Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

1. There is a stark contrast created in the opening of this story between what the narrator had been doing before entering school and what will be expected at school? What is this contrast and what does it immediately create in the story? She is expected to do the best at every thing but when she arrives she is discriminated and fails everything.

2. The author continues this theme of contrast at the start of the story. How does he do this in his description of his experience of Sydney’s North Shore? She says there is always nice as the house is nice and the job is doing great but the schools are failing

3. What was the father’s background in business before he opened the fruit shop? What has helped him become successful?  He was an immigrant but thru hard work he became a successful green grocer.

4. The narrator’s description of his father is complex. What makes the father a complex character?  The father is a complex character as he had no formal schooling but he has made a very successful business.

5. (91) How does the author describe his role in doing ‘things that counted’? he did things that will help him and his family instead of things that would not help everyone.

6. What experience does the author have at school while keeping to himself? What does he learn from this experience?  He learns to watch and listen and this he learns how tough some people can to other people.

7. How would you characterise the narrator’s tone in regards to the events that are occurring around him?  He is very negative as they were all negative to him and this has made him sad L

8. How does the narrator characterise the ways that one could ‘get the strap’ and ways that one could avoid it?  That it was the easiest thing in the world to get and the hardest thing in the world to avoid.

9. What event evokes a racist speech to the class by the teacher? Getting out of swimming lessons

10. What effect did the author’s experience with ‘Strap Happy Jack’ have on him? He was a very mean person that was more that happy to strap people

11. What was the one advantage school provided the author? it taught him to be passionate about things

12. What did the author do at his school? What was his motivation for doing it? What did he feel was lacking at school? He set up a workshop for troubled people and he felt good doing this.

13. What did the parents want their son to do at school? What did the author fear would happen by obeying his parents? They wanted him to be a doctor.

14. At school, what did the author learn about his own type of thinking and how to use it? He learnt that he was a very passionate person.