Conversations with my Parents by Oanh Thi Tran

1.     What is ironic about the way the author and the father become close? What has to happen to the father?

It is ironic that the author and the father become close because it happens at the time of his apparent illness – that will most likely result in his death.

2.     How would you characterise the conversation that the author has with her parents?

It is humourist and repetitive

3.     What is it that worries the author most about these conversations?

The author worries about these conversations because he can never say what he wants, that he loves his parents and misses them

4.     There is a gap between the author’s need to express feelings common in western countries and her family’s lack of desire to express their feelings verbally. How does the family still express their feelings for their child, just not verbally?

Because that is the way they have been culturally raised and is the society they live in, this is apparent since the author regrets not saying it to them and instead of sharing his love every 3 weeks, he forgets to and does not find the courage to.