The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

1. How does this title refer to two groups of ‘settlers’? Who are they?

The title is most likely referring to two types of settlers, foreigners and natives. Presumably since the book is about Australia and growing up Asian in Australia, and because the story references 1987 "...in 1987 to grow corn..", the foreigners would most likely be white settlers from Britain set to colonize Australia, and the natives being the Aboriginals. 

2. How is the first line of the poem successful at being ‘forceful’ regarding the Great-Grandfather’s presence in Australia?

The author creates a forceful setting with the introduction of Great-Grandfather by giving no further explanation into his arrival "Great-Grandfather arrived", without having any sense or show of emotion or even any explanation a sense of forcefulness is created because it seems that Great-Grandfather arrived at Australia by someones elses will - thus my theory of the colonization of Australia and the native Aboriginals is supported. 

3. What action are the ‘early settlers’ doing that gives them equally a strong presence?

The early settlers are 'entrecnhed' meaning that they are not willing to open themselves to anything and are being completely xenophobic, this would make them seem very hostile in the eyes of another culture especially if you just arrived in a new land.

4. How is the intention of the Great-Grandfather juxtaposed to the beliefs of the ‘early settlers’?

Great-Grandfather's situation is very relevant to the early settlers in the late 19th century, that he was taken 'forcefully' to this new land and has to work on plantations such as corn "..in 1987 to grow corn... in Wahgunyah".

5. What action does the Great-Grandfather do that ties him both to the ‘early settlers’ and to his own culture?

Great-Grandfather curses at the native people for being hostile and 'entrecnhed' proving that he is from a foreign land - meaning that he is white and is most likely from Britain. 

6. How does this short poem highlight the irony of the hatred that immigrants experience when they come to a 'settled' land like Australia?

It is ironic because the settler were actually invading the new land rather then colonizing it, and the hatred that was created was a mutual feeling between the whites and the Aboriginals meaning that the hatred and hostile feeling that the White got from the Aboriginals was deserved.