Summary
1
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRESS
The Spare Room Kathryn Lomer
Teachers’ Notes
ISBN: 978 07022 3477 4 / AU$18.95 Summary Structure Characters Discussion Drama About the Author 2 2 2 3 4 4
These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale.
Staff House Road St Lucia QLD 4067 Australia
PO Box 6042 St Lucia QLD 4067 Australia
Ph: (+61 7) 3365 2606 Fax: (+61 7) 3365 7579
uqp@uqp.com.au www.uqp.com.au
University of Queensland Press ABN 63 942 912 684
2
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRESS
Summary: Akira, a disappointment to his father, is sent to a language school in Australia in the expectation that although he failed to gain entrance to a university in Tokyo, he could learn a skill of use to the family business. It becomes a pivotal time in the young Japanese student’s life. The relaxed Tasmanian lifestyle opens new vistas; the exciting teaching methods of his new teacher inspires a latent love of, and ability in, language; the structure of his new ‘Australian family’ and that of his new Australian-Greek friend Stolly, provides a sense of possibilities for his own life. There are, however, undercurrents tugging his homestay family apart and Akira is an unwitting catalyst for near disaster. It is a beautifully understated coming-of-age novel that explores the process of grieving, cross-cultural understanding and friendship. Structure: The story of his time in Hobart is told by Akira, back home from Australia, in a letter to his friend, Satoshi. By using this device the author sets up and maintains one point of view (his own) and a past tense perspective that allows some backtracking and explanation of motives and perceptions. It is a device that works well as readers are given space in the text to fill in their understanding of each of the situations Akira filters through his own perceptions. At the same time it supplies,
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRESS
The Spare Room Kathryn Lomer
Teachers’ Notes
ISBN: 978 07022 3477 4 / AU$18.95 Summary Structure Characters Discussion Drama About the Author 2 2 2 3 4 4
These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale.
Staff House Road St Lucia QLD 4067 Australia
PO Box 6042 St Lucia QLD 4067 Australia
Ph: (+61 7) 3365 2606 Fax: (+61 7) 3365 7579
uqp@uqp.com.au www.uqp.com.au
University of Queensland Press ABN 63 942 912 684
2
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PRESS
Summary: Akira, a disappointment to his father, is sent to a language school in Australia in the expectation that although he failed to gain entrance to a university in Tokyo, he could learn a skill of use to the family business. It becomes a pivotal time in the young Japanese student’s life. The relaxed Tasmanian lifestyle opens new vistas; the exciting teaching methods of his new teacher inspires a latent love of, and ability in, language; the structure of his new ‘Australian family’ and that of his new Australian-Greek friend Stolly, provides a sense of possibilities for his own life. There are, however, undercurrents tugging his homestay family apart and Akira is an unwitting catalyst for near disaster. It is a beautifully understated coming-of-age novel that explores the process of grieving, cross-cultural understanding and friendship. Structure: The story of his time in Hobart is told by Akira, back home from Australia, in a letter to his friend, Satoshi. By using this device the author sets up and maintains one point of view (his own) and a past tense perspective that allows some backtracking and explanation of motives and perceptions. It is a device that works well as readers are given space in the text to fill in their understanding of each of the situations Akira filters through his own perceptions. At the same time it supplies,