Tiger Daughter

Content warning

Tiger Daughter addresses themes of domestic and family violence and suicide. It is essential that you understand what connections (if any) your students have with these experiences before you select this text for study. Approach these topics sensitively and consider working with another member of staff (e.g. school psychologist, student services coordinator) to ensure that all students feel safe and supported throughout this unit.

Introductory activities

Rebecca Lim is passionate about intersectionality and diverse representation in children’s and young adult literature. Her adolescent novel Tiger Daughter follows a kind and determined Chinese-Australian girl who dreams of making a better life for herself.

Wen Zhou is the only child of Chinese immigrants. Her father is an intelligent but frustrated man who tends to lash out at his wife and daughter. At the start of the novel, Wen and her friend Henry Xiao are preparing to sit an entrance exam for a selective high school – until Henry’s family is rocked by a tragedy. Wen goes to great lengths to support her friend, including breaking her father’s rules. This inspires her mother to find her own strength and explore life beyond the confines of their family home. Tiger Daughter demonstrates the importance of friendship and community, with characters from different backgrounds and circumstances doing their best to help one another and do the right thing – even when it is difficult to do so.

Show students the front cover of Tiger Daughter and draw attention to the title. As a pre-reading activity, they can look up the qualities ascribed to the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac and answer the following questions:

• What are the dominant characteristics of this sign?
• What do you think the protagonist of Tiger Daughter might be like?
• Write down three of your predictions for this novel.

The author’s notes

Read the Author’s Note (pp. 209–210) and Note to Teachers and Librarians (pp. 211–214) at the back of the book. Exploring Lim’s intentions, and examining the novel’s representation of diversity and migrant cultures in Australia, enables students to develop an understanding of realist fiction and its role in exploring and questioning the world around us.

Lim has been very purposeful in her construction of Tiger Daughter and makes clear that it is the result of many years of reflection. She also acknowledges the importance of her own identity as an Asian-Australian woman, and how her experiences growing up have informed the novel.

Ask students:

• What repeated themes and/or ideas emerge from Lim’s notes?
• What is the ultimate goal or project of her novel?

Broader questions that could form the basis of inquiry and discussion include:

• Why do we need books to represent social realities?
• How can novels change, challenge, or inform readers’ thoughts and values?

A provocative question for class debate could be:

Can writing be a form of social commentary, or should the primary focus of literature be to create art? Can it ever be both?

Students may express a variety of opinions here. If you use Google Classroom and want to encourage everyone to contribute to the debate, you could set up a question so that students can reply to it and each other.

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Background to the text

Geography

Lim’s story takes place in outer suburbia, far from the city centre (references suggest that the characters live on the outskirts of Melbourne). Readers get the sense that, at least for Wen, the city exists as a type of dream or mirage: aspirational, but ultimately unattainable. The unnamed suburb she lives in has a reputation for crime and violence; she cannot even go to and from school, ‘the safest place’ in her life, without parental supervision (p. 7).

Students can read this 2013 Conversation article and this 2021 Guardian article, or you can provide them with appropriate excerpts (this 2026 ABC News article would also be appropriate). First ask:

• What does the Conversation article say about ‘snobbery’ and some of the infrastructure issues in Melbourne’s outer suburbs?
• What does the Guardian article reveal about some of the problems in areas outside major capital cities?

Then discuss as a class:

• Why do you think there tends to be a higher migrant population in outer suburbs (this 2018 Conversation article may be useful here)?
• Why might Lim wish to portray this environment in her novel?

Students may also wish to investigate the cultural diversity of their own communities. They can use the SBS Australian Census Explorer to explore suburbs of interest. Do any of the statistics surprise them?

History

Chinese migration to Australia began much earlier than the wave portrayed in Tiger Daughter. The LOTE Agency and Sydney Theatre Company offer some useful timelines, while the Origins and Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria websites outline Chinese migration to Victoria specifically. You might like to share excerpts from the National Archives’ Chinese-Australian Journeys research guide, which traces more than 100 years of Chinese-Australian travel, migration, and settlement. You can also explore individual scenes from the Harvest of Endurance scroll, a 50-metre-long scroll depicting two centuries of Chinese contact with and migration to Australia.

