Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan

Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan

Fish Cheeks is a poignant essay by Amy Tan that explores cultural identity and the complexities of growing up as a Chinese American. The narrative centers on Tan's experience during a Christmas Eve dinner with her crush, Robert, and her Chinese family, highlighting her embarrassment over traditional Chinese cuisine. Through vivid descriptions of the meal, Tan illustrates her internal conflict between wanting to fit in with American culture and her pride in her heritage. The essay ultimately conveys a powerful message about embracing one's cultural differences and the importance of familial love. This work resonates with anyone navigating the challenges of cultural assimilation and identity.

Key Points

  • Explores cultural identity through a Christmas Eve dinner experience.
  • Highlights the protagonist's embarrassment over traditional Chinese food.
  • Conveys a lesson about embracing cultural differences and familial pride.
  • Describes the contrast between American and Chinese customs during the meal.
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Fish Cheeks
Amy Tan
I fell in love with the minister's son the winter I turned fourteen. He was not Chinese, but as white
as Mary in the manger. For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired boy, Robert, and a slim new
American nose.
When I found out that my parents had invited the minister's family over for Christmas Eve dinner,
I cried. What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese Christmas? What would he think of our noisy
Chinese relatives who lacked proper American manners? What terrible disappoint-ment would he feel
upon seeing not a roasted turkey and sweet potatoes but Chinese food?
On Christmas Eve I saw that my mother had outdone herself in creating a strange menu. She was
pulling black veins out of the backs of fleshy prawns. The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of
raw food: A slimy rock cod with bulging eyes that pleaded not to be thrown into a pan of hot oil. Tofu,
which looked like stacked wedges of rubbery white sponges. A bowl soaking dried fungus back to life.
A plate of squid, their backs crisscrossed with knife markings so they resembled bicycle tires.
And then they arrived – the minister's family and all my relatives in a clamor of doorbells and
rumpled Christmas packages. Robert grunted hello, and I pretended he was not worthy of existence.
Dinner threw me deeper into despair. My relatives licked the ends of their chopsticks and reached
across the table, dipping them into the dozen or so plates of food. Robert and his family waited patiently
for platters to be passed to them. My relatives murmured with pleasure when my mother brought out the
whole steamed fish. Robert grimaced. Then my father poked his chopsticks just below the fish eye and
plucked out the soft meat. "Amy, your favorite," he said, offering me the tender fish cheek. I wanted to
disappear.
At the end of the meal my father leaned back and belched loudly, thanking my mother for her fine
cooking. "It's a polite Chinese custom to show you are satisfied," explained my father to our astonished
guests. Robert was looking down at his plate with a reddened face. The minister managed to muster up a
quiet burp. I was stunned into silence for the rest of the night.
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. Your only shame is to have shame."
And even though I didn't agree with her then, I knew that she understood how much I had suffered
during the evening's dinner. It wasn't until many year later – long after I had gotten over my crush on
Robert – that I was able to fully appreciate her lesson and the true purpose behind our particular menu.
For Christmas Eve that year, she had chosen all my favorite foods.
Questions on Meaning
1. Why does Tan cry when she finds out that the boy she is in love with is coming to dinner?
2. Why does Tan's mother go out of her way to prepare a disturbingly traditional Chinese dinner for her
daughter and guests? What one sentence best sums up the lesson Tan was not able to understand until
years later?
3. How does the fourteen-year-old Tan feel about her Chinese background? about her mother?
4. What is Tan's purpose in writing this essay? Does she just want to entertain readers, or might she have
a weightier goal?
Questions on Writing Strategy
1. How does Tan draw the reader into her story right from the beginning?
2. How does Tan use transitions both to drive and to clarify her narrative?
3. What is the irony of the last sentence of the essay?
4. Paragraph 3 is a passage of pure description. Why does Tan linger over the food? What is the effect
of this paragraph?
Questions on Language
1. The simile about Mary in the second sentence of the essay is surprising. Why? Why is it amusing?
2. How does the narrator's age affect the tone of this essay? Give examples of language particularly
appropriate to a fourteen-year-old.
Suggestions for Writing
1. Journal writing: Think of an occasion when, for whatever reason, you were ashamed of being
different. How did you react? Did you try to hide your difference in order to fit in, or did you reveal or
celebrate your uniqueness?
From journal to essay: Using Tan's essay as a model, write a brief narrative based on the sketch from
your journal. Try to imitate the way Tan integrates the external events of the dinner with her own feelings
about what is going on. Your story may be humorous, like Tan's, or more serious.
2. Take a perspective like that of the minister's son, Robert: Write a narrative essay about a time when
you had to adjust to participating in a culture different from your own. It could be a meal, a wedding or
other rite of passage, a religious ceremony, a trip to another country. What did you learn from your
experiences, about yourself and others?
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FAQs of Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan

What is the main theme of Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan?
The main theme of Fish Cheeks is the struggle between cultural identity and the desire for acceptance. Amy Tan reflects on her experiences as a Chinese American girl, feeling embarrassed by her family's traditions during a Christmas dinner with her crush. The essay illustrates how cultural differences can create feelings of shame, but ultimately emphasizes the importance of embracing one's heritage and the love of family.
How does Amy Tan describe the food in Fish Cheeks?
In Fish Cheeks, Amy Tan provides vivid and sometimes humorous descriptions of the traditional Chinese dishes served during the Christmas dinner. She describes prawns with black veins, a whole steamed fish, and tofu that resembles rubbery sponges. These detailed depictions serve to highlight her discomfort and embarrassment in front of her American guests, particularly her crush Robert, who is unfamiliar with such foods.
What lesson does Amy Tan learn from her mother in Fish Cheeks?
Amy Tan learns a significant lesson from her mother about cultural pride and acceptance. Her mother tells her that while she may want to appear like American girls on the outside, she must always be proud of her Chinese heritage. This lesson resonates with Tan long after the dinner, as she comes to appreciate the love and thoughtfulness behind her mother's choice of favorite foods for the meal.
How does the setting influence the narrative in Fish Cheeks?
The setting of Fish Cheeks, primarily during a Christmas Eve dinner, plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative. It creates a backdrop for the cultural clash between Amy's Chinese family and the American minister's family. The dinner table becomes a stage for her internal conflict, where the traditional Chinese food contrasts sharply with the expectations of an American holiday meal, amplifying her feelings of embarrassment and alienation.
What role do family dynamics play in Fish Cheeks?
Family dynamics are central to the narrative of Fish Cheeks, as they illustrate the warmth and chaos of a traditional Chinese family gathering. Amy's relatives display behaviors that are culturally significant, such as using chopsticks and expressing satisfaction through loud belching. These actions highlight the differences between her family's customs and those of her American guests, ultimately reinforcing the theme of cultural identity and acceptance.
How does Amy Tan's age affect her perspective in Fish Cheeks?
Amy Tan's perspective in Fish Cheeks is heavily influenced by her age, as she reflects on her experiences as a fourteen-year-old girl. Her youthful viewpoint captures the insecurities and desires for acceptance that many adolescents face. The language and emotions she expresses resonate with the confusion and embarrassment typical of that age, making her eventual realization about cultural pride all the more impactful.
What literary devices does Amy Tan use in Fish Cheeks?
Amy Tan employs various literary devices in Fish Cheeks, including vivid imagery and similes, to enhance the reader's understanding of her experiences. The detailed descriptions of the food create a sensory experience, while her use of humor adds a light-hearted touch to serious themes. Additionally, the contrast between her internal thoughts and external events serves to highlight the conflict between her cultural identity and her desire for acceptance.

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