many Australians struggle with ill-treatment: the elderly in nursing homes, children under 24 hour government-sponsored care and people with various 'disabilities'. Throughout my life in Australia, I would say my family was treated fairly and were given an opportunity to start a new life. ***Culture, poverty, and mental illness have impacted my life and allowed me to evolve to the person I am now.One category of marginalisation is the Asian culture’s restriction of associating with members of the opposite gender and forming relationships, specifically, girls shouldn’t be with boys and vice versa. This is demonstrated when Alice gets grounded for going out with a boy. Alice also mentions how she has never made physical contact with a boy until she meets Michael. In my culture, it has always been established that boys should not associate with girls and vice versa. So as an adolescent, I should not be romantically involved with a girl or even form friendships with any. Because of this, it is considered wrong/rebellious in my culture to have a partner at my age and if your parents discover your wrong doing, it will usually result in a serious punishment. This cultural expectation has personally affected me in primary school when I met and became good friends with a girl, however as soon as my mum found out, I had to eventually stop talking to her and now it is a very awkward and distant friendship, which induces rage just thinking about it.Mental illness is a significant theme throughout Alice’s high school years. Her performance on the final exams eventually led to her state of depression. It took a toll on her health and also affected her family members. This is an experience I can relate to as I have experienced the stress and worries that come with doing exams, especially if I know I performed poorly. I have experienced and experience mental illness around me every day as two of my family members suffer from it. This has allowed me to be more compassionate towards people with mental illness, and take it as a serious matter.Poverty is a type of marginalisation explored in the beginning of the memoir. The Pung family starts out with an impoverished lifestyle and an old house. They also express their gratitude towards the government and the money it supplies. During my family’s first year in Australia as migrants, we lived a similar lifestyle. The parents’ only employment consisted of distributing newspapers and catalogues or junk mail. Because of this I even forbid myself from inviting friends over because I was embarrassed and feared the judgement. This has influenced me to value money and comprehend its importance.  Reflecting on the past years of my life I can remember, I can without doubt say that me and my family have been marginalised in some ways. Ironically, I would also not change a thing about my life because my childhood and all previous experiences have shaped me as the person I currently am. One message I’ve received from these experiences with marginalisation is that it’s important to accept the bad things in life and learn from them and become stronger in order to persist through life. Thank you for listening. 

# data[].attributes.subject
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      "Marginalisation” is an interesting word, it isn't really in the Australian vocabulary, but it surrounds us ubiquitously. Honestly, I've only heard of it in the English curriculum, not in the media or newspapers. Even though the term itself isn't a household name, its effects certainly are. Of course the big ticket items get almost a daily mention in the media at times - refugees, the lgbt community and Muslims, however within our own borders, many Australians struggle with ill-treatment: the elderly in nursing homes, children under 24 hour government-sponsored care and people with various 'disabilities'. Throughout my life in Australia, I would say my family was treated fairly and were given an opportunity to start a new life. ***Culture, poverty, and mental illness have impacted my life and allowed me to evolve to the person I am now.One category of marginalisation is the Asian culture’s restriction of associating with members of the opposite gender and forming relationships, specifically, girls shouldn’t be with boys and vice versa. This is demonstrated when Alice gets grounded for going out with a boy. Alice also mentions how she has never made physical contact with a boy until she meets Michael. In my culture, it has always been established that boys should not associate with girls and vice versa. So as an adolescent, I should not be romantically involved with a girl or even form friendships with any. Because of this, it is considered wrong/rebellious in my culture to have a partner at my age and if your parents discover your wrong doing, it will usually result in a serious punishment. This cultural expectation has personally affected me in primary school when I met and became good friends with a girl, however as soon as my mum found out, I had to eventually stop talking to her and now it is a very awkward and distant friendship, which induces rage just thinking about it.Mental illness is a significant theme throughout Alice’s high school years. Her performance on the final exams eventually led to her state of depression. It took a toll on her health and also affected her family members. This is an experience I can relate to as I have experienced the stress and worries that come with doing exams, especially if I know I performed poorly. I have experienced and experience mental illness around me every day as two of my family members suffer from it. This has allowed me to be more compassionate towards people with mental illness, and take it as a serious matter.Poverty is a type of marginalisation explored in the beginning of the memoir. The Pung family starts out with an impoverished lifestyle and an old house. They also express their gratitude towards the government and the money it supplies. During my family’s first year in Australia as migrants, we lived a similar lifestyle. The parents’ only employment consisted of distributing newspapers and catalogues or junk mail. Because of this I even forbid myself from inviting friends over because I was embarrassed and feared the judgement. This has influenced me to value money and comprehend its importance.  Reflecting on the past years of my life I can remember, I can without doubt say that me and my family have been marginalised in some ways. Ironically, I would also not change a thing about my life because my childhood and all previous experiences have shaped me as the person I currently am. One message I’ve received from these experiences with marginalisation is that it’s important to accept the bad things in life and learn from them and become stronger in order to persist through life. Thank you for listening. 

