Uyen Loewald's Poem 'Be Good Little Migrants'

1015 Words5 Pages
“Australia wants, and will welcome, new healthy citizens who are determined to become good Australians.”- Arthur Caldwell, Australian Minister for Immigration, 1945. During the years of 1947 to 1953 more than 170,000 emigrants were assisted by the Australian government to flee their country onto the safe shores of Australia. During these times Australia was extremely xenophobic and horrid towards those who were considered ‘different’ in society. We often hear on the news the biased opinions of many Australians towards migrants and how they are invading our country with their beliefs and cultures. It may have been that many Australians were and still are chauvinistic, fearing those who are different. In Uyen Loewald’s sarcastic poem ‘Be Good Little Migrants’ she portrays her attitude at the discrimination of Australia’s harsh treatment to those ‘below’ them. In “growing up Asian in Australia” by Alice Pung we are met by a various collection of short migrant stories in Australia talking about their Australian Migrant experience. Scathing in its criticism of Australian attitudes to migrants “Be Good Little Migrants” is spoken from the patronising point of view of the Australian Superiority to refugees. The use of collective pronouns puts the poem in first…show more content…
At the beginning of the story we are introduced to the humiliation and excruciating exclusion that Aditi and Wei-Lei face in the playground by an Australian bully, Barry West. They are isolated with the closure of only each other’s company for the amusement of the other kids. They are excluded and to be ridiculed; they are they beaten mauled and mocked like toys. We are told during the story that Wei Lei was “hit, spanked and kicked”. Ultimately Barry the Bully becomes the last foe and a symbol of her

More about Uyen Loewald's Poem 'Be Good Little Migrants'

Open Document