The Happiest Refugee

“The Happiest Refugee”

Sylvia Aberte

One of the best settings in the story was when the refugees were in the middle of the sea with a tiny boat that seems to have enough space for them to sleep. The setting contributes to the book because if they weren’t able to get a boat and get stuck in the middle of the sea with no engine the Germans wouldn't be able to rescue them and as a result of that, they wouldn't be where they are right now.

The novel was all about a Vietnamese family who took the risk of getting killed just to get on the boat to Australia. They found themselves very lucky to have found a ship that is full of Germans who took them after they survived two pirate encounters. Later on, they arrived at the place where they hoped that their lives would change and successfully it did for some of them.

The Do family faced the bitter sweet of reality, the ups and downs, the harsh environment and the judgements of people. All through the challenges that they faced many opportunities and luck came to them. Nothing could tear this family apart.

The major character in the novel is an Anh Do who strives to do his best at school and at supporting his whole family. Anh always found ways to get more money to support his loving Mum and his family. The readers would view this character as an inspiration to all, to be grateful of what they have an be positive at all times even though it seems that all hope is lost.

The character who has not been represented as a favourable light is the Vietnamese Government. This representation is important to the author to get their ideas across is because as you read from the start of the book the Vietnamese Government was very harsh on its people, for example; in one of the Vietnam settings if you get caught trying to escape from Vietnam you would be sentenced to death or if you get lucky they'll brutally punish you for what you did.

The main message of the book is to be grateful of what you have, be positive at all the things that you do even though you think that you’re going to fail, take all the opportunities that is been handed to you and make the most of your life and live it to the fullest because as what the book says:; “there is now, and there's too late”.

The author would want you to believe in yourself after reading this book because it tells you how much people strive do the best of their abilities even though it means sacrificing their own lives and have the chance to fail instead of not trying at all.

The intended audience of this book are the people who have lost faith in themselves because the novels tells you about how far the determination of a young Anh Do became successful after he did everything he possibly could to support his family and take all the opportunities that