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.

What was the author's main purpose for writing the passage fish cheeks? Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks" explores the theme of cultural identity and acceptance. Through the story, the narrator struggles to accept her Chinese heritage and culture but eventually discovers her beauty in the unique Chinese traditions and customs.

What occurred during Christmas Eve dinner that caused Amy's despair? The minister belched.

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.

The correct option is D. Amy Tan's purpose in writing “Fish Cheeks to inform and entertain by describing real events and expressing emotion.

The major conflict of this story is Amy trying to impress Robert, but cannot do so because she finds her family and Chinese culture embarrassing compared to the American one.

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

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.

Summary. As the plot in "Fish Cheeks" progresses, new characters and problems arise that the main character, Amy, struggles to handle. During the exposition, you learn that the main character is a young Chinese girl. The narrative takes place on Christmas Eve, when the author was 14 years old.

Explanation: The irony in the last sentence of Amy Tan's short story "Fish Cheeks" is that the narrator, who once felt ashamed of her Chinese heritage and the traditional Christmas dinner her family prepared, eventually understands the value of her culture and appreciates the unique experiences it provided.

What does paragraph 2 reveal about the narrator's point of view in Fish Cheeks? ›

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.

What does the word "despair" mean as used in paragraph 5? It is means like misery. 2. What occurred during Christmas Eve dinner that caused Amy's despair? Her family observed Chinese customs.

Theme Statement:

One should not be ashamed/embarrassed by their family's traditions but instead embrace it when given the opportunity, no matter how different it seems.

The fish cheeks, with their connotations of strangeness and foreignness, become a symbol of her internalized shame and embarrassment about her cultural background. The nuances of the dishes served, from prawns with “legs and slimy black veins” to the “fish's gelatinous hide”, emphasize her feelings of alienation.

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.

“The Fish” Themes

The poem illustrates how that empathy can be humbling, reminding people that, even if they might be used to seeing themselves as distinct from animals, they're really in the same boat: animals and humans alike take part in all the mess, struggle, and beauty of life.

S - “Fish Cheeks” is told from a first-person point of view. The speaker's name is not mentioned in the passage. We know it is first-person because the author repeatedly states in the passage words such as “I” and “my”. We understand that the speaker is a fourteen-year-old Chinese girl.

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.