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Teens and mass media
Amy tan fish cheeks belonging
Fish cheeks amy tan summary
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As humans, we are all prone to the inevitable feeling of humiliation. However, being embarrassed about one’s own heritage is a feeling that no one should have to experience. In today’s day and age, learning to love who you are as an individual is a huge accomplishment.
This is the core idea behind Amy Tan’s short story, “Fish Cheeks,” as she outlines the general idea of self-acceptance. The narrator, fourteen year old Tan, declares her love for her minister’s son, Robert, who unlike herself is “as white as Mary in the manger” (Tan 1). This crush is anything but healthy, primarily because Tan is reluctant to reveal her true self to him. This hesitance she portrays is strikingly recognizable in the teenagers of today’s world. Amy Tan 's story,
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She writes in a way that adolescents are able to relate to, as she shares her personal story of self-acceptance. Tan writes to appeal to a young audience through the use of coherent word choice, humor, and the overall message. Like many young girls, Tan found herself pressured to fit in with the norm in an attempt to please others (in her case, Robert). Her insecurities are presented as early as the first paragraph as she wishes for a “slim new American nose” and compares Robert’s ethnicity to her own (Tan 1). As a young girl, she sees her unique features and traditions as something that holds her back and she is hesitant to embrace them. In a similar manner, many young people today are not comfortable in their own skin. Towards the end of the story, Tan’s mother tells her “You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is to have shame” (Tan 2). Through these words, her mother speaks out to an entire generation of adolescents by declaring that it is important to embrace and celebrate diversity; the only shame one should have is the shame that results from acting critically upon one’s differences. Only years later does Tan come to the realization of her mother’s good intentions. Tan reflects upon the event, stating that for that particular Christmas Eve dinner, her mother had chosen all of her favorite foods (Tan 2). From this approach, Tan reveals that the dinner symbolized her heritage, and altogether, was something she should have been proud
Within Tan’s writing comparisons there lies a powerful teaching about changes occurring to different people throughout times, how those people cope differently within those times, and the importance of time, by identifying with the impacts created from events and influences carried by every character. As a result, this defines the evolution of the changes the characters experience over the course. Again Culture Learning describes that “A new type of person whose orientation and view of the world profoundly transcends his or her indigenous culture is developing from the complex of social, political, economic, and educational interactions of our time (41).” Furthermore, it has been quoted that “Time shows all things”, Amy Tan used time as scope to show the reader what most fail to realize. She analyzes the positive and negative aspects of the Chinese and American cultural identities that exist, as well as revealing said lasting effects from generation to generation. "After the gold was removed from my body I felt lighter, more free. They say this is what happens if you lack metal. You begin to think as an independent person (63)." Upon realization of the effects of cultural influence, Tan establishes creditability to both her own experiences and the overall message of “The Joy Luck Club”, in order to educate and enlighten the reader on the bigger
Christmas Eve dinner came about and it became evident that her family had just about taken mixed race to another level. She had a cousin, Rebecca, that was married with a child and their small family was white and Jewish (Senna 296). Danzy’s sister had three children that were half Pakistani and they lived in England (Senna 296). Her brother was married to a Chinese woman and they had a young daughter together (Senna 296.) Carla Latty, Anna’s orphaned daughter, was cohabitating with an Indian woman. Senna discovered that at this family dinner, some of them are blood related and are just meeting for the first time. She recognizes the history that they all share in some shape, form, or fashion. Yet, it is not a day of rainbows and lollipops. Danzy and her sister have hurt each other and there is tension. Her brother and his wife hide their infant in the bedroom upset that the other children present had infected their baby. Her cousin’s daughter has declared herself as a lesbian at the age of eleven. Despite all of the obstacles and hurdles her family has faced, Danzy considers the Christmas Eve dinner “a victory” (Senna 301). Danzy’s brother says that “Anybody who finds him offensive can get the […] out” about a gift given to his child (Senna 300). That was his way of approving the
Lillian Heker and Amy Tan are two fictional authors who illustrate varying perspectives on the social mores and social conditions surrounding their child protagonists. Heker exemplifies in her short story, A Stolen Party, an incident where a child is prejudicially judged based on parent’s social and economic status. She exemplifies an incident where her child protagonist receives differential treatment solely based on her family’s unfortunate financial status. She demonstrates that her protagonist’s personality and talents exceed those of a wealthy family’s child. Through the short story, Heker conveys to the audience that children should be perceived based off their personality and talents, and not viewed by their parent’s financial and educational
In this passage, Sandra Cisneros explains the world of a small eleven-year old girl named Rachel who has been disappointed but taught by her experiences. The author uses several literary devices such as simile, imagery, foreshadowing, tone, diction, etc., to address the neglected and sad feelings of Rachel and to portray Rachel as a character who changes as a result of experience. Rachel, as she explains her difficulty in growing up, she is embarrassed and feels helpless. Though she just turned eleven, all the years before eleven are "pushing at the back of her eyes". The author shoots all these emotions out from Rachel and characterize her actions as that of which small kids would do so they can solve problems. Cisneros uses all these various literary techniques to create the development of the character of Rachel in that she is complex and round
Additionally, she stresses that the values of her childhood helped her to develop respect for different people. Her father influenced her a lot to feel comfortable just the way she is around her hometown; ...