# data[].attributes.body
"Marginalisation” is an interesting word, it isn't really in the Australian vocabulary, but it surrounds us ubiquitously. Honestly, I've only heard of it in the English curriculum, not in the media or newspapers. Even though the term itself isn't a household name, its effects certainly are. Of course the big ticket items get almost a daily mention in the media at times - refugees, the lgbt community and Muslims, however within our own borders, many Australians struggle with ill-treatment: the elderly in nursing homes, children under 24 hour government-sponsored care and people with various 'disabilities'. Throughout my life in Australia, I would say my family was treated fairly and were given an opportunity to start a new life. ***Culture, poverty, and mental illness have impacted my life and allowed me to evolve to the person I am now.
One category of marginalisation is the Asian culture’s restriction of associating with members of the opposite gender and forming relationships, specifically, girls shouldn’t be with boys and vice versa. This is demonstrated when Alice gets grounded for going out with a boy. Alice also mentions how she has never made physical contact with a boy until she meets Michael. In my culture, it has always been established that boys should not associate with girls and vice versa. So as an adolescent, I should not be romantically involved with a girl or even form friendships with any. Because of this, it is considered wrong/rebellious in my culture to have a partner at my age and if your parents discover your wrong doing, it will usually result in a serious punishment. This cultural expectation has personally affected me in primary school when I met and became good friends with a girl, however as soon as my mum found out, I had to eventually stop talking to her and now it is a very awkward and distant friendship, which induces rage just thinking about it.
Mental illness is a significant theme throughout Alice’s high school years. Her performance on the final exams eventually led to her state of depression. It took a toll on her health and also affected her family members. This is an experience I can relate to as I have experienced the stress and worries that come with doing exams, especially if I know I performed poorly. I have experienced and experience mental illness around me every day as two of my family members suffer from it. This has allowed me to be more compassionate towards people with mental illness, and take it as a serious matter.
Poverty is a type of marginalisation explored in the beginning of the memoir. The Pung family starts out with an impoverished lifestyle and an old house. They also express their gratitude towards the government and the money it supplies. During my family’s first year in Australia as migrants, we lived a similar lifestyle. The parents’ only employment consisted of distributing newspapers and catalogues or junk mail. Because of this I even forbid myself from inviting friends over because I was embarrassed and feared the judgement. This has influenced me to value money and comprehend its importance.
Reflecting on the past years of my life I can remember, I can without doubt say that me and my family have been marginalised in some ways. Ironically, I would also not change a thing about my life because my childhood and all previous experiences have shaped me as the person I currently am. One message I’ve received from these experiences with marginalisation is that it’s important to accept the bad things in life

# data[].attributes.body
Question: how does alice's plight in the novel inspire or encourage youth facing the same predicament today? 

examples: 
- fighting her shyness and stepping out of her comfort zone to ask the teacher for an apron.
- making efforts to fit in with classmates and make friends at school.

In Alice Pung's memoir Unpolished Gem, several examples of overcoming her struggles inspire or encourage the youth facing the same predicament today. Primarily, it is the manner in which she tells her story and the richness of humour in her unique writing style that appeals to young readers. The challenges she face as a child to adulthood shape her to be a persistent, humorous, and inspiring character. The author also uses a variety of textual features to convey the theme of persistence.

# data[].attributes.body
The key is to read and understand the question. Answer the question. Three arguments that support your stance for the question. Don't get sucked in to any other details. Focus on the question.

# data[].attributes.body
In  her 2006 memoir Unpolished Gem, Alice Pung  delivers a  humorous  and richly detailed recap of her family's experiences immigrating to Melbourne Australia. The society Pung constructs  shapes her childhood self's values to an undeniable  extent, leading her to appreciate that her family's values have shaped her perceptions rather than the community.'s This notion  is  most evident through the novel when the author's  disposition towards education was revealed.  

# data[].attributes.body
Question: how does alice's plight in the novel inspire or encourage youth facing the same predicament today? 

examples: 
- fighting her shyness and stepping out of her comfort zone to ask the teacher for an apron.
- making efforts to fit in with classmates and make friends at school.

In Alice Pung's memoir Unpolished Gem, several examples of overcoming her struggles inspire or encourage the youth facing the same predicament today. Primarily, it is the manner in which she tells her story and the richness of humour in her unique writing style that appeals to young readers. The challenges she face as a child to adulthood shape her to be a persistent, humorous, and inspiring character. The author also uses a variety of textual features to convey the theme of persistence.

# data[].attributes.body
How does Alice Pung use textual features to convey the theme of marginalisation?

Alice Pung's Unpolished Gem is a memoir rich in humor delivering the migrant experience of the Pung family in Melbourne Australia. The novel explores Alice's journey of self-discovery and the internal struggle of marginalisation she faces while growing up in two different cultures simultaneously. Her sense of not belonging significantly impacts her throughout adolescence as she struggles emotionally. Two aspects obstructing her journey to self-acceptance are the opposing cultural influences and gender values of her Asian family ad culture. The author evidently uses a variety of textual features to convey the theme of marginalisation. 

To begin with, marginalisation strongly resonates in the memoir through her cultural influences evidenced by various textual features including hyperbole, alliteration, humor and slang. These textual features reveal how certain aspects of attempting to reconcile two different cultures impact her journey to self-discovery and position the readers to be more insightful and empathise with her. For instance, when Pung admits "After two weeks of house arrest I was going crazy, with a barricade of books around my bed and the bedroom door closed from prying parents" she is demonstrating how Parents of the Asian culture perceive association with the opposite gender and the harsh 

Pung's journey is both enlightening and heartwarming. In demonstrating the deep chasm between the two cultures her life straddled, she highlighted marginalisation in a meaningful way punctuated by textual features to create maximum impact. By utilising {features} she achieved bla bla - how was the reader's experience enhanced or impacted?

