Hints for the "Fish Cheeks" Outline
Paragraphs 1 and 2 are the beginning. They introduce the characters and setup the conflict.
Paragraphs 3-6 are the middle. They illustrate the conflict.
Paragraphs 7 and 8 are the end. They resolve the conflict.
So, in this case you'd probably have three paragraphs, which include the details for each section (beginning,
middle, and end).
Thesis Statement (should be in the final paragraph)
Amy's mother, "You want to be same like American girls on the outside. But inside, you must always be
Chinese. You must be proud you are different. You only shame is be ashamed."
Why Journals?
The purpose of journal assignments is to cultivate your Critical Reading, Critical Thinking,
and overall analytical skills. By honing these skills, you will gain practical tools to aid in
understanding texts, identifying and using rhetorical tools (example – Tan's word choices),
and remembering content.
Expectation: as you incorporate these tools into your academic routine, it is hoped that your
vocabulary, confidence, and ability to express ideas in a clear and logical manner will
benefit.
"Fish Cheeks” Prompt:
Utilizing the "How to Write a Summary" handout as your guide, please:
1. Summarize "Fish Cheeks” in your own words (approximately 150-200 words).
FYI, a double-spaced page is approximately 250 words.
2. List at least three words and their dictionary meanings that are of special
significance in this short story.
Please upload your journal exercise AS ONE DOCUMENT to Dropbox on BeachBoard by
class time on Wednesday, February 6. This assignment is worth 10 points.
How to Write a Summary
Writing a good summary demonstrates that you clearly understand a text and that you can communicate your
understanding to readers. When writing a summary, students should include enough detail to be thorough but
must avoid including too much or too little information. The following will help students write an effective
summary
A. Pre-reading
.
Skim the text you are going to summarize.
When applicable, divide it into sections by focusing on any headings and subheadings,
Look at any bold-faced words, specialized terms, or unusual word choices and make sure you
understand them before you read.
.
B. Read
.
Pay attention to tone and the main idea. Scared
o Simply, tone is how the writer conveys ideas
Is the author using formal or casual language?
Does the writer try to convince her/his audience with logic, emotion, or with ethical
appeals?
.
.
C. Re-read
Rereading is active reading.
.
Underline topic sentences and key facts.
Label areas that you want to refer to as you write your summary.
• Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points.
• Pay attention to how the essay is structured. Think in terms of beginning, middle, and end.
D. Write a thesis statement.
As you know, a thesis statement tells us what the project of the piece is. This is the key to any well-written
summary and should include the author's name and title of the work (ex: In the article, "How to Write a
Summary," Ty Nishikawa examines...).
Once you are actually putting pen to paper, remember these tips:
1. Write in the present tense (example: I go to school at CSULB.).
2. Make sure to include the author and title of the work
3. Be concise: A summary should not be equal in length to the original text.
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English 301A
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4. Do NOT put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of writing
a summary is to accurately represent what the author stated.
7) Check for accuracy. Reread your summary and make certain that you have accurately represented the
author's ideas and key points. Also check to make sure that your text does not contain your own commentary on
the piece. (Ex. In her outstanding short story, Amy Tan...).
8) Revise. Once you are certain that your summary is accurate, you should (as with any piece of writing) revise
it for grammar and punctuation. Also, read the summary aloud in order to catch any weaknesses.
At a glance reminder:
1. Do not rewrite the original piece.
2. Keep your summary short.
3. Use your own wording.
4. Make sure to reference the author and title of the work.
5. Refer to the central and main ideas of the original piece.
6. Do not put in your opinion of the issue or topic discussed in the original piece.
Fish Cheeks
By Amy Tan
I fell in love with the minister's son the winter I turned fourteen. He was not Chinese, but as white as Mary
in the manger. For Christmas I prayed for this blond-haired boy, Robert, and a stim new American nose.
When I found out that my parents had invited the minister's family over for Christmas Eve dinner, I cried.
What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese Christmas? What would he think of our noisy Chinese relatives
who lacked proper American manners? What terrible disappointment would he feel upon seeing not a roasted
turkey and sweet potatoes but Chinese food?
> On Christmas Eve I saw that my mother had outdone herself in creating a strange menu. She was pulling
black veins out of the backs of fleshy prawns. The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of raw food: A
slimy rock cod with bulging eyes that pleaded not to be thrown into a pan of hot oil. Tofu, which looked like
stacked wedges of rubbery white sponges. A bowl, soaking dried fungus back to life. A plate of squid, their backs
crisscrossed with knife markings so they resembled bicycle tires
4 And then they arrived -- the minister's family and all my relatives in a clamor of doorbells and rumpled
Christmas packages. Robert grunted hello, and I pretended he was not worthy of existence.
Dinner threw me deeper into despair. 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. My relatives murmured with pleasure when my mother brought out the whole steamed fish.
Robert grimaced. 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. I wanted to disappear
At the end of the meal my father leaned back and belched loudly, thanking my mother for her fine
cooking "It's a polite Chinese custom to show you are satisfied," explained my father to our astonished guests.
Robert was looking down at his plate with a reddened face. The minister managed to muster a quiet burp. I was
stunned into silence for the rest of the night.
After everyone had gone, my mother said to me, "You want to be same like American girls on the
outside." She handed me an early gift. It was a miniskirt in beige tweed. "But inside, you must always be
Chinese. You must be proud you are different. You only shame is be ashame."
8 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. It wasn't until many years later - long after I had gotten over my crush on Robert - that I was
able to fully appreciate her lesson and the true purpose behind our particular menu. For Christmas Eve that year,
she had chosen all my favorite foods
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