Fish Cheeks Commonlit Answer Key Pdf (2024)

FAQs

What is the central idea of the Fish Cheeks? ›

The main idea of Fish Cheeks is to be proud of one's identity. Throughout the entire story, Amy tries to deny her Chinese heritage but learns over time that she does not need to discard her background for the sake of others.

How does the narrator's point of view affect how the events are described in the passage? She is nervous to have the boy she likes over for Christmas dinner, and so the text focuses entirely on the boy's reactions.

In "Fish Cheeks", an autobiographical narrative by Amy Tan, fourteen-year-old Amy is thrown into a humiliating dinner with her Chinese family and the American boy on whom she has a crush. Years later, Amy reflects back on this embarrassing meal and realizes something about her parents and her heritage.

2. What occurred during Christmas Eve dinner that caused Amy's despair? Her family observed Chinese customs.

The climax of Fish Cheeks, is when the families are having a meal and belching. For Amy, the situation is described as her most embarrassing moment. The reason is that the customs of her family and Robert's family clashed.

"Fish Cheeks is named for the lean, tender cheek meat that is considered the tastiest part of a fish and a delicacy in Asia."

Amy is embarrassed by her family and by the food (including fish cheeks) served to the guests, and again by her father's belching after dinner, although he explains that it's a polite Chinese custom that shows satisfaction.

What did Tan's mother mean when she said to Amy, “Your only shame is to have shame”? Her mother is attempting to point out that Amy should not be embarrassed about her culture. Amy's actions at dinner were embarrassing to her mother.

The tone of the story is reflective as well as somewhat light hearted. She is reflects on this experience and about how her thoughts and feelings as a younger person about her Chinese identity have evolved as she has grown older.

Novelist Amy Tan narrates and records a past experience of clashing cultures in her narrative essay "Fish Cheeks" to illustrate how we should not be ashamed of our cultural background but rather accept and embrace it.

What does the food symbolize in Fish Cheeks? ›

Fish Cheeks (Food)

In Chinese culture, fish cheeks are considered a delicacy, a soft and enticing part of the fish; more than this, though, fish cheeks are one of Tan's favorite foods at 14. Tan's rejection of this food represents her rejection of her heritage and her shame at her Chinese identity.

Tan cried when she found out that the boy she is in love with is coming to dinner because she doesn't want him to think that the way her family celebrates Christmas is disappointing. 2. Why does Tan's mother go out of her way to prepare a disturbingly traditional Chinese dinner for her daughter and guests?

Explanation: The fish cheeks and beige tweed mini skirt are used as symbols by Tan in her writing. The fish cheeks symbolize her Chinese culture, while the mini skirt symbolizes her desire to assimilate into American culture.

Expert-Verified Answer. In paragraph 2 of the narrative "Fish Cheeks", the narrator's point of view is revealed as one of confusion, awkwardness, and embarrassment. The narrator is a fourteen-year-old Chinese-American girl, attending a Christmas Eve dinner at her parent's house.

After everyone had gone, my mother said to me, "You want to be the same as American girls on the outside." She handed me an early gift. It was a miniskirt in beige tweed. "But inside you must always be Chinese. You must be proud you are different.

The theme of resilience emerges as the speaker marvels at the fish's ability to survive despite its battered condition. The fish becomes a symbol of strength and endurance, showcasing the beauty found in imperfection and the ability to adapt and persevere in the face of adversity.

Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks" serves to highlight the struggles of cultural identity and acceptance. The main claim is that embracing one's heritage is crucial for self-acceptance. Tan uses personal anecdotes and vivid descriptions as evidence to illustrate her embarrassment and eventual understanding of her cultural roots.

It describes the back-and-forth dynamic of fishermen, who are the original environmentalists, and scientists, who not that long ago considered fish an endless resource. It explains why fish farming is not the answer—and why sustainable fishing is, and how to help return the oceans to their natural ecological balance.

The tone of the story is reflective as well as somewhat light hearted. She is reflects on this experience and about how her thoughts and feelings as a younger person about her Chinese identity have evolved as she has grown older.