# data[].attributes.body
Alice:
- Her sense of responsibility was what was marginalized her during the holidays when she had to take care of the children.
- The parents also have all sorts of expectations for her both academically and as part of the family. This is eventually results in Alice developing depression and not leaving her room.
- During her first relationship, she has doubts about her capacities and why her boyfriend chose her over all the other girls. This causes her to feel inferior and insecure.
The mother:
- Kien finds herself getting old and not being able to work anymore, but she can't stay at home and do nothing either. This sends her down the path of depression.
- She also wants to learn English but finds it perhaps the most difficult thing to master, but her attempts to learn are short lived. Her refusal to learn English is indicative of her stubbornness but also contributes to her withdrawal from society. 
- She always struggled to get along with her mother-in-law (the grandmother) and this ruined her relationship with Alice, which also causes her to be depressed and push her daughter away at times. 
The Grandmother:
- After she had a stroke and was in the hospital bed, she became pessimistic, felt useless and gave Alice advice to be better than her. 
- 
The father:
Michael:

# data[].attributes.body
How does the author use textual features to convey the theme of marginalisation. (Culture and gender) (self-marginalisation) Alice Pung

Topic sentence
Self-marginalisation strongly resonates in Pung's memoirs through her culture evidenced by textual features including:

Instance/ Context from the book. Give the quote. Then elaborate, explaining how this relates to, or causes, self-marginalisation.

Example 1:
Elaboration:

Example 2:
Elaboration:

Example 3:
Elaboration:

In addition, Pung also explores the issue of self-marginalisation through gender demonstrated through textual features such as:

Example 1: page 216 simile to describe girls as cotton wool and boys to "gems". 
Elaboration: She explains how in her culture the girls are like cotton wool where once its dirty, cannot be clean again and boys to gems (the more they're polished, the brighter they become). This implies that once a girl in the Asian culture loses her virginity, she is no longer pure, whereas a boy's social status increases commensurate with his sexual activity. 

Example 2: When Alice tells the story of Grandma's two children that died, she uses perfunctory tone (textual feature) page?
Elaboration: The main purpose of using perfunctory tone is to position the audience to believe that the loss of the two first children to be insignificant simply because they were girls. This event reflects how the Author's culture places higher value on male borns compared to females.

Example 3:
Elaboration:

# data[].attributes.body
Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung is a poignantly written memoir which documents the migrant experience of the Pung family. It reflects her journey of self-discovery and internal struggle of marginalisation she experiences attempting to reconcile two different - at time opposing - cultures. Feeling alienated and conflicted, she is emotionally tormented by her own feelings of not belonging. Two aspects impacting her journey to self-acceptance are the opposing gender and cultural values, including the pressure to adhere to Asian mores. Furthermore, Pung skillfully employs a variety of textual features to position the readers to empathise with her occasionally difficult journey to self-discovery.

To begin with, marginalisation strongly resonates in Pung's memoir through her cultural influences evidenced by various textual features. 

1. "after two weeks of house arrest, I was going crazy... with the door closed from prying parents. pg 211
Main purpose is to use hyperbole and alliteration to demonstrate how parents of the Asian culture perceive association with the opposite gender. Alice describes the harsh living conditions after her parents discovered that she was "going out" with boys.

2. "This was the first time I had made physical contact with the opposite sex who was past the potty training stage" pg 236
This provides the reader with insight into the physical aspect of growing up in an Asian culture. it also implies that there is little physical contact and affection involved in the family relationships.  

3. "But you're not going to last long if you keep using words like bugger, because authentic Chinese chicks don't speak like that" pg 223
The author is positioning the audience to perceive her as confused and feel sympathy for her. She feels lost in the two cultures and becomes aware that she is speaking more like an Australian that Chinese. This is established through alliteration and use of slang such as "bugger" or "bloody ocker" to show her knowledge of the Australian culture.

In addition, Pung also explores the issue of self-marginalisation through gender demonstrated through textual features such as:

Example 1: page 216 simile to describe girls as cotton wool and boys to "gems". 
Elaboration: She explains how in her culture the girls are like cotton wool where once its dirty, cannot be clean again and boys to gems (the more they're polished, the brighter they become). This implies that once a girl in the Asian culture loses her virginity, she is no longer pure, whereas a boy's social status increases commensurate with his sexual activity. 

Example 2: When Alice tells the story of Grandma's two children that died, she uses perfunctory tone (textual feature) page?
Elaboration: The main purpose of using perfunctory tone is to position the audience to believe that the loss of the two first children to be insignificant simply because they were girls. This event reflects how the Author's culture places higher value on male borns compared to females.

# data[].attributes.body
20 White River St
Greenwood, Indiana 46143
24 June 1969

 
Dear landlady of the house in White River Street,

I don’t expect you to remember who I am. You may recall speaking to a young man on the telephone last week regarding the rental of your house. Perhaps these words will remind you, “ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?” For the first few moments, shock struck me upon hearing your refusal of my offer to rent your house simply for the fact of the colour of my skin. Unfortunately, this attitude has plagued my entire life - it is nothing new to me. I imagine you lost interest in my letter already, wondering why I write to you. Madam, I want to defend my desire to rent your house - other than the fact it remains amongst the most affordable in the area. I feel the need to express my sincere disillusionment with your decision and explain my plight for your consideration - please bear with me.

