Do Family Meals Matter and Fish Cheeks

Which of these is a hint that "Fish Cheeks" is a true story about Tan?

• She uses descriptive language

• She uses first-person pronouns

• She uses quotes from characters

• She talks about a family occasion

Tan wrote "Fish Cheeks" in order to

• tell a funny story about a life lesson

• show that her mother is a good cook

• describe a traditional Chinese dinner

• give advice on dating a minister's son

Which piece of evidence best reveals the narrator’s feelings about her family’s behavior during dinner?

• And then they arrived — the minister’s family and all my relatives in a clamor of doorbells and rumpled Christmas packages.” ( Paragraph 4)

• “Robert and his family waited patiently for platters to be passed to them.” ( Paragraph 5)

• “I was stunned into silence for the rest of the night.” ( Paragraph 6)

• “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.” ( Paragraph 8)

Which line best shows the contrast of Tan’s family and Robert’s family?

• Robert grunted hello, and I pretended he was not worthy of existence.

• 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.

• 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.

• And then they arrived – the minister's family and all my relatives in a clamor of doorbells and rumpled Christmas packages.

How does "Fish Cheeks" compare and contrast the themes of cultural assimilation and cultural pride?

• By showing the narrator's struggle between embracing her culture and fitting in with American society

• By detailing the differences in American and Chinese culinary practices

• By contrasting the narrator's views with those of her parents

• By comparing the narrator's dinner with a traditional American meal

How does "Fish Cheeks" explore the theme of cultural identity?

• By showing the narrator's journey of accepting her heritage

• By comparing different fishing techniques

• By detailing a traditional Chinese recipe

• By highlighting the differences in dining etiquette

What is the significance of the mother's advice at the end of "Fish Cheeks"?

• It shows her lack of understanding of her daughter's feelings.

• It highlights the generational gap between them.

• It serves as a turning point for the narrator's acceptance of her culture.

• It emphasizes the mother's strictness.

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

How does the narrator's perspective on her culture change by the end of "Fish Cheeks"?

• She becomes more critical of it

• She wishes to adopt another culture

• She grows to appreciate and accept it

• It remains unchanged

What is the effect of the author's use of first-person point of view in "Fish Cheeks"?

• It limits the reader's understanding of other characters' thoughts

• It allows the reader to fully experience the narrator's internal conflict

• It makes the story less believable

• It prevents the reader from empathizing with the narrator

In "Fish Cheeks," how does the author use the setting to enhance the story's themes?

• By describing the weather to mirror the narrator's mood

• By setting the story during Christmas to highlight cultural contrasts

• By using the school as a backdrop for cultural assimilation

• By avoiding detailed settings to keep the focus on internal conflict

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept