Read this excerpt from "Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan in which Tan recounts the Christmas Eve dinner:
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.
I
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.
How does this excerpt illustrate the theme of cultural conflict that persists throughout the story? Be sure to use
specific details from the text to support your answer.
This excerpt illustrates the theme of cultural conflict by showing the differences in customs and expectations between Amy's Chinese family and her American crush, Robert's family. Amy's family engages in traditional Chinese customs such as licking the ends of their chopsticks, reaching across the table to grab food, and belching loudly to show satisfaction with the meal. These customs make Robert and his family uncomfortable and embarrassed. For example, Robert grimaces when the whole steamed fish is brought out, and the minister musters up a quiet burp in response to Amy's father's loud belch.
In addition, Amy feels ashamed of her cultural heritage and traditions in front of her crush, Robert. She is embarrassed by her family's behavior at the dinner table and wishes to disappear. When her father offers her the tender fish cheek, she is mortified. The cultural differences between Amy's Chinese family and Robert's American family cause tension and discomfort for everyone involved, highlighting the ongoing conflict between different cultural norms and expectations.
make it sound less ai coded
This excerpt showcases the theme of cultural conflict by highlighting the clash between Amy's Chinese traditions and Robert's American customs. Amy's family follows traditional Chinese practices such as using chopsticks in a certain way, reaching across the table for food, and expressing satisfaction with a loud belch after a meal. These actions make Robert and his family feel uncomfortable and out of place. For instance, Robert reacts negatively to the sight of the whole steamed fish and the minister awkwardly responds to Amy's father's loud belch.
Amy, feeling embarrassed by her family's cultural traditions, wishes to blend in with Robert's family. She is mortified when her father offers her the fish cheek, a delicacy in Chinese culture. The differences in behavior and expectations between the two families create tension and unease, highlighting the ongoing conflict between diverse cultural practices and beliefs.
make it sound like a 12th grader wrote it
This passage from "Fish Cheeks" effectively demonstrates the theme of cultural conflict by emphasizing the stark contrast between Amy's Chinese customs and Robert's American traditions. Amy's family adheres to traditional Chinese practices such as licking chopsticks, reaching across the table for food, and expressing satisfaction with a boisterous belch after the meal - all of which make Robert and his family visibly uncomfortable. For instance, Robert reacts disdainfully to the presentation of the whole steamed fish, while the minister awkwardly responds to Amy's father's enthusiastic belch.
Amy, feeling embarrassed by her family's cultural idiosyncrasies, longs to downplay her heritage when in the presence of Robert. She is mortified when her father offers her the coveted fish cheek, a delicacy in Chinese culture. The clash between the behaviors and expectations of the two families creates a palpable sense of tension and discomfort, underscoring the enduring conflict and divergence between diverse cultural practices and beliefs.