Several months ago, the day I waited for my entire life finally arrived. Waking up to the loud chirping of early birds caused piercing pain in my ears. Weak rays of sunlight penetrated the window, making it impossible to see anything. Rising to my feet, I heard countless creaks from multiple layers of maple wood I called a bed. I walked outside and washed my face with a leaking hose. Brushing my teeth with my fingers, I removed as much dirt and filth as I could. Returning to the shed, I stood in front of a small thick table two feet away from my bed - the kitchen! The plainness of the loaf of bread I ate still stuck to my taste buds. Preparing to leave, I dressed in the only clothing I owned – a slightly torn silver striped shirt, an old pair of jeans and older boots - scuffed.

Arriving after a painful hour of walking, I was consumed by self-consciousness. Oddly enough, the sight there wasn’t what I expected to see. The grand gates of Indiana Wesleyan University stayed hidden through a large crowd of coloured men who seemed to be rioting. Just the idea of reaching the front of the crowd gave me butterflies. Who knew what went on behind those tall broad-shouldered figures with their backs to me? With a firm grip on my enrolment forms, and associated documentation secured neatly in my torn bag, I frantically searched for access through the commotion. Pumping fists and horrid racial taunts blocked all points. I began to doubt my chances of talking to the administration about enrolling. Nevertheless, I use my small hands to make way for myself and shuffle through. These people I didn’t recognise seemed to be much younger than me. As I made my way to the front, I could finally see through the shoulders of two men. A visibly large sign stated “New policy: African Americans not allowed on campus”. It overwhelmed me, I couldn’t hear anything for a second. Could this really be happening? All my life's hard-work going to waste? Anger riled up inside me. When will this foolish town stop with their discriminative beliefs? When will a coloured man or woman be permitted to enter a 'whites only' cafe? When will we be able to walk on the pavement and not have to make way in the gutter for a white person. When will our children be allowed to travel on the same buses as those children living in the same street. And now those despicable beliefs have turned into aggression. This has clearly gone too far.

I shuffled to the front and peeked through the black bars of the gate. A hand grabbed my shoulder, pushing me back. The guard spat, “Can you not read the sign, boy?” I walked up to him again with a face of weakness and cautiously explained my situation. I mentioned saving up for the past five years and they need not worry about me affording a course. He listened for a few seconds before shutting me down, “I don’t care at all! And if you can’t read the sign, you’re in for trouble, boy”. A wild idea came to mind. What if I ran past the guards and somehow made it to the administration office? Maybe I could negotiate with them. Fearing I might change my mind, I stopped thinking. Like a prison escape, I ran between the two guards and they pursued right behind me. “Stop, you fool!” Suddenly, I saw it – the administration office. It wasn’t too far awa- I went blank. 

I woke up on my face, I was on the ground. Both guards stood above me, one with his boot on my lower back. Someone’s knees on my back also forced me to stay still. I was a piece of paper with two hefty rocks on me so I couldn't fly away with the wind.  Two strong hands pulled me back to my feet and before I could say anything, I felt a blow to the back and I was outside the gates again. 

As the bruises and bleeding slowed me down, it took me two more hours than usual to walk back home. As I opened the door after stumbling to turn the keys inside the lock hole, It whined like a dog crying for help in the dark. I marched forward and fell onto my bed. I fell so hard I heard a loud crack. As I struggled to keep my eyes open, I thought to myself “I must be optimistic about this. They may shut me down today, but I will keep trying again and again.” Feeling abnormally depressed I force my eyes shut.

And I keep on trying day after day, they might even be sick of me already. Madam, I am unsure if you were even able to bear with me and my story. However, I hope this gives you a deeper insight into my hopele life. This is why I am so desperately in need of accommodation. You are not the first one to turn me down simply because of my race, but I really hope you will consider giving me a chance. I beg you. I also beg that if this story does not change your mind, it will at least for others wishing to rent your fine house.

 
Yours sincerely,
Theophilus Thompson

# data[].attributes.body
20 White River St
Greenwood, Indiana 46143
24 June 1963

Dear landlady of the house in White River Street

I don’t expect you to remember who I am. You may remember speaking to a young man on the telephone last week regarding the rental of your house. Perhaps these words will remind you, “I hate a wasted journey – I am African”. For the first few moments, shock struck me upon hearing your denial of my offer to rent your house simply for the fact of the colour of my skin. Unfortunately, this attitude has plagued my entire life - it is nothing new to me. I imagine you lost interest already and wonder why I am writing to you. Madam, I want to defend my desperate need to rent your house other than the fact it remains amongst the most affordable in the area. Perhaps sharing my personal plight with you may explain things better - please bear with me.

Several months ago, the day finally arrived, the day I waited for my entire life. I woke up to the loud chirping of early birds hurting my ears. Weak rays of sunlight penetrated the closed window, making it impossible to see anything. I rose to my feet as I heard creaks from multiple layers of maple wood that I called a bed. I walked outside and washed my face with a hose with leaks in places. As I brushed my teeth with my fingers, I tried to cover all of my dirty teeth I could reach. Returning to the shed, I stood in front of a small table two feet away from my bed, called the kitchen. The plainness of the quarter loaf of bread still stuck to my tastebuds. I put on the only clothing I had – a slightly torn dark blue shirt and an old pair of jeans – as I prepared to leave. 

