makes becoming a part of American society much simpler. This is common with food and immigrants often mix both to create a sort of equal balance but do not always happen. Amy Tan exemplifies an event that can prompt immigrants to adopt American practices out of embarrassment for being different in her short story “Fish Cheeks”. Tan recounts one of the most embarrassing moments from her childhood where her family invites the boy that she likes and his family over for dinner and the family prepares Tan’s
In her story fish cheeks, Amy Tan writes about her Christmas dinner experience by describing the dinner in negative and positive perspectives to reveal how much time and age can change the perspective of a person on the same event. Amy Tan uses a reflective tone to discuss the lesson she learned to reveal a mature and positive perspective of the Christmas dinner. In the last paragraph of fish cheeks, Amy mentions “it wasn’t until many years later…. that I was able to fully appreciate her lesson
” – Maya Angelou. In Fish Cheeks, the reader is introduced to Amy Tan, a young girl born in 1952, the daughter of Chinese immigrants who had fled civil war.(mpaz.org) Essentially living in two different worlds, she ate, talked, and behaved one way at her American school, and another way entirely in her traditional Chinese home. As is the case with many immigrant children, this puts Amy Tan in a burdensome, awkward situation. When the events of Fish Cheeks take place, Amy feels ashamed of her Chinese
is strength.” – Maya Angelou. In Fish Cheeks, one is introduced to Amy Tan, a young girl born in 1952, the daughter of Chinese immigrants who had fled civil war.(mpaz.org) Essentially living in two different worlds, she ate, talked, and behaved one way at her American school, and another way entirely in her traditional Chinese home. Like many immigrant children, this put Amy Tan in a difficult, awkward situation. When the events of Fish Cheeks took place, Amy felt ashamed of her Chinese culture
“Fish Cheeks,” by Amy Tan and, “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou are personal biographies about their childhood experiences. Theses short stories discuss racial problems and cultural differences. Each story expresses behavior, beliefs and traditions that distinctly identify their race and culture in a community where they are the minority. Amy Tan feels embarrassed because of Chinese culture and customs in the story "Fish Cheeks.” Amy's family is Chinese, and her mother cooked all of the family's
Ireland Horan Mrs. Contreas/ Ms. Karten English 10, Period 1 November 2nd, 2015 It’s okay to be YOUnique In The Twilight Zone episode “The Eye of the Beholder”, and the short stories, “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan and “Initiation” by Sylvia Plath, the protagonist desire to fit in leads them to sacrifice part of themselves. The female protagonist, Janet Tyler, in “Eye of the Beholder” is willing to undergo numerous surgeries in order to look like everyone else since she doesn’t look “normal”. The
As I read Amy Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” and Maya Angelou’s “Champion of the world” I have discerned several similarities. With the help of my peers, I have noticed that they both are minorities, young, and female. They both also struggle with being minorities, overcome shame, accept being different, celebrate with their people, and even the way they tell their stories seem alike. The most obvious similarity would be the fact that they are both young females. I assume that Angelou was around the age of
other is in Amy Tan’s Fish Cheeks. In Fish Cheeks, Tan is a young girl who is embarrassed by her Chinese heritage, when an American boy she is infatuated with is invited for dinner. The dinner is a traditional Chinese one, which Tan later informs the readers were her own favorite foods. Tan tells the readers that “For Christmas Eve that year, (Tan’s mother) had chosen all of (her) favorite foods”(111.8), and so the reader gets the message that the family is supporting of each other. When Tan was apprehensive
Culture is a very important part of being a person, it makes them unique and stand out from others. When people have a shared culture it helps them connect together easily. In Tan’s short story “Fish Cheeks”, Tan feels different about herself because of her culture. She is concerned that her crush Robert might have a problem with her culture and not seeing “a roasted turkey and sweet potatoes bit Chinese food.” Tan’s story is about a Christmas dinner with Robert and his family. In her story, she