Mates - Homework week 5

Wei-Li and Me

1. How Important is frienship to these characters?
Very important, for the author, Wei-lei was originally the one to take to torment off her. But as she became friends with him, they became each other's havens. It was when they were both appreciated for being their selves. As when the author says "Everything Wei-Li saw could be used as evidence for my difference. But Wei-Li didn't notice anything, or if he did, he never mentioned it" (p78) this showing how the author feels accepted by Wei-li. 

2. Different expectations of friends and enemies are revealded in these stories. What are they and how do they contribute to the character's understandings of relationships with their peers
In this story, Barry West is described as the 'bully'. As established very early on in the story when he tells the author "You're Indian and I've got your Indian Shit on me" (p76). And through Barry is the key enemy, the other student in the class are against the author and Wei-li "It took the class exactly thirty seconds to shorten his name to Wee." The expectation of these bullies in the story is that they constantly are forcing the targets to feel left out or isolated from the rest of the school. It shows that the author and Wei-Li also had to stick together because it was only when they were separated that Barry's bullying began on them again - suggesting that he is a coward and only "prey's on the weak". 

3. What are the attitudes, values and beliefs of your character?
"You must apologise to that boy" "never" this is what the author's mother tells her after the incident with the baseball bat. This conveys that the author believes that if someone (in this case barry) bring on so much torment onto her and her friends, it is not her fault that she attacked him and therefore has no need to apologise. She values her friendship with Wei-Li and trusts him. Her attitude towards life is overall a positive one, shown in the conclusion where she and Wei-Li are accepted in society and become "what we though we could never be: Australian".

4. What type of journey does your character go on? Pick one line from the story that tells you this. 
 "we had become something what we though we could never be: Australian". This quote shows that the author is acknowledging her's and Wei-Li's inner journey from being outcasts and bullied to being part of the Australian society. Being accepted without changing who she is is what has made her now believe that she is Australian.