Abstract In C.J. Koch's, "The Year of Living Dangerously", Billy Kwan is an achondroplastic dwarf who seems to be at war with himself and ill-fitted for membership in any one group or ideology. This paper explores Billy's tormented existence and argues that his crisis of identity and his crisis of political philosophy are deeply entwined.
From the Paper "To start with, it must be noted that Billy Kwan resembles, at least in his physiognomy, the Indonesian locals who view all of the pale-faced foreigners in Jakarta with such disdain (Koch, 22). Beyond that, Billy seems to be uncomfortably straddling two worlds - his father was Chinese, his mother Australian - and this leads to a crisis of sorts at the center of his being. As Wally notes at one point when discussing his diminutive sometimes drinking partner, "He's not sure whether he is (Chinese) or not" (Koch, 4). This is a remarkably telling passage inasmuch as 1965 - the year wherein the story is held - is right around the time when the People's Revolution is inflaming China and turning that nation's ancient society upside down; not to be passed over lightly, it is also a time wherein Mao has turned the structure of the state towards Marxism. "
Abstract The debate over the causation of congenital anomalies is discussed in this paper, as well as various preventative measures that have been implemented over time to help reduce the neonatal death rate. Medical practices and scientific approaches towards human birth deformities are well explored and cited throughout the paper.
