English Year 8 - Laurinda: Quyen Lam (Mother)

Quyen Lam (Lucy's Mother)

Lucy’s mother Quyen sews in their garage to make ends meet while caring for Lucy’s baby brother, affectionately known as Lamb. As Quyen busily meets deadline after deadline, Lamb sits in his cardboard box on the floor in the garage happily amusing himself and watching his mother sew. Lucy provides his escape to the outdoors; she is his light and his laughter. Quyen is not fussed with entertaining the child; she doesn’t have the luxury of being able to do this. She must cook and sew and provide for her family. Lucy describes her as not really having friends and travelling to the next suburb in order to get fresher produce for a cheaper price. While there is little tenderness displayed between the mother and daughter, it is her mother Lucy chooses to write about in her scholarship exam essay.