Study Notes for 'Fish Cheeks' by Amy Tan

Introduction to "Fish Cheeks"

  • Author: Amy Tan

    • Background: Amy Tan is an American writer known for exploring the experiences of Chinese Americans and familial relationships.

    • Personal Details: Her parents emigrated from China, while she was born in Oakland, California.

  • Text License: "Fish Cheeks" is licensed under CC0, published in 1987.

Skills Focus

  • Objective: Analyze how the author develops the narrator's point of view.

    • Key Tasks:

    • Determine the narrator's thoughts and beliefs.

    • Examine the methods used by the author, including actions, dialogue, and thoughts, to develop the narrator's perspective.

    • Assignment: Take notes on the narrator’s cultural perspective while reading.

Narrative Summary

  • Opening Lines: The narrator expresses her feelings about being fourteen and in love with Robert, the minister’s son.

    • Description of Robert: Mentioned as being “as white as Mary in the manger,” implying a contrast between her cultural identity and the American ideal.

  • Christmas Eve Dinner Invitation:

    • The narrator's parents invited Robert's family to their home for Christmas Eve dinner.

    • Emotional Reaction: The narrator felt anxiety and shame about showcasing her family's Chinese traditions to Robert.

Cultural Contrast

  • Narrator's Concerns:

    • The fear that Robert would judge her family's cultural practices and food negatively.

    • Concerns about the appearance of their Chinese celebration compared to an American-style Christmas.

  • Dinner Preparations:

    • The mother prepares an elaborate Chinese menu, which includes:

    • Dishes Described:

      • Ieshy prawns with black veins.

      • A rock cod described with bulging eyes, pleading not to be cooked.

      • Tofu likened to rubbery sponges.

      • A bowl of dried fungus being rehydrated.

      • Squid with crisscross knife markings, resembling bicycle tires.

Dinner Observations

  • Arrival of the Guests:

    • Description of the minister’s family and narrator's relatives arriving amid noisy chaos.

  • Dinner Dynamics:

    • The narrator’s relatives eagerly partake in the food, using chopsticks and showing enthusiasm.

    • Robert and his family display restraint and politeness in their dining manners.

  • Cultural Practices:

    • The narrator's father humorously burps to show satisfaction, explaining that it is a polite Chinese custom.

    • Robert's discomfort is noted as he reacts to the traditional foods being served.

Personal Reflections

  • Narrator's Response:

    • Feelings of embarrassment and a desire to disappear during the meal.

    • Acknowledgment of her father’s cultural expression juxtaposed with Robert’s reaction.

  • Post-Dinner Conversation:

    • The mother provides a lesson on cultural pride, revealing her understanding of the narrator's internal conflict:

    • Quote: “You want to be the same as American girls on the outside.”

    • Advice to always be proud of being Chinese, and that shame should never be a part of her identity.

  • Later Understanding: The narrator realizes only years later that the chosen Christmas menu was meant to reflect her favorite foods, deepening her appreciation of her culture.

Conclusion

  • The story encapsulates the themes of cultural identity, the struggle between assimilation versus cultural pride, and the lessons learned from family dynamics over time.

  • Reflection Through Time: The narrator's retrospective acknowledgment of her initial feelings contrasts with her later appreciation of her heritage and the love and thoughtfulness of her mother.