Many of these resources mention the White Australia policy, which was legislated in 1901 and dismantled between the 1960s and 1970s. The policy was designed to not only limit non-British (i.e. non-white) migration to Australia, but also to deport ‘undesirable’ migrants who were already in the country. Students should consider how this policy has influenced ideas about who is allowed to belong, who is the ‘right’ kind of migrant, and who can call themselves a ‘real Australian’.

It might be interesting to explore some of the images from the Immigration Photographic Archive (you will need to ‘View digital copy’ once the item loads). Many of these photographs were taken specifically to demonstrate how migrants were integrating into Australian society. Prompt students to think about the following:

• When were the photographs taken? What was Australia’s immigration policy at that time?
• Where have the migrants mostly come from? Who is absent or underrepresented?
• What view of migrants do the photographs reflect? What story are they trying to tell?

This will help students reflect on the constructed nature of Australian society; the ongoing impact of colonial ideas and attitudes about race; and the systemic over- and under-privileging of different groups of people.

Optional extension

By now, students should be realising why Lim is so interested in expanding the notion of what ‘an Australian’ can be, and why she expressly set out to insert a non-traditional, non-mainstream Australian story into the body of published children’s literature.

As an optional extension, have students consider this 2015 Conversation article (noting that it is now more than 10 years old). The author prefers the adjective ‘multicultural’ over the noun ‘multiculturalism’ to describe the way diverse groups of people live, work, and play together in Australia. Ask students:

• What sort of things does the author suggest ‘we need to do’ and why?
• In what ways is Australia a successful multicultural society? In what ways could we improve?
• How can literature contribute to a positive social message around the value of a multicultural society?

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Personal response on reading the text

One way to help students anticipate and prepare to engage with the ideas in Tiger Daughter is to present scenarios that orient the reader and connect to their life. Below are three scenarios that explore some of the issues raised at the start of the novel. You can use one or both of the following approaches:

• Students can work in pairs or small groups to create a poster or mind map that responds to one of the scenarios. They will present their point of view to the rest of the class as the basis for a whole-group discussion.
• Students can complete a jigsaw-style activity in which they respond to one of the scenarios, then group up with students who addressed the other two scenarios, and explore the different responses in detail.

Scenario A

A girl whose family immigrated to Australia sits in class, quietly appreciating the diverse nature of her new school. She is keen to help a fellow student with his English, and they both dream of attending a more prestigious school that will afford them better opportunities. By contrast, her father distrusts ‘people who aren’t like us’ (p. 20) and resents the fact that Australia has not been a land of opportunity for him. The girl’s mother rarely goes out and is unemployed.

• Why might some people find it hard to engage with a new community and/or in a new country?
• What sort of things could help this family feel more connected to the people around them?

Scenario B

An intelligent boy finds it difficult to communicate in English, which is not his first language. His classmates often laugh at his overly formal way of speaking. He ‘hardly ever has any lunch’ (p. 4) and his closest friend suspects that he isn’t well cared for at home. One of the boy’s teachers arranges for him to have lunch and encourages him to sit the entrance exam for a better school.

• What are some of the boy’s strengths?
• What are some of the challenges he faces?
• What is your reaction to his situation? How could you, as a fellow student, help?

Scenario C

A group of children live far away from the city, in a community that is stereotyped for its ‘homeless people, drug deals and gang violence’ (p. 7). Their favourite teacher only moved to the area because she had to care for a family member. Some students come from migrant or refugee families. Most don’t believe that they will ever be able to go anywhere else. A new teacher runs a catch-up class for students who are learning English; his students wonder if he really cares about them, or if they are just a ‘stepping-stone’ (p. 10) on his way to teaching at a wealthy private school.

• What are some of the barriers these children are facing?
• What sort of social justice issues are referenced?
• Does this scenario reinforce or challenge traditional views of Australian society?

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Outline of key elements of the text

The dedication

Ask students:

What is a dedication and why would an author write one?

Lim’s dedication can be found after the title and imprint pages. Read it and discuss:

• What does this dedication suggest about Lim’s own life?
• What does it suggest about families?
• What kind of story might follow this dedication?