After an hour of painful walking, I finally arrived. I wasn’t confident, but I arrived. Oddly enough, it wasn’t what I expected to see. The gates of the Indiana Wesleyan University were not visible through a large crowd of coloured men. It seemed like they were causing a riot. Just the idea of getting to the front of the crowd gave me butterflies. I wasn’t even sure I could get a chance to talk to the administration about my enrolling due to this riot. Nevertheless, I use my small hands to make way for myself and shuffle through. I noticed that these people I don’t know seemed to be much younger than me. As I made my way to the front, I could finally see through the shoulders of two men. A visibly large sign stated “New policy: African Americans not allowed on campus”. I was overwhelmed, I couldn’t hear anything for a second. Could this really be happening? I had worked all my life for this and now it will go to waste? I was riled up with anger. When will this stupid town stop with their discriminative beliefs? And now those beliefs have turned into actions. Actions gone too far.

I shuffled to the very front and took a peek through the gate. A hand grabbed my shoulder and pushed me back. The guard spat out, “can you not read the sign, boy?” I walked up to him again and tried to explain my situation. I told him that I have been saving up and they won’t have to worry about me not paying. He listened for 20 seconds, then shut me down, “I don’t bloody care! And if you can’t read the sign, you’re in for trouble, boy”. A wild idea came to mind. What if I ran past the guards and somehow made it to the administration office? Maybe I could negotiate with them. Fearing I would change my mind, I stopped thinking. I ran in between the two guards and undoubtedly, they were right behind me. “Stop, you fool!” Then, I saw it – the administration office. It wasn’t too far awa- I went blank. I woke up to my face, I was on the ground. The guards stood above me. Someone’s knees on my back were forcing me to stay still. Two strong hands pulled me back on my feet and before I could say anything, I felt a blow to the back and I was outside the gates again. 

As the bruises and bleeding slowed me down, it took me two more hours than usual to walk back home. I opened the door after stumbling to turn the keys inside the lock hole. I marched forward and just fell onto my bed. I fell so hard I think I heard a loud crack. As I struggled to keep my eyes open, I thought to myself “I have to be optimistic about this. They may shut me down today, but I will keep trying again and again.” Feeling abnormally depressed I force my eyes shut, for now.

And I kept on trying day after day, they might even be sick of me already. Madam, I am unsure if you were even able to bear with me and my story. However, I hope this gives you a deeper insight into my discriminated life. This is why I am so desperately in need of accommodation. Mrs Davis, you are not the first one to turn me down simply because of my race, but I really hope you will consider giving me a chance. I beg you.


Yours sincerely,
Theophilus Thompson

# data[].attributes.body
20 White River St
Greenwood, Indiana 46143
24 June 1963
 

Dear Mrs Davis

Landlady of the house in White River Street, I don’t expect you to remember who I am. You may remember speaking to a young man on the telephone last week regarding the rental of your house. Perhaps these words will remind you, “I hate a wasted journey – I am African”. For the first few seconds, shock struck me upon hearing your denial of my offer simply for the fact of the colour of my skin. However, this attitude has plagued my entire life - it is nothing new to me. I imagine you lost interest already and wonder why I am writing to you. Madam, I want to justify to you my desperate need to rent your house other than the fact it remains amongst the most affordable in the area. Perhaps sharing my personal plight with you may explain things better - please bear with me.

People know me as Theophilus Thompson, a twenty five year old who lived his entire life in Greenwood Indiana. Unfortunately, I never knew my father, and a murderer took my mother's life on the streets seven years ago. But in the past few years, I worked towards my only goal in life. I began working as soon as I finished my education at the local high school for African Americans. Despite knowing it provided a poorer education than normal schools, I still pursued my goals. In the coming weeks, I searched for a job to earn enough money to hopefully enroll in university. This was the past five years of my life, earning money a pushcart operator, selling my products and gaining the trust of a few people. 

Several months ago, the day finally arrived, the day I waited for my entire life. I woke up to the loud chirping of early birds hurting my ears. Weak rays of sunlight penetrated the closed window, making it impossible to see anything. Did I mention I live in a shed about the size of a small public toilet? I rose to my feet as I heard creaks from multiple layers of maple wood that I call a bed. I walk outside and wash my face with a hose with leaks in places. As I brushed my teeth with my fingers, I tried to cover all of my dirty teeth I could reach. Returning to the shed, I stand in front of a small table two feet away from my bed, called the kitchen. The plainness of the quarter loaf of bread still stuck to my tastebuds. I put on the only clothing I have – a slightly torn dark blue shirt and an old pair of jeans – as I prepare to leave. 

After an hour of pain for my legs, I finally arrived. I wasn’t confident, but I arrived. Oddly enough, it wasn’t what I expected to see. The gates of the Indiana Wesleyan University were not visible through a large crowd of coloured men. I hate to admit it but it seems like they were causing a riot. Just the idea of getting to the front of the crowd gave me butterflies. I wasn’t even sure I could get a chance to talk to the administration about my enrolling due to this riot. Nevertheless, I use my small hands to make way for myself and shuffle through. I noticed that these people I don’t know seemed to be much younger than me. As I got to the front, I could finally see through the shoulders of two men. A visibly large sign stated “New policy: African Americans not allowed on campus”. I was overwhelmed, I couldn’t hear anything for a second. Could this really be happening? I’ve worked all my life for this and now it will go to waste? I was riled up with anger. When will this stupid town stop with their discriminative beliefs? And now those beliefs have turned into actions. Actions gone too far.

