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Sticks and Stones and such-like – Sunil Badami pg 9-15

Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Identity and race are explored in the story.

Racism - “Curry-muncher”

Belonging

Outsider

Identity/self discovery

Culture

Family

What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice.

Sunil was made to feel worthless and insecure because of the people that he had to associate with at school.

Sunil’s mother wanted her son to be proud of his identity.

Sunil’s mother wanted him to respect their culture and use his real name.

Sunil believed that if he was able to change his name that he wouldn’t be bullied by the others in his class.

Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

Similar to the women in JLC Sunil was called racist terms especially at school.

Many of the women also denied their culture so that they could “fit in”

Can you find any symbolism?

*Use textual evidence to support your ideas

Wanting to fit in with society - Sunil changing his name to Neil

·      JLC: June wanting fit in her family by comparing herself to Waverly

Mothers give them hope for their future - “It’s a beautiful name”

“And Sunil is breeze that blows at sunset on Shiva’s birthday once every thousand years”

“Holy Ganga only, poda!”

“And you? Who are you? What are you? You should be proud!”
- Sunil’s mother explains to Sunil the importance of his name and that he should not be embarrassed by it

·      JLC: June’s mother gives her hopes and goals for her future through the teachings that she does not always have to live up to the “high expectations”

Acceptance - “my mother was right: I was proud”

“I had a name that had its own story, its own place: a name I shared with nobody, apart from the Little Master.” - Sunil finally accepts his name, knowing it has a good meaning and story behind it

·      JLC: June’s mother finally sees June and accepts her and her purposes

“It wasn’t a paragraph, let alone a chapter. Just two little words: dark one.”

Sunil’s name itself is symbolism as this he believed was the cause of all his bullying at school

- “dark one.”

- “but one thing that always got under my skin was my own name”.

- “if I couldn't be less black, surely I could get a name that made me feel less black?”

-”its tooindian”

The Upside-Down Year - Francia Lee pg 27-32

Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Travel

Coming of age

Education

Sacrifice

New Beginnings

What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice.

Francis felt abandoned after his parents and family forced him to go to australia

Francis lee was forced into growing up as he travelled at such a long age - ”go for three or five years, then make a trip back to see us!”

Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

Like the JLC mothers Francia Lee migrated overseas into a western country.

Like in JCL june had to mature as her mother passed away and this is similar to francia lee leaving and having to  separate and mature on her own.

Can you find any symbolism?

*Use textual evidence to support your ideas

“I was sitting on the deserted deck and could no longer control my tears. I don't remember crying harder than before, and I have hardly cried  ever since”

Hot and Spicy - Oliver Phommavanh 81-89

Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Identity

Australia

Appreciation

Decline of culture/background

Albert doesn't appreciate his cultural food and much prefers the Australian food served at his school canteen. “I’m sick of Thai food”

Albert responds to his teacher “That's so booorrrrrriiinnnggg, sir” after being asked to bring a Thai dish along to school for the 5/6 multicultural unit.

Albert doesnt want to celebrate his culture and would much rather be Australian.

“It will be my worst nightmare” - If the whole school ended up liking his parents food and became a regular thing at his canteen

What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice

Albert doesn't appreciate his culture

Albert growing up in an Australian school environment influences him to dismiss his families culture

Albert doesn't want his school to be influenced by the Thai culture

Embarrassed by his family's culture

Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

·      Just like the JLC, Albert’s family takes great pride in their traditional dishes

·      Cultural identity - growing up in a western country influences the children to follow the Countries culture and to dismiss their cultural traditions and identity

Can you find any symbolism?

*Use textual evidence to support your ideas

Chilli - Prevents Albert’s teacher to embrace the Thai food as Albert doesnt want Thai food to enter his school.

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Sticks and such like (1)

1. Not white and made fun of for being Indian, from his dad and peers. Culture and identity, Relationships, deceit, acceptance, an outsider. All through his school years he was alienated for his race and name(identity).

1. Identity - Indian names of representative and embracing of tradition and culture. Sunil is alienated when the white school peers called him names because of his race and the colour of his skin. Giving him nicknames that are stereotypical and generalised about his race, what makes him feel most like an outsider is the fact that people could never actually pronounce his name correctly or even attempt to learn it, forcing himself to want to change his name to a ‘less black’ name, Neil. His mother wanted him to embrace his name and culture.

1. His mother pushed him to embrace his culture and who he is as Sunil and the mothers in JLC made sure that the daughters always remembered their culture and traditions while embracing being a Vietnamese woman. Yes, his mother pushed him to embrace his culture and to love who he was as Sunil and the mothers from JLC made sure that their daughters always remembered their culture and traditions while embracing being a Vietnamese woman.