The prologue

Ask students:

What is a prologue and what is its purpose?

Read the Prologue to Tiger Daughter (pp. 1–11) as a class. Then, in groups, students can discuss their expectations for the novel based on what they have read.

• Who is telling the story (narrative voice, point of view)?
• What do we learn about Wen and Henry in the Prologue (e.g. their circumstances, their aspirations)?
• Note the title of the Prologue: ‘The day before things were never the same again’. What does this suggest will happen in the book?

The Analects

Tiger Daughter is divided into Part 1 (pp. 15–87) and Part 2 (pp. 91–206), bookended by the Prologue and a Coda (p. 207). Parts 1 and 2 begin with quotes from The Analects by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived from 551–479 BCE. Use the following resources to introduce students to Confucius and his teachings:

• Britannica Students – Confucius
• URI – Confucianism
• Nat Geo Education – Confucianism

Once students grasp the importance of Confucius to Chinese philosophy and culture, examine the quotes on pp. 13 and 89 of Tiger Daughter. What behaviour or value is each quote encouraging? How might it relate to that part of the story? Point out that the two quotes on p. 89 are contradictory – how can you be both compliant and a ground breaker? What might Lim want to say about The Analects by placing these quotes together? Students can discuss in pairs, groups, or as a whole class.

Note that Lim has also included a quote for the Coda. Unlike the others, this one comes from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, a founding figure of Daoism. Daoism and Confucianism, along with Buddhism, are considered the ‘three pillars’ of ancient Chinese society. Consider why Lim may have chosen to finish with a quote from Lao Tzu rather than Confucius (see pp. 52–53 for further context), and why this particular quote is a fitting end to the narrative.

There is also an opportunity here to discuss proverbs and wise sayings more generally. You could brainstorm sources of wisdom from other cultures, philosophies, and religions, and invite students to suggest some sayings they may know. Also discuss why humans might follow such sayings.

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The setting

The goal of realist fiction is to achieve verisimilitude: to create a world that seems real to the reader. Some ways to achieve verisimilitude include:

• Providing recognisable details about the setting (time and place)
• Using recognisable and appropriate language (including idiom or colloquial language) for the narrator’s context and background
• Constructing realistic and plausible situations and characters

Have students consider Tiger Daughter’s Prologue, which includes a description of the ‘English Enrichment’ class led by new teacher Mr Cornish. Here we get a sense of the other students, the suburb they live in, and Wen and Henry’s home lives. Ask students:

• What assumptions can you make about the setting based on the Prologue?
• What details have been included and what details have been left out?
• Do you think Wen and Henry’s assumptions about Mr Cornish (pp. 10–11) are fair, or do they reflect her own feelings of isolation and discomfort?

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Synthesising tasks

Imaginative writing

Ask students to imagine and compose a short piece of writing from Mr Cornish’s perspective directly following the Prologue. Encourage them to think about:

• Who or what he notices at school
• What he might do or think about after Wen and Henry leave his class
• How his perspective might differ from that of his students (and whether Wen and Henry’s assumptions about him are accurate)

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Informative writing

The Prologue begins with Mr Cornish asking his students to write at least a hundred words in response to the question:

What is the essence of being ‘Australian’?

Have students write their own responses to this question. They should follow Mr Cornish’s instructions by writing in complete sentences – no bullet points!

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Tiger Daughter lends itself to the discussion of several important social issues. Be sure to balance this with a consideration of the text’s literary value. Activities should encourage students to consider Lim’s language use, style, and manipulation of genre and structure, as well as the text’s wider cultural value as a work of Australian teenage fiction that portrays realistic people and situations in a culturally diverse society.

Structure and chapter titles

If necessary, revise the common elements of narrative structure. Also discuss what a coda is if you have not already done so. Then ask students to examine the chapter titles in Tiger Daughter and discuss how the story might progress. Which chapters might represent a complication, a climax, or a resolution? The book’s contents are listed below for convenience.

Once students have read the whole novel, you could discuss the ending. Why might Lim have chosen not to reveal the result of the entrance exam? Would students have preferred to know the outcome, or is the ending satisfying in itself?

