...The passage “Fish Cheeks” written by Amy Tan is a short based on Amy Tan’s personal experience as a typical Asian girl growing up in an American culture. Amy’s only wishes that her and her family were more American so that she could fit the modern American world. She has a huge crush on a boy named Robert, who is the minister’s son and she gets terrified when she finds out Roberts family gets invited her to a traditional Chinese Christmas Eve dinner. Just when Amy thought it couldn’t get any worse, her fears became true, her mother brought out the steamed fish, eyeballs with everything still intact, her father then added to her discomfort by poking its cheeks and announcing that it was her favorite dish on Christmas. After everyone had gone, Amy’s mother had implied that she could looked like an “American girl on the outside but must remain a Chinese girl on the inside”. The author uses details to reveal that an embarrassing experience is about to change how she felt about her family’s heritage making her realize that her feelings of “shame” were based on other people’s reactions more than her own feelings. The author’s main purpose for writing “Fish Cheeks” was to show her description of her embarrassment throughout the short story. This is definitely something that everyone can completely relate to. This is greatly expressed when she describes her family’s manners at the dinner table. I felt her humiliation; I also have had people come over to my house who I’ve wanted to...
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...Identity. Eight letters that are powerful, to show who people are and what they stand for. Everyone has identity because it's what make people say the things, do the things that they do and be the way that they are. In all movies, TV shows and books people have identity. Their identity shapes who people are and what they will become. The people and things that you're surrounded by can influence your choices. Identity develops as you go through meaningful moments that impact their life. In short stories “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, “The Bass, the River and Sheila Mant” by W.D. Wetherell and “Papa’s Parrot” by Cynthia Rylant, the characters learn about themselves through significant moments First in “Fish Cheeks” Amy Tan learns about herself...
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...Assimilation is necessary to be part of the dominant culture, although one doesn’t have to completely lose their cultural roots. In Amy Tan’s Fish Cheeks. she struggles with her cultural differences where she begins to develop feelings for an American boy. She becomes ashamed of who she is, she wants “to be the same as American girls on the outside” (7) Tan wants to change to become more American so that she doesn’t seem so Chinese to the minister’s son, that is why she felt ashamed when her family was showing very heavy Chinese manners. Although she later realizes that “ inside [she] must always be Chinese. Must be proud [she is] different” (7). With the help of her mother Tan comes to terms that she didn’t have to lose her culture or to...
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...What are the common and different themes in the short stories "Broken Chain" by Gary Soto and "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan? The main theme for "Fish Cheeks" is to not be ashamed of your heritage. While the main theme in "Broken Chain" is people care about outward appearances. But both stories share the theme it isn't bad to be yourself. I will explain more in depth on the themes of these short stories. In Gary Soto's "Broken Chain" a Mexican/American boy named Alfonso is very concerned about his appearance. He wants to get stronger so next time he goes to the pool he will be respected by all the guys, and all of the girls would like him. An example of this is that he does 100 pushups and 100 sit-ups every day. This relates to the theme that...
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...Hermeneutical paper Hermeneutical Paper ICST 300 The first passage of 1 Peter 2:18 refers to a command which tells slaves that they must obey the bidding of their masters under any circumstances. The passage further explains its unconditional approach by stating that the type of person that the master of the slaves is is of no consequence, whether he is a good and kind man or a very cruel person, makes no difference. This particular passage would fall under the Hermeneutical guideline of a non-moral or non-theological situation, command, or principle which pertains to an individual’s specific circumstance that has been revoked or is no longer applicable to people in my culture. This is the compatible guideline with this passage due to the fact that slavery has been abolished and found to be illegal and indecent in the United States for quite some time. The Civil war brought about the turning point in which the government made the ownership of slaves illegal. Because slavery is now illegal, there is no principle base on which to establish a worthy context for that particular passage to relate to the American culture of today. The only other take on this passage is to research the original words used and in doing so one can see that in some versions the translation of slaves is actually commoners, and the translation of masters is actually to head of house. If this were the case, Peter was extending word to the people that were to deal with the hardships placed...