The second and third sections are about the daughters' lives, and the vignettes in each section trace their personality growth and development. Through the eyes of the daughters, we can also see the continuation of the mothers' stories, how they learned to cope in America. In these sections, Amy Tan explores the difficulties in growing up as a Chinese-American and the problems assimilating into modern society. The Chinese-American daughters try their best to become "Americanized," at the same time casting off their heritage while their mothers watch on, dismayed. Social pressures to become like everyone else, and not to be different are what motivate the daughters to resent their nationality. This was a greater problem for Chinese-American daughters that grew up in the 50's, when it was not well accepted to be of an "ethnic" background.
On an everyday basis teens all around the world fight and disagree with their parents. In the passages Confetti Girl and Tortilla Sun this very thing is clearly demonstrated. Both stories feature two teenage girls that have lost one of their parents. They both now face the daily struggle of agreeing and relating to their remaining parent. In Confetti Girl, the narrator is constantly overlooked and out shadowed by her father’s favorite thing, books and literacy.
In the short story “A brief moment of the life of Angus Bethune” by Chris Crutcher the theme is insecurities can help find self-confidence. When this story began, Angus was very insecure about what people thought of him because of how he looked and what his name was. He would complain about his name to his stepmother that it was a cow's name and why he was named it. Apparently he was named after his father's uncle.When junior high began Angus was worried about what people would think of him that it led him to make a no kissing contract for four of his parents. His parents were confused on why he wanted them to have a contract and he replied by saying “I want to see boys kissing girls” (5). This shows that Angus just wants people not to judge his parents for who they're with and who they are. Angus would make fun of himself because he was “short-changed in the Tom Cruise department” (2). This shows that Angus shames himself because of how he looks, but the truth is he just wants to be socially accepted for who he is.
As a teen, Rayona is in a confusing period of life. The gradual breakdown of her family life places an addition burden on her conscience. Without others for support, Rayona must find a way to handle her hardships. At first, she attempts to avoid these obstacles in her life, by lying, and by not voicing her opinions. Though when confronting them, she learns to feel better about herself and to understand others.
After reading Allison Baker's " Better Be Ready 'Bout Half Past Eight" it made me realize that discovering one's self is a situation our world is going through right now. In her short story one of Allison Baker's main characters, Zach tells his best friend of thirty-eight years that he is going to have a sex change. Zach tells Byron that he feels trapped in the wrong body and that he is going to become a woman. Byron is shocked about what he is hearing and can't seem to deal with the news. He's known Zach for some time now and he didn't pick up any of the signs about Zach's sexuality. Through the rest of the story you see Byron coping with the news. He talks to his baby boy about the situation and tells him that he will grow up to a man. He also starts to think about his own sexuality and even goes as far as applying makeup to his face. Byron watches the transformation of his best friend Zach into a woman named Zoe. As the story comes to an end Byron, his wife Emily, and their son Toby are at Zoe's shower. Byron squeezes Zoe's hand and I think, right then and there, he finally comes to terms with Zach's decision and is happy for his friend. As his friend walks away, he says that his son Toby Glass could grow up to be anything.
Throughout the story, “Fish Cheeks,” by Amy Tan, the author speaks of her “worst” Christmas dinner when her family invited Amy’s crush and his family for christmas dinner. Overall, the story was actually telling of her best Christmas dinner ever where her parents taught her to respect her culture and not be afraid to be who she was. The author and narrator, Amy Tan, used tone to convey this message to the audience in a few different ways in the story.
She talks about how she felt ashamed about her culture and the food. In Amy Tan's essay, she had a crush on boy from the minister's family named Robert. They were invited to have Christmas Eve's dinner at Tan's place. Tan was curious about how the minister's family would react when they saw Chinese food instead of traditional turkey and mashed potatoes. She was thinking to herself that what Robert will think about the evening. The minister's family arrived and started digging in on the appetizers. Tan was embarrassed to sit with them at the table because the minister's family was surprised. But as the evening prolonged, Tan's father said “Tan, your favorite" as he served the fish cheeks to her (Tan
The main idea of this story Fish Cheeks was understanding and appreciation and having pride in one own unique culture. Tan mother invites the minsters family who happens to be her crush at the time who is Robert the minister’s son. Tan felt despaired during the entire evening, feeling ashamed of her family and non- American ways at dinner. At the end of the evening Tan’s mother tells her that she understands that she wants to like all the other American girls and handed a gift. Tan’s mother points out to her that she must not be ashamed of her difference, however, embrace these differences that she has found shame in. Overall the main idea was the differences that we are often ashamed of are the differences we should take pride in, because
Often when children are spoiled, they develop a sense of superiority to those around them. However, after leaving the closed environment of a household, the need for authority and supremacy can create unintended consequences imbedded with sorrow. The fallout from this misfortune is seen in “Why I Live at the P.O.” in the family quarrel that ensues due to the return of Stella-Rondo. Throughout the narration, the author asserts that because, the world is apathetic to one’s dilemmas, a shielded and pampered upbringing can only hamper personal development. Through the denial of truth that the family exhibits in attempts to improve relations and through the jealousy that Sister experiences as inferior to Stella-Rondo, the source of hindered maturity is exemplified.
In her short story "Two Kinds," Amy Tan utilizes the daughter's point of view to share a mother's attempts to control her daughter's hopes and dreams, providing a further understanding of how their relationship sours. The daughter has grown into a young woman and is telling the story of her coming of age in a family that had emigrated from China. In particular, she tells that her mother's attempted parental guidance was dominated by foolish hopes and dreams. This double perspective allows both the naivety of a young girl trying to identify herself and the hindsight and judgment of a mature woman.