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Characterisation

Readers can learn a lot about characters, including (but not limited to):

• What they look like
• What they say and do
• What they think and feel
• What others say about them
• What they say about others

Direct students to look closely at how Lim introduces her characters. What does she tell us about their personalities, beliefs, and attitudes?

Wen’s narration

Remind students that Tiger Daughter is focalised through Wen; readers experience the events of the novel as she does. Students could look at examples of Wen’s narration and consider:

• What they learn about her character
• What they learn about the world she has grown up in
• What experiences have led her to form her opinions
• Whether there are any biases in the way she views things

Working in pairs, groups, or as a whole class, students can locate and discuss the following quotes from Wen:

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Jin and Teresa Zhou

Wen’s parents, Jin and Teresa (Mei Ling), are important characters who change significantly over the course of the novel. Teresa’s development is more consistent, but Jin’s transformation is more dramatic. Students can trace their respective character arcs from chapter to chapter. At what point does Jin decide to relax his authoritarian stance? What sequence of events helps Teresa reconnect with her inner strength? You might like to provide the following roadmap to help students locate these important moments:

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Wen and Henry

Consider Henry and Wen as foils for one another. They come from similar backgrounds and have similar home lives,  but there are also some key differences between them. Henry is good at maths, science, and IT, while Wen excels at art, athletics, and humanities. Henry envisions a grand future for himself, while Wen tries not to get her hopes up. Wen is supposed to be helping Henry with his English, and he with her maths. More importantly, however, Wen offers Henry a vital point of connection when he wants to shut out the world, and Henry helps Wen realise that she is both capable and deserving of pursuing her own dreams.

Students can write an analytical paragraph comparing Wen and Henry. Encourage them to consider the following:

• How are Wen and Henry’s circumstances similar as the only children of immigrant parents?
• What are their unique strengths and outlooks?
• What are their challenges and vulnerabilities? Consider Henry’s status as a relatively new arrival in Australia (racism), and the expectations and opportunities for Wen as a daughter (sexism).

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Fay Xiao

NOTE: It is impossible to talk about Henry’s mother without discussing suicide. This is a complex and highly sensitive issue; not all of the characters in Tiger Daughter understand or are sympathetic towards Fay. Begin with a content warning so that students know what to expect, and remind them of the services they can access – including Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) and Headspace (1800 650 890) – if these issues bring up anything for them.

Fay Xiao is never directly seen in Tiger Daughter, but – as Miss Spencer comments on p. 39 – she has everything to do with how the story unfolds. The narrative perspective limits our ability to fully comprehend her mental state, as Wen knows very little about Henry’s mother or her circumstances. Through carefully selected information, however, Lim paints a portrait of a woman who is completely overwhelmed, isolated, and unfairly judged by the people around her – both in life and in death.

Explore the discourses (i.e. ideas, values, attitudes) that influence the way people talk about Fay in the novel. If appropriate, you could explore some of the myths and misconceptions people may have about suicide. Then focus on some examples from the text:

On p. 56, Wen wonders how Henry’s father Ah Yuan ‘can bear everyone knowing’. As the novel progress, she comes to understand that Fay was ‘clearly struggling’ but had no way of asking for help (pp. 86–87). She becomes increasingly sensitive to what Fay might have been going through and how other women, including her own mother, could find themselves in a similar situation (see pp. 79, 138, 155–156).

If appropriate, discuss:

• What evidence do we have for why Fay may have been struggling?
• What or who may have been helpful to Fay during her life?
• What services do you think are available to migrants who are struggling with mental health and who don’t speak English?

Wen and Henry’s final conversation emphasises the importance of ‘never giving up’ (pp. 204–205). You could relate this to the importance of resilience in dealing with difficult situations, such as those faced by both Wen and Henry in the novel.

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Imagery and context

Tiger Daughter employs many of the stylistic features of adolescent fiction, including a reliance on dialogue and a strong first-person narrative voice. In addition, Lim uses vivid imagery to help the reader delve deeper into the world of the novel. Consider what the following examples reveal about the context of the story or the lives of the characters:

Instruct students to find other examples of imagery in the novel. They can analyse the images individually, in pairs, or in small groups, then share their findings with the rest of the class.

