Underlying Themes In The Happiest Refugee By Anh Do

Comparing texts can enrich experiences for readers by allowing audiences to grasp a further understanding of underlying themes within a text, and how they have the ability to challenge reader’s perspectives. Anh Do’s autobiographical memoir, The Happiest Refugee (2010), discusses the highs and lows of growing up in Australia as a Vietnamese refugee, during a time where racial intolerance and scepticism towards foreigners was common. Do has constructed themes that through the use of various literary devices, work towards altering audience’s stereotypical perspective of refugees, instead replacing it with a less critical and more accepting viewpoint; these themes are also explored in other texts. Themes surrounding resilience, family bonds and

In the memoir, audiences are immediately thrown into the complex father son relationship that exists between Anh and Tam, with Do describing his father as both, “cowardly” and “courageous.” Centralising his father’s character with a sense of ambiguity, audiences are provoked to delve deeper into the inner workings of the human condition, with the intention of discovering how love and respect will conquer over hate. In the beginning, Do struggles to acknowledge the hole left in his life after his fathers departure, describing how he “missed him dearly,” but also wanted to “make him pay for everything” he had done. Audiences may feel unsure about their perception of Tam, as Do has constructed several conflicting layers that gradually give an insight into the complexities of his fathers mindset. Towards the end of the memoir, Do explains how his “fearless” and “brave” image of his father began to alter, however he also expresses how “In that moment, [his] respect and love for [that] man went up tenfold.” From this, as well as the use of emotive language and further personal anecdotes, audiences are able to see how even through hardship, the humanisation of an individual and raw emotion present from the past is enough to provide needed guidance and support.

Upon arriving in Australia, “A place that offered [them] sanctuary,” Do explains how his parents were in utter amazement at the kindness of the Australian people and unexpected generosity from the Salvation Army who gave clothes for “no charge”. Despite facing such adversity, Anh and his family continually and whole-heartedly express their appreciation and gratitude towards Australia and it’s people, inspiring audiences to adapt similar outlooks on life. Do expands on this idea of thankfulness later into the memoir, referencing a time his father told his siblings to “do as much as [they could] to give back to [the] country that gave [them] a second chance.” As an audience coming from a ‘well off’ western society, exposed little to poverty and hardship, we are encouraged to draw from our own personal context and reflect on the privilege presented to us in society by confronting the ever-evolving divides linked to wealth and race in present in society. Through the use of colloquial dialogue and emotive language, Do has expressed in a straightforward manner how often those who have the least to begin with, value generosity and kindness the most. The same ideology can be expressed in