Pigs from Home

Pigs from Home by Hop Dac

1. How does the author start this story which is in direct contrast to the title of the story? What effect does this have on the reader and their expectations of the story? The author begins the story by stating different positives about pigs and there presence in the world. It is a contrast to the title because it states pigs in situation that are away from home. It than goes on to tell the negatives about pigs and illustrates to the reader that pigs would make horrible house animals.

2. What core Vietnamese value is instilled in the author? The core Vietnamese value that is instilled in the author is that 'any good Vietnamese family was a self-sustaining one'.

3. What is humorous about the mother’s ‘flair for natural medicine’ in regards to her personality? It is humorous that the mother has a flair for natural medicine because she is a hypochondriac and is very pedantic and always thinking she is unhealthy and has an unhealthy obsession with her house.

4. How does the description of the killing of pigeons continue the style utilised in the introduction of the story? The style of killing pigeons continues with the style of brutally killing for a source of food.

5. What is the author’s opinion of pigs? Give two quotes to support your conclusion. The authors opinion of pigs is that they are unimportant and only used for food 'no pig has ever been a friend of mine' and that she thinks they are greedy.

6. In the paragraph on pgs 53-54, give two examples of alliteration employed by the author. 'blowing raspberries on the bellies of babies' and 'feeding frenzy'

7. On pg 54 what simile is used to describe pigs? How does this simile work for the situation it is used? A pig is like an ocean is the simile used and it works because you can't turn you back on the ocean or you will get dumped by the wave and can't turn your back on a pig because it will bite you.

8. What simile does the author use to describe her mother sunning herself? How does this relate to the core focus of the story? 'She suns herself by standing in the drive way and slowly rotating like a rotisserie chicken'. This relates to the core focus of the story which is killing animals for food.

9. What does the author describe as ‘the divide between the old world and the new’? What do you think is meant by this statement? She began to see the harshness of killing animals for food and what happens in order to save money and not waste food.

10. What is the author’s reaction to the slaughter of the pig at night? What statement does the author make about the neighbours which displays the way he feels about the whole experience? What is important about including this statement? The author feels shocked by the slaughtering and the brutality of the task and the blood spurting out of its neck. 'I thought about our neighbours, the girls who caught the school bus with us, and wondered if hey had heard all the commotion'. This is important because the author believes that the situation was down wrongly and to harsh as well as the fact that the author didn't want anyone else to be involved in the murder.

11. Why don’t the parents have pigs anymore? How does this relate to the description of the burial of the last pig they owned? The parents don't have pigs anymore because they have a neighbour who is a pig farmer. This relates to the final description because the pig is killed by a snake and was buried and the people wouldn't want other pigs to die and not for them to be able to eat them.

12. How would you characterise the description of the mother’s treatment of the pig’s blood? Is it appetising? I would describe it as a lot of effort for a very unappealing, unappetising add in to dishes.

13. What is ironic about the way the author has a popular Vietnamese dish? What is it about the way the author describes the experience of having pigs that makes it ironic? It is ironic that the dish is made of beef which is the only animal that wasn't on the farm. It is also ironic that the worst situation of the pigs that the author experienced which was the blood is something that the author carries on with and enjoys.

14. How does this story relate to the title Pigs from Home? The author eats soup with pig's blood which reminds him of the cooking done by his mother back at his home.

15. Why do you think this story is in the Battlers section of the book? I believe it is in the battlers section of the book because it shows a situation where they have trouble and battle certain situations such as the slaughtering of the pig by the neighbours.