Students could also try rewriting short passages from the text without imagery, replacing figurative language or symbols with literal sentences. Discuss what is lost or gained by doing this.

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Setting

In this 2022 interview for the CBCA Shadow Judging program, Lim talks about the importance of setting in Tiger Daughter. Watch up to 01:18, then ask students:

• What does Lim mean when she says the setting is ‘almost a character in itself’? How might this be a useful approach for considering the importance of setting?
• What experiences does Lim hope to convey to readers through the setting?
• Why does Lim say that the home is not always a safe space for children?
• What kind of place(s) does Lim want to represent in her novel?

Ask students to look for examples where Lim has described the setting in Tiger Daughter (e.g. Henry’s house on pp. 43–45). They should read these passages closely and reflect on how these settings may be regarded as ‘characters’.

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Themes

One way of responding to a theme is to trace it through the book, using examples to explore how that theme develops. This requires students to search for references in the text, often using key words. For example, they can consider the word ‘dream’ in Tiger Daughter and how it connects ideas across the text.

Encourage students to explore and respond to themes that engage them as readers (noting that some may be confronting and require additional care and sensitivity). At the same time, ensure that they select themes that contribute to their understanding of the novel. As Wen is an adolescent, her insights reflect her growing maturity and, at times, a partial or incomplete understanding of situations around her. Students should be aware of this and aim to discuss how perspective and point of view affect the representation of themes in Tiger Daughter.

Ambition and aspiration

Wen and Henry aim to escape their unhappy home lives through academic success. Consider how Lim establishes their relationship as ‘study buddies’ (p. 28), the broader impact they have on one another, and how meticulous completion of homework helps Henry cope after a traumatic event. Lim makes much of Henry’s dream, in particular, at the start of the novel. The selective school is a beacon of hope, but more importantly –as Wen realises on pp. 174–175 – daring to dream is the best antidote to living in fear.

• How does the prospect of opportunity and social mobility give the novel a sense of hope?
• Why does Lim leave the result of the entrance exam uncertain? What might she be saying is really important here?
• What role does Miss Spencer play in the novel?

Family

Wen and Henry grapple with significant problems in their families. ‘The rage’ (p. 15) and ‘the fear’ (p. 19) that Wen experiences at her father’s hands is visceral. Lim creates a complex character in Jin, a gifted man who has not been able to reach his full potential in Australia, and who projects his disappointment onto his downtrodden wife and daughter. Meanwhile, Henry is quietly hurt by his parents’ emotional (and, in Fay’s case, physical) absence. Much of the novel explores family dynamics, particularly the effects of authoritarian and neglectful parents on their children.

• Filial piety is a key virtue in Chinese and other East Asian cultures. What does it look like in Wen’s family? Is care and respect reciprocal, or does it mostly go one way (and to whom)?
• How does Jin’s treatment of Wen and Teresa reflect traditional patriarchal values (see pp. 17–18)? What does this do to their wellbeing and self-esteem?
• How is the growing relationship between the Zhou and Xiao families portrayed as a source of hope and encouragement?

Isolation

Teresa and Fay both lead isolated lives. They rarely socialise outside their families and do not have jobs – Teresa because she is tightly controlled by Jin (at least at the start of the novel), and Fay because she does not speak any English. Lim refers to a local Chinese community, but its only contribution appears to be gossip (see pp. 30, 55–56). Wen and Henry are ‘the only two Chinese kids in [their] class’ (p. 29), and this arrangement seems to be replicated throughout the rest of the novel.

• Why is the local Chinese community never seen or heard from? What does this tell you about the Zhou and Xiao families’ support systems (or lack thereof)?
• How does the job at the pharmacy give Teresa a sense of purpose and connection? Consider her relationship with Mrs Xenakis and Mr and Mrs Wu, and the fact that she is a skilled interpreter.
• Consider what Teresa says about Jin and Ah Yuan at the end of the novel (p. 202). Why is it important for these men to connect?

