The Boat People Character Analysis

Megan Tse

Ms. Jassal

ENG2DZ

11 December 2022

Self Growth in The Boat People and How to Pronounce Knife

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” (Rowling). In The Boat People by Sharon Bala, one of the main characters, Grace, struggles with her Japanese-Canadian identity and her mother’s sudden interest in internment. Similarly, the child in How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa encounters challenges due to her cultural identity and her immigrant family. While Grace and the child both endure the struggles that come with having immigrant parents and are given opportunities to change, only the child shows growth and acceptance with her father in comparison to Grace’s ignorant

This is explored through the development of characters, the acceptance of heritage, and familial relationships.

The child shows development in her character as the story progresses, ultimately leading to her insightful and strong appreciation for her father and her heritage, while Grace remains a flat character. Although the child is told she was wrong, “she never gave up on what her father said, on that first sound there.” (Thammavongsa __). The child shows progression from the beginning of the story, where she was unsure of how she fit in her classroom. The author chose the classroom to represent society, in which many people feel, or are, out of place and isolated due to their cultural identity. This symbolism shows how the child breaks through this barrier by standing up for herself and her father, ultimately demonstrating that loyalty and pride come with development and change. In

When her peers tease her about her food, “what that smell was that was so bad, the child had no idea. ‘You all don’t know what a delicacy is.’” (Thammavongsa __). Although the child is mocked for her food, she strongly defends her culture and food, even while she is embarrassed. This character is presented as a tough and proud girl, which brings forward her need to protect and appreciate her Laos heritage and culture. Additionally, when “the child had no idea”, it shows that the character is an innocent and naive child, unfamiliar with these microaggressions. However, she does not try to fit in and conform to her peers, she defends herself and takes pride in her heritage, highlighting the importance of pride and individuality. s her mother takes interest in Japanese internment, Grace thinks that“it wasn’t enough that she had the twins tangled up in her mission -- the family history project, they all called it -- Kumi wanted to rope Grace in too.” (Bala 200). The word “rope” symbolizes Grace’s unwillingness to listen or help her mother, as if she is getting pulled into her mother’s mess. Moreover, this shows that even with the heavy topic of internment, Grace still does not want to learn about her family’s history and heritage. Grace shows lack of insight and inability to understand how others, especially her mother, feel about racism and