Literature’s Mirror to Culture: Amy Tan’s ‘Fish Cheeks’ and its Resonance
Words: 512 1984"Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan is a moving and intelligent story about the complications of ethnic identity, puberty, and acceptance. Tan examines issues of cultural tension and the human longing for acceptance, especially during the formative years of youth, via the simple but compelling narrative of a Christmas meal. This article looks at the narrative and thematic themes of "Fish Cheeks," assessing how Tan expresses the difficulties of cultural integration and self-acceptance. "Fish Cheeks" describes Tan's fourteenth-year-old Christmas Eve supper, […]