"Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan

     Amy Tan is known as one of the most famous American short story authors. She has written numerous stories about the trials and tribulations of Asians immigrating to the United States. "Fish Cheeks" is an anecdote from Tan's teenage years about how difficult she found it to blend both Chinese and American culture. As a fourteen year old girl, she mentions the crush she has on the minister's son. I know from my mom's own personal experiences that when immigrants arrive in the United States, they are often times welcomed by different churches and ministries to ease the transition of living in a foreign country. Although Amy Tan was born in Oakland, CA, she is the daughter of two Chinese immigrants, so Asian culture had a heavy influence on her upbringing.
     The minister and his family are invited to Tan's house on Christmas for a traditional Chinese dinner, just not the typical Christmas dinner. Amy Tan remembers the absolute embarrassment she feels as she watches her mother preparing the squid, tofu, and fried fish that must seem completely foreign to the American family coming to visit them. As if she was not embarrassed enough, when the dinner begins, Amy is horrified. This is when the true differences of these cultures are revealed. When the minister's family is used to using forks and knives, Amy's family uses chopsticks. When it is considered polite to hold in a burp in America, it is etiquette and a sign of respect to the cook in Chinese culture by belching very loudly at the end of a meal.
     While the duration of the short story is to focus on the pure humiliation Amy feels, the moral lies at the end of the story. As Amy is given the gift of a classic American-style tweed skirt, her mother mentions an important message. Her mother says, "You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is to have shame". Then, Amy sums up this story at the very end, saying that it was not until many years later after the crush on the minister's son was long gone that she realized that her mother had prepared all of her favorite foods.