Birthday By: David Wong Louie

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BirthdayBy David Wong Louie

• Presentation By
• Ashley Jordan
• and
• Damond Wilson

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Short Summary

• In the story Birthday Wallace Wong is just getting
   out of a  relationship. The woman
   that Wallace was seeing had a son named Welby. 
• Wallace develops a strong connection with Welby. 
• Wallace wanted to take Welby to a baseball game, b
  ut  was stopped by his father.
• Wallace and the father get into an argument which 
  forces Wallace to lock himself in a room of the ho
  use. 
• After realizing that the boy is not there he
  tries to decide what to do for Welby for his birth
  day since they cant go to the game. 
• He remembers that the father was baking a cake so 
  he goes  downstairs to finish baking the
   cake because he knows that he 
  would love the cake.

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Characters

• Wallace Wong-a man who tries to please everyone,
  daring, caring
• Sylvie-a very needy women who seems to want
  attention
• Welby-a child who is a member of a broken home,
  The story does not really tell much about his
  personality.
• Frank-jealous, caring, large man who cares about
  his physical condition
• Wongs parents-forever concerned with Wong,
• caring, overbearing

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Critical Questions

• 1. What is the significance of the title?
• The title of the story is significant because the 
  story takes place  on Welbys birthday.
• 2. How is the story told?  Who is the narrator? 
  What perspective is used?  What is the tone of
  the language?  Is the narrator reliable?
• The story is told in the first person perspective,
   and Wallace is  the character telling the story
  . Wallace has a confused tone in the story because
   of all the troubles he has been going through. He
   is relevant to the story because he is the one t
  elling his own  story.

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Critical Questions Continued

• 3. Look closely at the opening and ending.  On
  what does the author and narrator focus?
• The author focuses more on the ending because the 
  reader can tell by all the tension that is put on 
  Wallace and the fathers 
• argument.
• 4. How does the character transform in the
  story? 
• Wallace is transformed through the length of the s
  tory. Wallace  gains courage which allows him 
  to stand up to the father.

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Critical Questions Continued

• 5. What is the major theme of the story? 
  Explicate.  Are there any minor themes?
• The major theme of the story is how jealousy can
  lead to larger problems. If Frank were not so
  jealous over Wongs relationship with Welby he
  might have a better relationship with Welby,
  Wong, and Welbys mother. A minor theme of the
  story is the affects of a broken family. Broken
  families create problems such as jealousy and
  torn relationships.
• 6. Are there any allusions in the story that
  could add meaning to your interpretation?
• The cake can be seen as an allusion for Franks
  personality. The layers of the cake can be seen
  as layers of affection for Welby, and Franks
  attempt to cover up his flaws so Welby sees him
  as the best father.
• 7. What are the symbols or other figurative
  elements in the story?
• The symbols found in the story are the cake-as a
  symbol of Franks attempt for Welbys affection,
  the baseball tickets as a symbol of Wongs love
  for Welby, and the lock on Welbys door
  signifying Welbys independence.

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Critical Questions Continued

• 8. What seems to be the author's primary
  goal/purpose in writing this short story?
• The author is trying to show in broken families
  jealousy only causes more problems.
• 9. What is your reaction to this story?  How does
  your reaction influence your reading?
• My reaction to this story is one of sympathy
  towards children in broken homes as well as
  parents in this situation. My reaction
  influences my reading by causing me to view
  Frank, the jealous character, as an immature
  negative person.

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The End

• Questions taken from http//www.westga.edu/pburge
  y/Assignments/GroupPresentations.htm