My Daddy's A Diver Questions

The story My Daddy’s a Diver meets most of the short story genre requirements to a significant extent, however the short story does not address all areas required. The story includes a title which clearly states what the story is about and who the characters are (Daddy and either a little girl or little boy). The short story only happens in around a 20-minute time frame and therefore it meets the closed setting requirement and the story tells and event and something actually happens. The story is in a restricted setting, follows the pattern of a short story, has restricted number of characters, and uses a balance of dialogue and narration. The use of characterisation to help achieve the purpose of the story is very effective. The writer has used the fish as soul mates to represent this. The purpose of the story is to evoke the feeling of love, compassion and losing someone you love. The areas in which it is lacking is that it is only told from one perspective (the Dad) and does not incorporate a mixture of both ‘showing’ and ‘telling. I believe this story is very effective as it makes you reflect on your inner feelings as to what it would be like to loose someone so close to you. When the father killed the fish he saw that the fish had a companion and now suddenly the companion fish looked lose and did not know where to go. He then had a flashback of his wife that had died whom he was still grieving for. He reflected upon his grief as his companion. He then realized that the companion fish was now about to endure the same pain he was going through. That is when he decided he would never kill another fish because everyone has a companion even if they are just a fish. By putting such a powerful connection in the story it allowed the reader to feel the emotion more. The story is contains an inner and physical journey. It’s a journey in which that dad goes on while he is catching food for his daughter. The author of the short story captures your attention through the powerful connection it develops about losing a loved one. 

Show Don't Tell

Tell: 

The dwarves were kind and helpful. They were hard working and enjoyed helping others. They were also very brave and were willing to stand up to the evil giant.

Show:

As I walked into this giant house, 12 faces stared back at me. I was wet and tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. The dwarves could see that and they all ran over to help me in anyway they could. They made this strange house feel like home.

In the morning when I woke up they were all just watching me, wanting to know my story and help me on my journey back home. They told me stories of how they have helped many lost people in the dark dangerous woods.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and we all just in sheer terror. We all ran to the window to see what is was, and in the distance we could see a big, hairy, green giant coming our way. The giant was yelling something but we couldn’t figure out exactly what it was. As it got closer, we realized what it was saying ‘Snow White I eat you!’

‘Isn’t that your name?’ asked one of the dwarves.

I just stood there in pure shock, not an ounce of my body could move. So this is how I am going to die, oh my.

‘Quick! Hide her!’ yelled one of the dwarves.

They grabbed my hands and told me to go down the little trap door and just stay there. So that’s what I did.

I could here all this yelling and screaming, so I thought I would take a little peek at what was going on. So I lifted the lid to the trap door and poked only the top of my head out.

I could see all the dwarves fighting the evil giant. And then it was over, the giant feel to the floor. The dwarves had won! I ran to them and hugged them all. By brave dwarves saved my life.

Part 3 - Unpolished Gem

Part 3 of Unpolished Gem tells the reader about the Great Australian Dream and also how immigrants are stereotyped by Australians when they arrive into the country. This section of the book describes the Pung's achievement of the Great Australian Dream. We learn that the Australian Dream is owning their own house or land, having a secure job and a better lifestyle then the one in Cambodia, and Alice explains how her family achieved this. She explains how they no longer need clothes form the government, and their attitude towards immigrate have changed. 'Gone were the days of where a one-dollar plastic brown vinyl coat a birthday present from the government.' They now understand how to integrate into society by trying to remove the stereotype about Asian's and peasantry and how they have lost the amazement they once had. This section of the book also tells the reader that immigrants are often stereotyped and as a result the immigrants feel sad and lonely when they arrive in Australia. The journey of part 3 is a physical and inner journey. A physical journey as hey moved from Cambodia to Australia and an inner journey as the Pung family experience new cultures and ways of living and try and live the Australian Dream. 

Childhood Memory

Every Easter, when I was young, my family would have a week camping at my family’s farm. All our cousins were there and we would run around the paddocks and yard for hours on end. We didn’t have a care in the world. We were dirty and tired, but we kept on going until it was dark. Each night we would camp in the yard while all the parents slept in the house. We would sit in the tent trying to think of scary stories to tell. Eventually, we would fall asleep and wake up to find the Easter bunny had come and left chocolate. Then one year we didn’t go due to the weather and then we eventually just stopped going altogether. Thinking about the times at the farm now I can see how carefree and amazing it used to be. If we tried to do it again now it just wouldn’t be the same. We are not willing to be as dirty, we get tired easily and just stop and rest instead of carrying and the Easter bunny is not as real and exciting as it was before. The farm was one of the best memories.