Growing Up Asian in

Australia

Alice Pung

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Take 10 minutes to research information about the author online. Then take the top 6 points you find
and jot them down below. You should include biographical details such as D.O.B, place of birth, age
etc., as well as influences on her writing, types of work she is known for and anything else interesting
you find.

GUA in Context
Go online and research the following points. Document them in the table below.

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  Waves of Asian immigration to Australia (statistics, reasons for immigration etc.)
 Different public responses (historically speaking) to these immigration waves
 Demographics of Asian Australians (born in Australia or otherwise)
 Any responses from Asian migrants or children from migrant families about the experience of
being Asian (born here or otherwise) in Australia

What I have learned through my research is…

Now that you have done some research write a paragraph explaining…
What could it mean to ‘grow up Asian in Australia’?
You might like to also briefly draw on any of the experiences in the short stories in your response.
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 Pung’s Introduction
Let’s read Alice Pung’s Introduction at the very start of her anthology. Then answer the following
questions.

 What does ‘edited by Alice Pung’ on the cover mean? This will enhance your responses.
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 Based on her introduction, what does Alice think about what it means to grow up Asian in
Australia? You could include quotes from her introduction in your response.

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 What does she mean when she says, “When I was growing up, we were called PowerPoints”?
And … why do you think this is the very first line of the anthology?

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 What is an anthology? With your answer in mind, what decisions does she discuss making
about which stories she would include in her text?
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 What do the collection of stories Pung chose for her anthology say about growing up Asian in
Australia? Think about what she notes about the stories in her introduction.
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 Recalling the Stories…
In the table below, briefly summarise the main events in each story. Then explain Pung’s authorial intent for including that story in her anthology.
If there are any stories you are not studying, please leave those blank.

Short Story Briefly summarise the major experiences of the characters and events that Why do you think Pung has included this
occur in the story short story in her anthology? What is
important about this story?
“The Relative
Advantages of
Learning My
Language” by
Amy Choi

“Chinese
Lessons” by Ivy
Tseng

“Sticks and
Stones and Such-
like” by Sunil
Badami

“The Beat of a
Different Drum”

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 by Simon Tong

Pigs from Home,

by Hop Dac

Take Me Away,
Please by Lily
Chan

“ABC
Supermarket” by
Kevin Lai and
Matt Huynh

“Wei-Lei and
Me” by Aditi
Gouvernel

“Perfect Chinese
Children” by
Vanessa Woods

“Papa Bear” by
Chin Shen

Family Life, by

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 Diem Vo

“Towards
Manhood” by
Benjamin Law

“The courage of
Soldiers” by
Pauline Nguyen

“Anzac Day” by
James Chong

“A Call to Arms”
by Michelle Law

“Chinese
Dancing,
Bendigo Style”
by Joo-Inn Chew

“Five Ways to
Disappoint your
Vietnamese
Mother” by
Diana Nguyen

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 “The Face in the
Mirror” by
Blossom Beeby

“Baked Beans
and Burnt Toast”
by Jacqui Larkin

Interviews with
Joy Hopwod and
Ahn Do

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 Amy Choi
The Relative Advantages of Learning My Language

 What could ‘Strine’ (the section Choi’s story appears in) mean? When you have your
answer, discuss with the person next to you: Why would Pung have titled this section
‘Strine’?
 Look up the word ‘relative’. Then ponder: What is the meaning of the story title,
‘Relative Advantages of Learning My Language’?
 Pretend you were explaining this story to someone who had not read it before. How
would you explain it?

