The Happiest Refugee

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. An “anecdote” is a short story or description that provides more information about a certain theme or person. Do uses humorous anecdotes, usually in the style of “vignettes,” to shape his personal experience as a refugee in Australia. Select one humorous anecdote from his memoir and consider the following:

• Briefly summarize Do’s anecdote. (topic sentence)
• What is humorous about this particular anecdote?
• What effect does humor have on the reader?

2. Throughout his memoir, Do shares instances in which, despite his and his family’s attempts to work hard, they are repeatedly faced with the challenges of poverty. Consider this cycle of Hard Work and Poverty for the Do family.

• What is the relationship between hard work and poverty for Do and his family as refugees in Australia? (topic sentence)
• Select three instances in which his family experiences financial worries.
• How do Do and his family respond to these challenges? In particular, how does their belief in hard work shape their responses?

3.