I shuffle to the very front and take a peek through the gate. A hand grabs my shoulder and pushes me back. The guard spat out, “can you not read the sign, boy?” I walked up to him again and tried to explain my situation. I told him that I have been saving up and they won’t have to worry about me not paying. He listened for 20 seconds, then shut me down, “I don’t bloody care! And if you can’t read the sign, you’re in for trouble, boy” Urgh, I’m sick to death of these foolish people and their discrimination. Then, a wild idea came to mind. What if I run past the guards and somehow make it to the administration office? Maybe I can negotiate with them. Fearing I would change my mind, I stopped thinking. I ran through in between the two guards and without a doubt, they were right behind me. “Stop, you fool!” Then, I saw it – the administration office. It wasn’t too far awa- I went blank. I felt my face pressed against hard gravel as I lay on the ground. The guards must’ve knocked me down. Ouch! Two knees on my back were forcing me to stay still. Two strong hands pulled me back on my feet and before I could feel anything, I felt a kick on my back and I was outside the gates again. 

As the bruises and bleeding slowed me down, it took me two more hours than usual to walk back home. I opened the door after twisting and turning the keys inside the lock hole. I march forward and just fall onto my bed. I fell so hard I think I heard a loud crack. As I struggle to keep my eyes open, I think to myself “I have to be optimistic about this. They may shut me down today, but I will keep trying again and again.” Feeling abnormally depressed I force my eyes shut, for now.

And I kept on trying day after day, they might even be sick of me already. Madam, I am unsure if you were even able to bear with me and my story. However, I hope this gives you a deeper insight into my discriminated and stepped-on life. This is why I am so desperately in need of accommodation. Mrs Davis, you are not the first one to turn me down simply because of my race, but I really hope you will consider giving me a chance. I beg you.

Yours sincerely,
Theophilus Thompson 

# data[].attributes.body
Among adolescents in Australia, body image and self-esteem rank as significant health issues. Young people feel increasingly uncomfortable with their bodies as changes occur during adolescence. While normal for a teenager to lack confidence, those with a low self-esteem often view themselves as unable and unworthy. Body image exists among the top three personal concerns for young people, the Youth Survey Report by Mission Australia (2017) highlighted. Thirty one percent of the young-adult respondents reported body image as an important concern, the report stated. Several negative health outcomes arise with poor body image. A survey report by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (2010) presented its findings which indicate that body dissatisfaction and self-esteem are strongly related among nearly all groups of adolescents. Another survey report written by Lawler and Nixon (2010) points out that body dissatisfaction in adolescence predicted a range of adverse health outcomes later in life, including the use of unhealthy weight-control behaviours, other eating-disordered behaviours, general psychological distress, and a variety of other negative outcomes. Therefore, an important focus of investigation includes understanding the influences of negative body. Among the many socio-cultural influences, the media in general significantly influences the youth and seriously impacts their body image. A recommendation to improve the health outcomes of adolescents with poor body image includes facilitating media literacy among schools in Australia.

Importantly, this report begins with an evaluation of the author’s current level of self-esteem and body image status. The author believes they possess a normal self-esteem as they received a twenty two out of thirty on the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, indicating a normal self-esteem. He also achieved a positive body image as the result on the male body image quiz by the Better Health Channel, implying the author’s healthy body image and attitude lowers their risk of health issues such as body dissatisfaction. The author believes their family environment takes responsibility for this. Furthermore, their parents or siblings do not value appearance or how well they appear. They also grew up with the message “your looks don’t define you”, therefore he has accepted his body image and it does not concern them. Rather, their family places significant importance on academic success compared to any other aspect. Consequently, the author achieved a not high but normal self-esteem on the test. Moreover, the author acquires a decent academic achievement but not perfect, therefore their self-esteem stands in the centre. The attitudes of peers also contribute to his self-esteem. His peers also place low importance on appearance, meaning he does not feel pressured to appear attractive when around each other. Thus, the author possesses a positive body image and normal self-esteem due to these reasons.
 

The media in general significantly affects an adolescent’s body image and self-esteem. It can be “a toxic cultural environment”, Jean Kilbourne described in her speech at Harvard T.H. Chan of Public Health (Roeder A., 2015). It is highly visual and interactive where appearance defines success. They send a message to their young audience proclaiming appearance matters the most along with the importance of appearing beautiful, as pointed out by the West Australian department of health (2016). Teens become aware of, and start comparing themselves to models and media images of them portrayed as the perfect or ideal image, according to Professor Susan Paxton in her article (2016). Moreover, this ideal image or body significantly lacks diversity, as highlighted by Pett in an ABC news podcast (2016). The ideal female body appears as white skinned young and blonde, dangerously thin, and taller than the average woman. One of the main negative health outcomes after comparing themselves to many of these “perfect” bodies includes teenagers adapting behaviours to lose weight to unhealthy levels. They develop a low self-esteem and dissatisfaction, leading to loss of confidence in their body. The males also suffer health outcomes when exposed to the new standard of the ideal male body: a hyper-masculine, muscled, powerfully shaped body (Lang, 2014). Teenagers desiring such an attractive body engage in risky exercising habits or even steroid abuse. Additionally, the portrayed images are “airbrushed” (Sydney Morning Herald, 2011), and digitally enhanced to perfection. This stands as a major barrier in preventing positive body image among adolescents as the failure to look like them is inevitable because they come from non-existent flawlessness. Another significant barrier compromises many teenagers lacking media literacy skills, to critically evaluate what the media portrays and the messages it conveys. Brooke (2016) states a 2016 Stanford University study revealed middle school, high school, and college students’ finding difficulty in judging the credibility of information they found online, meaning a lack of understanding when it comes to media exposure and messages. Unable to assess the validity or credibility of what the media portrays, adolescents accept what the media portrays and fail to achieve a positive body image. Thus, the media significantly impacts an adolescents’ body image. 

