1. ‘Big Sister’ Carolin Window
Short Story Revision
‘Big Sister’
Carolin Window

2. Context – General Plot
Use these words to write a brief summary of ‘Big Sister’
Chinese-Australian obsessed heritage
culture beauty image ashamed
dislocated identity consequences stole money
plastic-surgery arrested 16years old rejected
Kyle Cordimer Little sister community service

3. ‘Big Sister” is about…
A 16 year old Chinese-Australian girl named Victoria who steals money from her work so she can get plastic surgery on her eyes. She wants to look beautiful and ‘european’ like the models in the magazines. She thinks it will make Kyle Cordimer, (a boy who works at the supermarket with her) like her. Victoria’s younger sister embraces her Asian heritage and looks. She does not understand Victoria’s denial of it. Kyle rejects Victoria and she ends up being arrested.

4. Important Details Main character: Victoria and little sister
Minor Characters: Kyle Cordimer, Melissa Dwyer
Narration: First person (little sister)
Important Relationship: Kyle and Victoria
Victoria and Younger sister
Theme: Destructive nature of obsession. Identity and
cultural dislocation – acceptance.
Setting: Australia, the treehouse
Important moment: When Victoria is rejected by Kyle
Twist: When Victoria pretends not to know Kyle at the end of the story and no longer uses the

5. Key Quotes: "She would go up there to hide and be by herself”
“The walls were papered by magazine cuttings of beautiful celebrities”
"In the treehouse the dolls waited silently for Victoria who didn't visit them anymore"
“you look like a Barbie doll, and you look like Bruce Lee”
“she loved Kyle Cordimer from the moment she met him.”
"She's in disguise"
“In the treehouse the dolls waited silently for Victoria who did not visit them anymore”
"Kyle Cordimer, who's that?"