The Relative Advantages of Learning my Language by Amy Choi

The Relative Advantages of Learning my Language by Amy Choi

1. The author opens the story with an anecdote. What is the anecdote and what effect does it have on the reader?
The anecdote in the opening of the story is intended to give a background to why the author is feeling the she is currently and why she is learning Chinese. The anecdote has a shock factor to how cruelly the author treats her grandfather and the regret she feels.

2. What is the author’s view of the Chinese language in the 2^nd paragraph?
The author found the language pointless because she lived in Australia where the main language at the time was English and found no reason to actively learn the language

3. What is symbolic about the house that the Grandfather mistakes for his own? What does it say about the assimilation of his family into Australian culture? What does it say about his understanding of Australian culture? What is ironic about the inhabitants of this house?
The assimilation into Australian culture can be seen when the Grandfather mistakes another house for his own this demonstrates how much the family has assimilated into Australian culture. This represents his lack of understanding to Australian culture and how he is finding it difficult to change.

4. What does the death of her grandfather inspire the author to do?
The death of her grandfather inspires the author to start to recover the language she once lost in an act to understand her grandfather a little bit more.

5. Why is she motivated to know Chinese? What is it she wants to ensure she is able to, regretting that she couldn't do it with her grandfather?

The author is motivated to learn Chinese so she can listen to another person's story because of her regret of never letting her grandfather tell his.