# data[].attributes.body
Body image and self-esteem is a significant health issue among adolescents in Australia. Young people feel increasingly uncomfortable with their bodies as changes occur during adolescence. While it can be normal for a teenager to lack confidence, those with a low self-esteem often view themselves as unable and unworthy. The Youth Survey Report by Mission Australia (2017) highlighted that body image was ranked among the top three personal concerns for young people. This report also stated that body image was an important concern for thirty one percent of the respondents who were young adults. There are several negative health outcomes associated with poor body image. According to the Raising Children Network (n.d), unhealthy body image is directly related to low self-esteem because those who aren’t satisfied with their body find it hard to feel good about their whole self and feel worth or accepted. Poor body image can also cause the development of risky exercising and eating habits, eating disorders and even mental illnesses such as depression. An adolescent’s body self-esteem and bod image are significantly affected by socio-cultural influences. The media in general influences the youth and has a serious impact on their body image. A recommendation that can improve the health outcomes of adolescents with poor body image is to


It is important to evaluate the author’s current level of self-esteem and body image status. The author believes they have a normal self-esteem as they received a twenty two out of thirty on the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, which indicates a normal self-esteem. He also received high results on the male body image quiz by the Better Health Channel, indicating they have a positive body image. These results mean that the author has a healthy body image and self-esteem and their healthy attitude is lowering their risk of health issues such as eating disorders. The author believes the main reason for this is their family environment. Furthermore, their parents or siblings do not put value on appearance and because of this, their looks are not important to them. The attitudes of peers is another factor that influences their self-esteem. Looks and appearance are also not important to the author’s friends and therefore there is no pressure to look good in front of them. Thus, these factors contribute to the author’s positive body image and a normal self-esteem.
 
The media in general significantly affects an adolescent’s body image and self-esteem. The media can be “a toxic cultural environment”. It is highly visual and interactive, and appearance is central to success. They send a message to its young audience that their appearance matters the most and that it is important to be more attractive. Teens become aware of and start comparing themselves to models and media images that are portrayed as the perfect or ideal image, and this ideal image is significantly lacking variety. Most of the time, it is a white skinned young blonde woman, who is dangerously thin, taller than the average woman. Additionally, all of these images being portrayed are “airbrushed”, meaning they have been photoshopped or digitally enhanced to perfection. And the failure to look like them is inevitable because they are based on flawlessness that doesn’t exist.  One of the main negative health outcomes is that after comparing themselves to many of these “perfect” bodies, teenagers will start to be dissatisfied with their body or looks, lose confidence in their body and have a low self-esteem. The physical health of adolescents is also affected. After being exposed to many images of women who are dangerously skinny, teens will begin losing weight until they have reached this very unhealthy level of thinness, therefore harming their physical health. The males are also affected as they are exposed to the new standard of the ideal male body: a hyper-masculine, muscled, powerfully shaped body. Teenagers the desire a such attractive body and start taking action. They may engage in dangerous exercising habits or worse – take steroids, which will harm their physical health. Thus, the influence of the media has a significant impact on adolescents’ body image due to the messages they convey and the images being portrayed. 

# data[].attributes.body
Body image and self-esteem is a significant health issue among adolescents in Australia.
Among adolescents in Australia, body image and self-esteem rank as significant health issues.

# data[].attributes.body
According to the Raising Children Network (n.d), unhealthy body image is directly related to low self-esteem because those who aren’t satisfied with their body find it hard to feel good about their whole self and feel worth or accepted. 

# data[].attributes.body
Among adolescents in Australia, body image and self-esteem rank as significant health issues. Young people feel increasingly uncomfortable with their bodies as changes occur during adolescence. While normal for a teenager to lack confidence, those with a low self-esteem often view themselves as unable and unworthy. Body image exists among the top three personal concerns for young people, the Youth Survey Report by Mission Australia (2017) highlighted. Thirty one percent of the young-adult respondents reported body image as an important concern, the report stated. Several negative health outcomes arise from poor body image. According to the Raising Children Network (n.d), unhealthy body image directly relates to low self-esteem because those who aren’t satisfied with their body find it difficult to feel good about their whole self and feel worth or accepted. Poor body image can also cause the development of risky exercising and eating habits, eating disorders and even mental illnesses such as depression. Many socio-cultural influences affect an adolescent’s self-esteem and body image significantly. The media in general influences the youth and seriously impacts their body image. A recommendation to improve the health outcomes of adolescents with poor body image includes…

# data[].attributes.body
This article challenges the previously widely held belief that trees would be the earth's environmental panacea by absorbing excess CO2 from the atmosphere. A particular study discovered on the contrary, that trees in particular tropical areas are already suffering from the effects of climate change. This article was published by New Scientist, a well-supported and respected journal delivering science news and discoveries. Written by Douglas Fox, it is assumed he has some scientific background knowledge on the topic. Considering the article would also have been submitted to an editor for review, its credibility increases significantly. It was published over 10 years ago in 2007, which means this information is outdated - potentially losing some credibility. Therefore, it is recommended that those with a particular interest in this field further investigate the newer research. The research method is absent from this article. It is secondary data as it reports on science news, so it isn't the medium for the method. The audience of this article is the general public, who would have some understanding of concepts such as carbon dioxide absorption and climate change. All the information is factual including a summary of findings of research institutes, which increases the validity of the source. 