Helping others

Many key scenes in Tiger Daughter involve Wen and Teresa making deliveries to Henry and Ah Yuan. Consider Lim’s decision to portray characters from a variety of cultural backgrounds (Chinese, white Australian, Greek, North and South Sudanese) demonstrating care and concern for each other. Lim has described the novel as ‘one girl’s small quest to do the right thing’ (p. 214); Wen’s selflessness and determination to help her friend – even when the odds are against her – is a testament to this.

• How does food function as a symbol of care and connection? Consider the significance of the Zhou and Xiao families – including Jin – finally sharing a meal together (pp. 200–202).
• How do minor characters like Mrs Xenakis, Miss Spencer, and Wen’s friends Nikki and Fatima represent the importance of compassion and support?
• To what extent is Tiger Daughter a novel about being brave enough to offer or ask for help?

Additional themes for exploration

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Genre

Adolescent or young adult fiction is generally targeted at readers aged 12–18. Key features of the genre include:

• A strong narrative voice that presents a teenager’s point of view
• A coming-of-age story in which the protagonist gains knowledge and experience
• Themes relating to friendship, family, and identity
• Characters defying and/or questioning the limitations of their lives

Ask students how these criteria relate to their understanding of Tiger Daughter. Are there any other aspects that they think place it in the category of young adult fiction? You might like to refer to Reading Australia’s teaching resource for The F Team* by Rawah Arja, particularly the Close Study section (see The Writer’s Craft > Conventions of Young Adult Fiction), which includes a checklist to help track the applicable genre conventions.

* Reading Australia title

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Synthesising task

Students will write two paragraphs that explore a theme of their choosing. The first paragraph should answer the question:

How do the characters, setting, and events of Tiger Daughter contribute to this theme?

Students should include:

• At least three references to events in the novel
• Quotations that explore the theme and its importance to the story

The second paragraph should answer the questions:

• Why is this theme important?
• How does it allow us, as readers, to reflect on the world around us?

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Ways of reading the text

In her Shadow Judging interview, Lim comments on the shortcomings of the books she encountered in her childhood (01:18–03:00).

• What problems does she identify with the books she read growing up?
• What narrative about Asian people was reflected on Australian television?
• Why did Lim gravitate towards reading science fiction and fantasy novels?
• Why does she believe that people should read books outside their comfort zone?

Similarly, this 2022 Sydney Morning Herald article suggests that Tiger Daughter was a product of Lim’s desire to ‘dispel myths about migrants and refugees’ (see para. 1). Ask students why it is important to ‘dispel myths’ about people in our society.

The last section of the Shadow Judging interview contains Lim’s advice for readers and writers (03:00–05:00).

• What does she mean when she says that ‘all books are good models’?
• What connections does she make between the acts of reading and writing?

Power and powerlessness

In Tiger Daughter, according to the Sydney Morning Herald article, men’s power and privilege comes at the expense of women’s (see para. 11).

Discuss:

• Who holds financial power in the Zhou and Xiao families? How does this change over the course of the novel?
• How is language linked to power, especially in an English-speaking country like Australia? Note Jin’s comment on p. 185.
• Read pp. 131–132, when Teresa debuts her English name.
  • Why do some migrants adopt English names? This RMCC article explores the complexities of this decision.
  • Not all migrants want to change their names (see this SBS Insight article). What does it say about Teresa that she has picked this name for herself? How does it give her some agency?
• What social attitudes and values are mentioned in the novel, particularly by Jin? How do these reinforce patriarchal power and privilege?
• What roles do women play in Wen’s community? How do societal expectations contribute to their power (or lack thereof)?

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Have students compose analytical paragraphs to explore the complex depiction of power in the following passages:

• The first encounter with Mrs Wu (pp. 71–74):
  • What is the significance of this incident within the novel?
  • How does Lim use it to showcase Teresa’s skills?
• The contrast between Jin’s home and work lives (pp. 147–149):
  • How does Lim portray the complexities of Jin’s experience?
  • How does Lim illustrate that power is not determined by a single factor (like gender) but by the intersections of race, class, and so on?

