Narrative comparison of Amy Tan's "Fish Cheeks", and Maya Anjelou's "Champion of the World".
In rereading these two stories, it becomes clear that race and the problem minorities faced when trying to fit in to the American culture, is an underlying theme in both of these tales, combined with the added stress of being a teen aged girl.
In "Fish Cheeks", the teen-aged Tan is embarrassed by her families humble food and the way that they act around the dinner table. She thinks that she will not be accepted , because her family does not fit the mold of a "normal" American family. The girl is ashamed of her family and the culture she perceives to be inferior to that of the boy she is trying to impress.
In "Champion of the World", Angelou
In rereading these two stories, it becomes clear that race and the problem minorities faced when trying to fit in to the American culture, is an underlying theme in both of these tales, combined with the added stress of being a teen aged girl.
In "Fish Cheeks", the teen-aged Tan is embarrassed by her families humble food and the way that they act around the dinner table. She thinks that she will not be accepted , because her family does not fit the mold of a "normal" American family. The girl is ashamed of her family and the culture she perceives to be inferior to that of the boy she is trying to impress.
In "Champion of the World", Angelou