Overall, this article about the effects of carbon dioxide release on trees is somewhat relevant to my studies in biology. Understanding carbon dioxide and its effects on trees and the air has broadened my knowledge about the topic

# data[].attributes.body
This scientific news article highlights a novel biofuel cell developed by scientists in France, converting chemical energy from photosynthesis into electrical energy, that could have important medical applications. The information has been published on Science Daily, a respected online science news website. Although the author is unknown, it is assumed that they have some scientific background knowledge on the topic. Considering the article would also have been submitted to an editor for review, its credibility increases significantly. The article contains the author's disseminated findings from primary data which were translated in simpler language. The news was published in 2010, and is therefore still credible and valid. It is likely that new research would be available, as this article is starting to age. Therefore, it is recommended that those with a particular interest in this field further investigate into the newer research. The information is secondary data based on material from the original article Analytical Chemistry, by ACS publications in 2010. This increases the validity of the source as it was accessed from primary data, regarding the biofuel cell. The research method has been briefly summarised but to obtain the full method, it is best to access the original article. This article is targeted at the general public who would have some interest in science or at least anyone interested in alternate means of electricity  reduction. This audience would also require some scientific knowledge to understand processes such as photosynthesis. All of the information in the article is factual containing no bias or objectivity and is a summary of the findings from the original article. 

Overall, the information about the biofuel cell and electrical energy is relevant to my studies in biology. Understanding new uses of photosynthesis and its application for the medical industry has certainly broadened my knowledge about the topic. 

# data[].attributes.body
Representation and stereotypes have long been an issue in all forms of media, particularly concerning racism and the ideal family. This matter is worthy of consideration because these stereotypes can heavily influence society’s view of these concepts. It is interesting to observe that over the previous few decades within Australia, various cultures have been illuminated under the stereotype spotlight. In the new millennium, a fad emerged to represent Asian cultures on the screen. The first text I will focus on is an excerpt from an autobiography by Anh Do, regaling the journey of his family to Australia as refugees. The text represents the Asian family as a lower-class family consisting of enthusiastic, hardworking parents whose children are obedient and get along with each other reasonably well. The target audience of this text, adults and young adults, is positioned to accept the resilience of Asian families when faced with the struggles emigration poses - in this case finding a suitable education for their children. 

The attitudes, values and beliefs of the typical Asian family are represented in this text. The most obvious one being the importance of education, along with: perseverance, the appropriate approach towards problem solving and supporting one another. Aesthetic features have been used effectively to convey these attitudes and values.

One aesthetic feature significantly conveying the representations of an Asian family is the use of personal anecdotes. An example includes the beginning of the text, "My parents always believed in giving us kids as good an education as they could afford." This gives an insight into Anh Do's parents' beliefs and establishes a connection with the audience who can also identify with well-meaning parents. Let’s look at another anecdote, in the fourth paragraph, read example. Furthermore, this reminiscence provides a glimpse into the author's view of the challenging situation he faced as a refugee. Therefore, it is evident that through perseverance and valuing education, this family is represented as one attempting to overcome issues faced by refugees.

The humorous perspective is another feature that strongly conveys the representations of an Asian family. This has been used to make the text appear more entertaining while enforcing the representations and stereotypes of the Asian family. This is demonstrated in Anh’s father’s reaction of the school’s motto, “The other motto was: Born for greater things. Boom, dad’s happy”. This depicts the father’s value for a great education and his satisfaction when met with a decent opportunity. Humour is also evident in the father’s words in relation to a prospective school's fees, “Holy Schmoly, born for expensive things!” which shows the father’s rather positive and humorous response when faced with a new problem. Therefore, the author confirms the representations of stereotypical Asian families through the use of humour.

The second text is an American sitcom series “Fresh Off The Boat”, written by Nahnatchka Khan, exploring the lives of an immigrating Asian-American family. It represents the middle-class Asian consisting of a nagging, uptight mother, a hardworking father, an eldest son who tries to fit in with his peers through his love for hip-hop, and two other obedient, academic sons. The target audience – young adults and families – is positioned to accept the invited reading that the typical migrating Asian family is supportive of each other and will find ways to overcome their everyday struggles.  

The attitudes, values and beliefs conveyed in this text are the importance of family life, importance of education, supporting each other, and sticking up for oneself. Aesthetic features have been used effectively to convey these values and beliefs.

The most significant feature used to construct the representations of the Asian family is dialogue. An example of this is when the mother talks about the importance of school. Her reply depicts the belief that a good education leads to success and positions the audience to accept that Asian parents value education significantly. Now let’s look at another use of dialogue. Furthermore, the father’s encouragement gives a deeper insight into his ambitions and his vision for the family. Therefore, the mother is represented as uptight, and the father as a determined and caring man, both valuing education, just like the typical Asian parent.

Costuming is another feature used to convey representations of the Asian family, particularly with the children. Here are some examples. The eldest son (Eddie) wears hip-hop related clothing, accessories, and branded shoes. These represent his love for the hip-hop culture and his way of fitting in with the other students. Costuming has also been used among the two younger sons as they are always dressed up with their top buttons done, neat clothing, ironed shirts. The appearance this gives them depicts that the children are important, intelligent and academically proficient.

In conclusion, both the excerpt from The Happiest Refugee and Fresh Off The Boat convey their views of the Asian family through the effective use of a variety of aesthetic features. The authors also position or influence us to accept the invited reading of the texts.