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Confucianism and gender

Review what students learned about Confucianism in the Initial Response section (under Outline of Key Elements of the Text > The Analects). The Sydney Morning Herald article explains that women are mostly absent from Confucius’ teachings (see para. 10–11). It is notable, then, that Jin adheres strongly to this philosophy.

Students could revisit the quotes from The Analects on pp. 13 and 89 and consider how they relate to the role of women and girls. They can also collect references, both direct and indirect, to Jin’s interpretation of Confucianism (see pp. 17–18, 43, 52–53, 123, 146–147, 150–154). It may help to research the role of women in Confucianism and compare this to more contemporary attitudes. Nat Geo Education provides a brief overview; you could also discuss extracts from this 2017 Schwarzman Scholars article, or this Academy of Chinese Studies explainer on the ‘three obediences and four virtues’ derived from Confucian ideals.

Discuss:

• How does an understanding of Confucianism help you to interpret some of Jin’s behaviours?
• Is it possible that Jin has misunderstood or narrowly interpreted Confucius’ teachings? Consider Wen’s alternate interpretations on pp. 146–147 and 151–152.
• How might Jin relax or reconsider his views to better support his family? Are there any other lessons he could learn?

Students could compose some analytical paragraphs to explore how Lim challenges traditional Confucian ideas about gender. They could start by examining the second quote from Book XI of The Analects (p. 89). How might this quote actually apply to Wen?

Comparison with other texts

Students may wish to read/view other narratives that depict young people from migrant Asian backgrounds. Below are some texts that explore similar themes to Tiger Daughter:

Other texts that explore Asian-Australian experiences can be found on Reading Australia, though teacher discretion is advised as several titles (e.g. The Coconut Children* by Vivian Pham, One Hundred Days* by Alice Pung) contain mature themes and/or explicit language.

Students could also explore select pieces from an anthology like Growing Up Asian in Australia ed. Alice Pung. Another option is Meet Me at the Intersection* ed. by Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina, which features writers with intersectional identities (including Asian-Australian writers).

* Reading Australia title

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Rich assessment task

Through Wen, Lim reflects on a range of beliefs, values, and attitudes in migrant families and Australia at large. However, the minor characters also play a role in communicating different perspectives and ideas – some positive, others negative.

Students should choose one of the following minor characters from Tiger Daughter:

• Nikki Kuol and Fatima Salah
• Mrs Xenakis
• Miss Spencer
• Billy Raum
• Ah Yuan (Henry’s father)

They will create a visual representation or infographic (either by hand or using a tool like Canva) to record information about the character and what they represent. Students should locate references from the novel and consider what (if anything) is important about their interactions with Wen.

Students will present their work to the rest of the class. The visual representation should include:

• A description of the character’s known qualities and background
• Quotes by or about the character (with page references)
• Their relationship with Wen and/or their role in the community
• The beliefs, values, or attitudes they represent

Students should explain why they think Lim included that character and how they support the main themes and ideas in the novel (e.g. friendship, cultural diversity, the role of women, supporting others, prejudice, parent-child relationships).

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Synthesise core ideas

Students began this unit by examining the structure of the novel (see Initial Response > Outline of Key Elements of the Text). They should review these initial discussions and consider how their reading has refined their original expectations.

• What do you think is the most important message in Tiger Daughter?
• Who do you think Lim is addressing?
• Is the message to children the same as the message to parents?
• Does this message apply to everyone, regardless of their background? If so, how?

Also review Lim’s stated aims for the book (see Initial Response > Introductory Activities > The Author’s Notes) and, if you have not already done so, her comments from this 2022 Sydney Morning Herald article.

• Lim says she wanted to write a book so that her children would know ‘what it feels like to be a new Australian’ (see para. 7 of the article). How do you think Tiger Daughter achieves this aim?
• Lim discusses the gap that sometimes exists between children’s public personas and their private lives (see para. 9). How successfully has she demonstrated this in the novel?
• What is the importance of Tiger Daughter’s recognition by the Children’s Book Council of Australia? How do these awards establish a ‘canon’ of Australian literature (see para. 14–15)?
• Why do you think Tiger Daughter is worthy of study as a work of Australian fiction? What makes it an important text for young people?