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...bus drive down the road I think about the routine we had every day after school. I would come home and do homework until he came home from work. When I heard his sweet, booming voice I would run down the stairs and give him a hug like I had never hugged him before. I would tell him all about my day while he flipped through the mail. Even after long days at work he would listen to me go on and on about every little detail of my day. When I was finished I would ask him about his and he would tell me if his day it was a busy or hard or good one. Sometimes at the end of the day we would sit on the couch watching Fox News. He would have his glass of red wine resting in his lap and TV remote by his side. He would lean over and kiss me on the cheek and I would get a whiff of expensive alcohol, a smell I became comforted by. I...
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...emphasized. Between 30 and 40 cm is an average distance when conversing. It is acceptable to touch someone when speaking to them, no matter the gender or the relationship. A touch on the arm or a pat on the back is common in normal conversation. It is considered rude if one steps back. At the meantime, eye contact is important, as a demonstration of sincerity and interest in the conversation and in the person being spoken to. Greeting protocol (method) Handshaking, kissing, hugging, backslapping, embracing and holdings hands are common forms of greeting. Kissing on both cheeks is common among family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances. Generally, men shake hands when greeting one another, while maintaining steady eye contact. If a woman wishes to shake hands with a man, she should extend her hand first. Women friends greet with a kiss on each cheek, starting with the left and alternating cheeks. Married women kiss twice, while a single woman receives a third kiss. 1 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT First names should normally be used, but titles are important. In business, men are addressed as "senhor" plus their surname, while women as "senhora" plus the surname. Business cards (either in your language or Portuguese) are a necessity when greeting in business meeting. But Brazilians need to know who they are doing business with before they can work effectively. Gift giving Giving a gift is not necessary during a first meeting. A relaxed...
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...CANADA Cultural resume Customs and courtesies Greetings Greeting in Canada in mostly a firm handshake, direct eye contact and a sincere smile, the French Canadians friends greet each other with a light kiss on one cheek or both. Visiting and gift giving It is typical to give gifts on Christmas and birthday, and gifts are opened at the moment when they are received. It is considered a good moral to take a box of good chocolate, flowers of a bottle of wine when invited over for dinner. In Quebec sending flowers in advance of the dinner party is a proper protocol and if you are to give wine, it should be the best quality you can afford. It is not good to give white lilies because they are used in funerals, and cash or money is not considered a good present. Eating Canadian have relatively relaxed and informal table manners except for Quebec which shows more formality. The guest waits to be shown where to seat. Hostess begins the eating, and the guest is to follow after the hostess. One is not to raise their elbows on the table. It is acceptable to leave small amounts of food at the end of the meal. In formal situations, the host gives the first toast. Gestures It is respectful to take off sunglasses or hat when speaking with someone. French Canadians use thumbs up to mean okay. The "okay" sign made by index finger and thumb means "zero". In Quebec,...
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...Reflection on Culture Lesson Last Friday, I had a wonderful time with my classmates at radio station, where we came to do our presentation about our culture and how it affects the language use in our countries. From that experience, I learned not only the culture values from other countries but also some essential words people over there use to communicate. When I was listening to my classmates’ speeches, I always compared my culture with their cultures so that I could be easier to understand their points. For example, in Natacha’s speech, I noticed that kissing cheek is very common among people to greet each other. It is totally different in Vietnam, where kissing is not accepted in public places. Thereby, I can avoid feeling embarrassed and being surprised if some friends from Congo greet me with a cheek kiss. Based on this example, I think to make a comparison between my own culture and other cultures is the best way to gain my understanding about other cultures. Particularly, from this assignment, I learned lots of new knowledge which I have never known, or even heard about before. In my opinion, every culture has its specific values that should be different from other cultures; therefore, foreigners will definitely find some difficulties to understand some aspects in other cultures. However, I think there will be no more difficulties if we are willing and exciting to learn something new. In my situation, I used to think that Korean was very hard for...