After reading the story again in class, interpret the following lines from Choi’s story. The
first one has been done for you. It sets out how critical you should be when reading and
the expected detail of your response (that you should try to reach if you can!):

Choi’s narration and/or dialogue from Meaning

the story
(author’s feelings, views and values, interpretation of the
situation and/or message to reader)

“I was never particularly kind to my Choi opens with this. That tells me this story
grandfather” (p. 7) is going to be about her regret and guilt about
her relationship with her grandfather. In
addition, I have learned in class that this
anthology is about how family and culture can
influence your identity. In a way, if she
regrets not interacting with her grandfather
(who spoke Chinese, which is part of her
heritage) maybe she is also regretful that she
never engaged as much with her own cultural
heritage?
“My grandfather wrote poetry on great
rolls of thin white paper with a
paintbrush.” (p. 7)

“One afternoon, he didn’t come home

until way after dark… A month after that,
he tried to let himself into a stranger’s

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 house”. (p. 7)

“At the funeral, my sadness was

overshadowed by a sense of regret. I’d
denied my grandfather the commonest of
kindnesses”. (p. 8)

“I was sixteen years old”. (p.8)

Consider also: Why has she included this

statement? Why is it a short, sharp sentence?
“I have often wondered how aware my
mum is of the connection between
Grandad’s death and my ever-improving
Chinese.” (p. 8)

“I am not trying to ‘discover my roots.’ 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”.
(p. 9)

Consider also: Does what she says here line

up with feelings expressed earlier in the
story? Particularly consider the line “I am
able” – what could we infer about what she
subconsciously wishes?

Vanessa Woods
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 Perfect Chinese Children
1. ‘The folks’ – why is this section titled ‘the folks’?
2. What is the significance of the Mah Jong table for Vanessa?
3. “If there was ever anyone I wanted to stab in the heart with a chopstick, it was my
cousin David.” Explain what this opening sentence conveys about Vanessa’s
character.
4. List all the examples of Chinese superstition and beliefs from the story and their
meaning:

Superstition/Belief Meaning in the story

5. Around the chopstick image below, write down as many ideas about its meaning in
the story. You can include quotes.

6. “And in her sacrifice, I see love” (p. 111). What is her mother’s sacrifice?
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Five Ways to Disappoint Your

Vietnamese Mother
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 Diana Nguyen

This story is structured around the five ways Nguyen feels she is a disappointment to her
mother. What is the effect of structuring her story this way on the reader?
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Explore the meaning of the following ‘steps’ Nguyen includes to disappointing your
Vietnamese mother. You may reference key words and phrases from the story in your
response:

Steps to disappointing our Meaning of this to: character and greater

Vietnamese mother themes of the anthology (identity, family,
culture…)
Step One:

Step Two:

Step Three:

Step Four:

Step Five:

The Courage of Soldiers

Pauline Nguyen

PART 1: Let’s re-read Pauline Nguyen’s story again, particularly focusing on pages 292, 293
and 296. Then find and jot down all the words that describe Nguyen’s childhood. You could
include some short quotes in the chart. In the middle circle, put the word or quote you think is
most relevant and important.

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Assign Nguyen a colour you think symbolises her the most and put it somewhere on this page
(maybe the middle circle?) You should also assign her a texture. You could write the word of
the texture or preferably draw it somewhere on this paper.
PART 2: Pauline Nguyen’s story focuses on her choices and journey throughout childhood to
adolescence and early adulthood. Jot down as much information about her goals, values,
beliefs and character development on the triangle below.

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 Character development and growth

Character’s values Characters Beliefs

Personal, Outside
inner, not demand,
outwardly obligation,
seen reward

Internal Motivations External Motivations

Internal Conflicts External Conflicts

Baked Beans and Burnt Toast

Jacqui Larkin

1. Consider Larkin’s interaction with the steward at the airport in Hong Kong. Describe
some of the awkward moments she experiences.
2. How does this create a sense of cultural confusion for Larkin?

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 3. Throughout the story, Larkin occasionally crafts her dialogue IN FULL CAPITAL
LETTERS. What might she be trying to convey about language barriers by using this
technique? (or more specifically: assumptions/judgements people make about others)?
4. “Why couldn’t I have vegemite or peanut-butter sandwiches like everyone else?” (p.
332). Why might Larkin specifically want these food items in comparison to the food
she has in her lunchbox?
5. Why is the teacher’s interaction with Larkin problematic?
6. Read the rest of Larkin’s story. What is the deeper meaning of ‘baked beans and burnt
toast’?

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