1. “Dark one” being dark and being sad

Lessons from my school years (2)

1. Negative attitude and/or experience in Australia: how he was forced and abused by the education system

Acceptance: western culture during the time demonstrated their belief of his lack of worth

2. Negative attitude and/or experience in Australia: that the abuse was worse for people not of western culture/origin as they were outcast and demoralised and therefore something considered inhumane now was considered morally okay back then. In his education system he was abused, giving him a negative experience in Australia. He is shown that to the westerners he has very little worth and isn’t accepted. He was taught that he was supposed to give the teacgers what they wanted and basically become invisible with no ideas or thoughts for himself. He was abused in his childhood and tells this in a very detached way, like he has overcome the abuse and its impact on him and his family. He never shared his experiences and that would have taken a toll on his physical and emotional wellbeing.

3. Ray Wing-Lun was abused by his teacher similarly how ying ying st clair was abused by her husband. Through Ted, Rose learns her worth when Ted has a professional-mistake and he begins to give her the freedom  to help her make the art decisions. Also Lena now realises that she is worth more than she and her or her husband thought , she was able to contribute, make choices and stand up for what she believes in. Through Ted, Rose learns her worth when after Ted takes control of the relationship Rose is unable to take control and help make the hard decisions. Also Lena now realses that she is worth more than her or her husband thought, she was able to contribute, make choices an stand up for what she believes in.

4. Strap happy jack- abuse and the casual nature of it

We-li and me (3)

1. Racism, stereotypes, confidence

2. The white kids circulate a aditi “combine their hatred”. The 2 children are forced to alienate themselves in order to stop being abused.

3. The mothers in JLC come together in America to form the club based on their past experiences in china.

stereotypes that carry across: “you while your buts with your hands”, “Barry had the idea that Chinese boys have no [penis]”,

4. Rock, show strength through pain

Be good little migrants (4)

1. identify, language, stigma

2. Obliged to change the way you live and change the way you are to be part and fit in with the new country

3. When rose was being told she couldn’t do thing based on her race. Missing out on opportunities because other people didn’t think she deserved it.

4. ‘Be good’ patronising, putting migrants in a child-like position, like they are unachieving.

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Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Identity

Australia

Appreciation

Decline of culture/background

Albert doesn't appreciate his cultural food and much prefers the Australian food served at his school canteen. “I’m sick of Thai food”

Albert responds to his teacher “That's so booorrrrrriiinnnggg, sir” after being asked to bring a Thai dish along to school for the 5/6 multicultural unit.

Albert doesnt want to celebrate his culture and would much rather be Australian.

“It will be my worst nightmare” - If the whole school ended up liking his parents food and became a regular thing at his canteen

What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice

Albert doesn't appreciate his culture

Albert growing up in an Australian school environment influences him to dismiss his families culture

Albert doesn't want his school to be influenced by the Thai culture

Embarrassed by his family's culture

Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

Just like the JLC, Albert’s family takes great pride in their traditional dishes

Cultural identity - growing up in a western country influences the children to follow the Countries culture and to dismiss their cultural traditions and identity

Can you find any symbolism?

*Use textual evidence to support your ideas

Chilli - Prevents Albert’s teacher to embrace the Thai food as Albert doesnt want Thai food to enter his school.

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2. What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, 
narrative voice
Introduction: Alice Pung discusses the different names and stereotypes that she is labeled as as a child. However, she hopes that these names wear out and people will realise that “ we are not fruit, we are people”

Exotic Rissole: Tanny discusses his hopes and dreams of urging his parents to become more aussie, but to the end he realises that he should appreciate where he came from, and what he has that makes him culturally different  

Are you different: Mia francis talks about being discriminated and her son hitting up another child and upon being called by the teachers, Mia first asks “ were there any racist taunts involved?” she first asks about if there were any racism involved explores the idea of how she was so used to, or knowingly know about asian Australian’s being picked on.

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Group 1: Belonging to your family

GUAIA Stories:

Amy Choi - 'The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language', pp. 7 - 9

1. Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Respect, “I hope he doesn’t sit down” “I wasn’t particularly kind to my grandfather”

Family, between Amy and her grandpa

Loss of culture : Amy’s lack of connection towards her Chinese roots because Amys family were of Chinese background but lived in Australia, so Amy lost her ability to speak Chinese fluently and could not communicate or understand her grandfather who only knew how to speak Chinese. She could not ‘see the point of speaking chinese. We lived in Australia”

she was taught her native language but had soon forgotten it after speaking only English

could never understand her grandfathers poetry even when he read and explained them to her several times

Regret : after her grandfather’s death Amy started to learn more Chinese so that next time any elder relative “wants me to listen to them, I am not only willing, I am able”

Amy claimed to be mean spirited towards her grandfather. After her grandfathers death , she realised the way she had treated her grandfather was wrong and wished that she had spoken to him and had been more nice towards him.

