FISH CHEEKS by AMY TAN

  This is a perfect college essay. Amy Tan wrote this story as a retrospective of how she had behaved towards her parents some time ago, and what she learnt from this experience. However, we have to consider that Amy Tan could have partially practiced a biased flashback as some time had passed since the incident, and her perspective could have changed as time went by.

  In the story, the author mentions how her mother was concerned about preparing best food for her, but she was too busy trying to make herself look like a natural American. Although she admits that she was being ashamed of her Chinese identity, we have to doubt whether Robert and his family had really acted the way she describes in the story.

  This story cannot be fully detached, because the narrator is involved in the actual happening. Therefore, Amy's personal opinions should have been mingled with the scene, creating her own interpretations of people's reactions. Maybe the way her relatives acted was not so much Chinese as she describes in the story. Maybe Robert's family did not feel that much awkward.

  This story reminds me of how I used to behave when I was in the international school in Singapore. I did not like it whenever my parents came to school to pick me up. They were so used to the Korean culture that they seemed totally foreign when I was with friends from other countries and continents. Every time, I tried to stay away from them, packaging myself as one of those foreigners when in reality I was a full Korean.

  Just like Amy Tan, I do not remember the exact incident. I might be interpreting the situation in my own point of view when other people would totally disagree with me. However, at least I believed this way and I am regretting it right now.

COMMENTS
Chonghyun Ahn: I think it is interesting that you actually sympathize with Amy Tan. Although I didn't have the chance to share the experience, I assume that it must have been very embarrassing, along with a slight sense of guilt for your parents. I wish such delicate emotions to be well-described in your future writing.

Jin Gyeong: Hi! I was able to deeply sympathize with you, even though I don't have similar experiences. How about writing your reflection as your own faction story based on your experiences in Singapore? It would be awesome!

Yeji: I agree with you; Amy Tan was writing about her 14th Christmas after more than ten years passed away, and while she's writing, she must have 'created' or 'edited' the emotions she felt the behaviors the Chinese did in much more exaggerated way to convey her message(?). In that sense, essays may be "biased". Interesting. And a good connection with your own experience. Good job!

Rhee Ji Yoon: It's almost lunchtime! One minute left. Good luck with your essay!