First they Killed My Father (Loung Ung) Analysis activities

1. List five (5) words or phrases that would describe each member of the Ung family

Pa

Ma

Loung

Meng

Khouy

Kim

Keav

Chou

Geak

2. Develop at least ten (10) brief statements that can be clearly attributed to Loung. These may refer to actions, characteristics, emotions or thoughts

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3. Make a list of the emotions Loung encounters throughout the text. Link these to a theme/ issue discussed in the text.

Emotion / Theme/ Issue

4. Study the following events and determine how they are defining events in Loung’s development

·  Evacuation from Phnom Penh (pages 31 – 50)

·  Stealing rice from her family (page 118)

·  Death of Keav from food poisoning (pages 124 – 30)

·  Removal and death of Pa (pages 136 – 48), and Ma and Geak (pages 209 – 12)

·  Ma sending Loung away (page 160)

·  Joining the child soldier camp and seeing music boys laughing (page 173)

·  Near rape by Vietnamese soldier (pages 234 – 7)

·  Execution of Khmer Rouge soldier (pages 268 – 70)

5. Copy the following table into your workbook and complete, giving at least two (2) examples for each.

Theme/ issue / Key Scene / Characters involved / Images/ metaphors/ Vocab / Quotes
Survival / Sacrifice
Secrecy/ silence
Stealing
Separation
Practical measures
Hunger
Repressed emotion
Sacrifice
Growing up
Anger / Death and destruction
Hatred and revenge
Guilt
Loss
Fear
Recognising difference

6. Create a character web that illustrates how the members of the Ung family helped each other to survive the Khmer Rouge reign and how each of the characters link to the other throughout the text. You may choose any member of the Ung family to form the central piece.

7. Choose two (2) characters, other than the protagonist, and write at least 5 statements pertaining to their actions, characteristics, emotions or thoughts.

8. Make a list of at least 7 traumatic events that occurred in the text. Then complete the following table in your workbook.

Event / How the events displays:
Character development / Plot Development / Narrative Style / Tone

9. Complete the following table, indicating how the text explores the following:

Cultural Context / Historical Context / Gender Roles

10. Make a list of the Vocabulary (including meta-language) you feel will be helpful in your SAC. Write the definition beside the word if you are unsure of its meaning.