Unpolished Gemby Alice Pung

Annotation Guide

Learning Intention: to understand the three levels of annotation possible for this text.

Success Criteria: to have noted the annotation guide in an inner cover insert of your novel and to have recorded some examples for each.

Level 1: Plot and characterisation.Level 2: Theme, Symbol and Motif.Level 3: Authorial style and literary devices, intertextual references and allusions.

Plot and Characterisation (Level 1)

Prologue

Part I

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Epilogue

Theme, Motif andSymbol (Level 2)

Theme, Motif andSymbol (Level 2)

Theme, Motif andSymbol (Level 2)

Alliteration

‘wahs of wonder’(p11), ‘Proletariat princess’, (p97,98) ‘boxed into my blue blazer’ (p100), ‘Lee and Lah Loiterers’ (p104).

Metaphors

‘Father Christmas… as if he is a tangible benign white-bearded guru...’ (p25) ‘…her face a stone mask’ (p118)

Similes

‘spreading stories like the vegemite on my toast’ ‘‘Father Government...like Father Christmas’ (p25)

Juxtaposition

‘We live in a big house, much bigger than the one belonging to Auntie Mao in Vietnam’ (p26)

Metonymy / Synecdoche

“Her skinny ankles were crossed, her hands in her lap, and her back was straight’ (p116)

Colloquial Australian language

“Doesn’t matter about the Aussies, they never take off their shoes anyhow?” (p18)

Idiomatic expressions

“Ay, stop gawking like such a peasant” (p11), “beautiful hah?” (p18).

Humour

“I was Chinese Ronald McDonald, minus the happy times’ (p63)

Foil Characters

Agheare – Alice / Mother (Chia) – Father (Kuan)

Level 3

Level 3AlliterationRepetition of consonant or vowel sounds.

‘wahs of wonder’(p11)‘Proletariat princess’ (p97,98) ‘boxed into my blue blazer’ (p100)‘Lee and Lah Loiterers’ (p104).

Level 3MetaphorComparing two things by stating that they are similar using words like as.

‘Father Christmas… as if he is a tangible benign white-bearded guru...’ (p25) ‘…her face a stone mask’ (p118)

Level 3SimilesComparing two items and noting how there are similar using a connective such as like.

‘spreading stories like the vegemite on my toast’

‘‘Father Government...like Father Christmas’ (p25)

Level 3JuxtapositionPlacing two things that are different in

close proximity to create a strong contrast.

‘We live in a big house, much bigger than the one belonging to Auntie Mao in

Vietnam’ (p26)

Level 3

Metonymy / Synecdoche Similar to metaphor, two things are related, for metonymy the word is linked to the concept but not part of it, for synecdoche it is part of it.

Metonymy: ‘Every journey is one small step for Australians, but one giant leap for the Wah-sers’ (p10)Synecdoche: “Her skinny ankles were crossed, her hands in her lap, and her back was straight’ (p116)

Level 3

Colloquial Australian Language Australian ‘Ocker’, ‘Strine’ language.

“Doesn’t matter about the Aussies, they never take off their shoes anyhow?” (p18)

Level 3

Idiomatic ExpressionsColloquial language used by the Pung family and others.

“Ay, stop gawking like such a peasant” (p11) “beautiful hah?” (p18).

Level 3

HumourThe humour used is often ‘dark’ or ‘black’ humour.

“I was Chinese Ronald McDonald, minus the happy times’ (p63)“to uninitiated ears his name sounds like an Eastern European stew: ‘Would you like some Pol Pot? It’s made with 100% fresh-ground suffering.’ (p9)

Level 3

Foil CharactersA foil is the exact inverse (opposite) of another character, or they are dissimilar in some key way.

Agheare – Alice Mother (Chia) – Father (Kuan)

Intertextual References

Reader’s Digest household hints and handy tips p91

Stand by Me p96

Dead Poet’s Society p96

Dolly p109

Farewell my concubine p135

King Lear p135

Age of Innocence p178

Lolita p188

The Herald Sun p203

Karate Kid Part 2 p223

Reader’s Digest p 228

Bridges of Madison County p231

Gandhi p239

2001: A space Odyssey p264

Pleasantville p265

AllusionsDerrida p238Biblical references p234-235Woody Allen p231Karate Kid Part 2 p223Casanova p256Titanic p270

Level 3