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Rich assessment tasks

Imaginative writing

Lim has spoken about the importance of place in Tiger Daughter (refer to her Shadow Judging interview) and her interest in depicting places that are not often represented in literature.

Consider the place where you live, or another place that is important to you. It could be a specific site or building, a suburb, somewhere in nature, or a fictional place. Make some notes on the following aspects:

• Who inhabits this place?
• Who is an outsider or insider?
• What sort of things do you find here?
• What is the sensory experience of this place?
• Is it seen as desirable, or is it ignored or misunderstood?

Compose an imaginative piece of writing that depicts a day in your chosen place. Your narrator will describe the place in the first person and represent the experiences of someone who lives there or visits frequently.

This is an individual task. You should aim to write 250–500 words.

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Persuasive multimedia

For teachers

This task is designed to promote active learning and uses many of the principles of UDL (Universal Design for Learning). You can differentiate the task as appropriate, either by carefully assigning the groups or by providing different options for completion (e.g. removing the trailer component or pre-recording the presentations). Consider the individual learning needs of your students, particularly in mixed-ability settings; if groupwork is not suitable or appropriate, you may allow them to complete an individual written response instead. This task is also designed to accommodate visual learners, whose preferred learning style is often not reflected in traditional analytical tasks.

The task

Students will work in groups of three or four to pitch a film adaptation of Tiger Daughter.

Before you begin, discuss as a class:

• What is an adaptation? What adaptations have you seen?
• What are some elements of a novel that translate well to film?
• How might a film differ from a novel? What do the visual and aural modes offer that the written mode does not?
• What might be some of the challenges of adapting Tiger Daughter? Consider the need to avoid harmful stereotypes.
• What makes Tiger Daughter a suitable and valuable text to adapt to film?

Step 1: summary

Prepare a summary of your proposed adaptation (200–350 words). This should be written as a persuasive text, encouraging the reader to see how compelling the finished film will be! Outline your approach to the adaptation, including how you have considered the following:

Make sure you justify the necessity of any proposed changes. Your teacher will provide feedback on your summary to guide the next stage of the process.

Step 2: storyboard

Using a template from ACMI, the BBC, or Storyboard That (or drawing by hand if desired), prepare a storyboard of 12–14 moments from a trailer for your proposed adaptation. You may include:

• Settings
• Objects
• Captions
• Voiceover
• Music (Openverse provides freely available options)

The storyboard should convey your understanding of the plot and main themes of Tiger Daughter.

NOTE: Students must not attempt to reenact scenes that involve racism, family and domestic violence, or suicide. If they wish to portray key characters like Wen and Henry, they must do so respectfully and without perpetuating harmful stereotypes. There is no requirement for students to appear in the trailer at all if they would prefer not to.

Step 3: trailer

Record and edit your trailer using appropriate devices and software. You can use as many or as few objects and settings as desired, particularly if completing the task on school grounds within a set period of time. Your trailer should be between one-and-a-half and three minutes in length (01:30–3:00). Consider that a trailer:

• Showcases a number of different shots from the film
• Enables the audience to get a sense of the story and characters
• Promotes the film and summarises its thematic concerns
• Creates a sense of anticipation without giving too much away!

Step 4: presentation and peer assessment

Once you have finished your summary, storyboard, and trailer, present your work to the rest of the class. Before you begin, conduct a class brainstorm around the question:

What makes a valuable Australian film?

Use your answers to come up with some criteria to assess each group’s work.

Present your ‘pitch’ to the class, focusing on what makes your adaptation unique and why it would be a worthwhile film to represent the experiences of young Australians. Highlight key points from your summary and storyboard and play your trailer.

Possible sentence starters to assist with your presentation include:

• This film aims to represent a specific Australian experience by …
• A social issue that we have chosen to explore in our adaptation is …
• An aspect of the novel that we have changed is … because …
• The specific audience that we have targeted is …

Each student will complete a brief peer review based on the agreed criteria. Focus on giving positive or constructive feedback.

To finish, you will compose a brief reflection statement discussing your own experience in your group and comparing your pitch to the ideas and interpretations offered by other groups.

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