Reconnecting with culture : the death of her grandfather became a catalyst for connecting more with her Chinese culture in which she begins to learn Chinese.

she notes that she is not trying to discover her roots, but to make sure that she can connect and offer help if another elderly relative ‘wants me to listen to them’.

2. What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice

Narrative voice is Amy, it is from her point of view and she believed that it is important to keep a sense of your culture.

Views and values: to always treat your family with love and respect before it is too late. To keep a connection with your cultural background as it will be advantageous for your life.

3. Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

Language barrier between family members, which leads to lack of communication, closeness and understanding between them

Between Family relations, Older person (parent/adult) with a younger person (child)

June’s mother passed away, like the grandpa also passed away, which made both Amy and June feel regret and that by then it was too late to try to make things better again

many of the daughters in JLC loses connection with their Chinese culture, they misunderstand cultural expectations and are unable to speak chinese (June)

Daughters do not understand their parents (June misunderstands Suyuan)

June finally reconnecting with her culture and discovering more about her mother after her mothers death

4. Can you find any symbolism?

Language - symbol of communication with her culture

Chinese poetry - symbol of holding on to his Chinese roots

Diana Nguyen - 'Five Ways to Disappoint your Vietnamese Mother', pp. 287 - 291

1. Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Belonging, she got kicked out from the ‘cuckoo nest’

Different, Diana isn’t like all the asian girls/students her mother wants her to be, she is not strong in maths but enjoys art and drama, she is different from her friend, who her mother compares her with and her scores.

Control : mother controls daughter, doesn’t want daughter to pursue her hobby of acting and wants her to daughters life to be revolved around studying

shame: ashamed of daughters talents and passion for acting, leaves her daughters performance in the middle of it, doesn’t acknowledge talents outside of academics, calls daughter a sl.ut and does not accept her daughters Chinese boyfriend

miscommunication : different values and cultural differences causes barrier and communication issues

2. What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice

Point of view: her mother and herself experienced cultural differences which lead to a hostile relationship, however in the end the daughter knows that her mother merely wants her daughter to have a good life.

3. Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

June never had a talent for anything as a result she felt as a disappointment

Rose, Waverly and Lena got boyfriends that their mothers did not approve of

Had the language barrier between their families

June thinking that she is a failure as she had never met her mothers expectations eg; failed to become a prodigy, wasn’t great at piano, had no talent and disappointed her mother

Expectations Junes mother had on her daughter; wanted June to succeed academically

4. Can you find any symbolism?

culture - her acting is a symbol of her achievement but to her mother its a disappointment

School - dropping out of Vietnamese school which resulted in a language barrier between Diana and her mother and led to a lack of communication between them

Ivy Tseng - 'Chinese Lessons', pp. 16 - 25

1. Where this theme is found within the story? Are there any sub-themes?

Culture

Identity, Ivy didn’t feel authentic despite having the appearance of a Chinese girl, she was not fluent in her language

Regret : She regrets not paying attention to Chinese lessons, she wants to know how to confidently speak mandarin as people at her school are of various backgrounds and knew how to speak their background language as well as english fluently. She also had selfish desires for wanting to know how to speak mandarin; such as writing it on her resume, being able to speak chinese when she works at a job and being able to order and eat at chinese restaurants. She sometimes feel 'a sense of shame, a vague unease'

2. What views and values does this story impart about this theme? eg. point of view, narrative voice

fathers point of view - he wanted to connect to his past and culture by exposing himself and his kids to the Chinese language because he didn't want to be known just as a asian migrant. 'the best way to hang onto this was to teach his daughters the mandarin language'

Daughters point of view in the start- didn't understand the significance of the Chinese lessons, merely wanted to muck around and dreaded Saturday 11 o clock (the time she was taught Chinese). She wishes to be white and Aussie.

daughters point of view in the end:regrets not paying attention in the chinese lessons; 'i just want to understand my father'

3. Are there any connections we can make to 'Joy Luck Club'? eg. themes, characters, ideas, stereotypes, values

Suyuan similarly forces June to become a prodigy and to learn piano, in which June dreads and was too lazy to practice

June doesn't know how to speak Chinese fluently- similar to Ivy Tsung

4. Can you find any symbolism?

Chinese lessons - symbolises how she is connecting with her Chinese background, however when she begins to slowly stop doing these Chinese lessons with her father, she also begins to feel as though she is losing her identity and doesn't feel authentic

Eleven o’clock - symboling when they have to stop and learn their Chinese language

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Group 3: Alienation and being the outsider

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Group 3: Alienation and being the outsider