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...#1 Your gorgeous smile #2 The way you look at me #3 You’re so trustworthy #4 That you honestly crack me up You’re too funny! #5 Your cheeks (Cheekos) lmao #6 I think about you 24/7 and your fine with that!! #7 You’re focused on your dream job #8 The cute things that you do for me #9 How we can be ourselves when we’re together #10 You can cook #11 I’m not afraid to love you forever!! #12 That cute wrinkle above your nose #13 How traditional and family oriented you are #14 You listen to my bad singing and seem To enjoy every minute #15 Your supportive, always know what to say #16 Your kind hearted, sooo sweet #17 Your Booooootaaayyy haha #18 You can dance, like realllly dance #19 You don’t smoke #20 You pay for me at times #21 Your tiny ears are sooooooooo cuuuute!! #22 You legitimately trust me #23 Going on the 6th month and we still kiss like it’s our first one #24 You dedicated differences to me =) #25 You have my heart and willingly gave me yours #26 Our mutual weirdness that is definitely LOVE #27 The way you dress, have all the swags #28 I love you for you, and I’ll show you every chance I get #29 You don’t tell people our business #30 You show affection publicly, I loooove this ughh #31 You’re comfortable with me #32 I miss you immediately when you leave #33 You’re kisses are literally to die for !! Muuuuaah! #34 That you hoped...
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...In Venezuela greetings are a sign of good manners. It is common to greet others by kissing cheeks, hugging, patting on the back, shaking hands and also saying “hello”. We also say “hello” (but not hug or kiss) when a person enters an elevator, bus or some other place, even if the person is a stranger. It is common to kiss cheeks and hug among family and friends. We hug among men and we kiss on the cheek and hug among friends of opposite sex or among female friends. Venezuelans only give one kiss, so we often forget to expect a second (or third) kiss from other cultures that have this custom. We shake hands when we are meeting a person the first time. Sometimes we even kiss on the cheek when meeting for the first time (opposite sex), this is a sign of trying to be friendly and does not necessarily mean a romantic interest. It is important to mention that Venezuela is a multicultural country, and that is the reason why we respect and understand persons who do not feel comfortable greeting by kissing or hugging because it is not their custom. CLOTHING Venezuela has summer-like temperatures throughout the year because of it’s location in the tropics. This is the reason that we are informal in our style of clothing especially on weekends. We usually wear T-shirts, shorts, jeans, and tennis shoes. Bathing suits in Venezuela are relatively skimpy, but it is not common to be topless or walk naked on the beach. The concept of a grand bath does not exist in our culture. We are...
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...A kiss In modern day society and western culture, seeing two people intertwined in a kiss happens on a daily basis without any second thought. It is an action that almost everyone engages in at some point in their life. However, a kiss can have multiple meanings, as shown in the pictures above. A kiss can have many cultural connotations depending on the cultural context and can mean a variety of things including the expression of love, passion, affection, friendship, or good luck. In each of the pictures above, a different emotion is being expressed, but the bottom line remains that a kiss knows no color, no race, no sexual orientation, or class. A kiss is universal. In the first photo, a viewer may notice the black and white couple first, or the fact that the photograph was taken in black and white, but it is obvious that the main focus of this picture is the kiss. The first feelings that may be invoked would be a feeling of love because that’s what a kiss is commonly known for. After reading the caption underneath the photo, the kiss itself takes on an entirely new meaning. This photo was taken in the spring of 1965, in Washington, D.C., of Richard and Mildred Delores Loving, an interracial couple defying the idea of right and wrong as defined by the Racial Integrity Act of 1959 in the Common wealth of Virginia. When you look at the photo, you notice the man is pulling the woman into her as if he wants to protect her from the harm and pain she might endure...
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...‘Namaskar’, with a slight bow. In Japan, the Japanese bow or even handshake to greet one another. How long you bow determines the relationship between you and the other individual. When bowing, keep your eyes low, and palms flat to your thighs. In Korea, a bow is traditional and accompanied by a handshake among men. Korean women usually nod slightly, but not shake hands with Western Men. Western women may offer their hand to a Korean man. People from the Netherlands shake hands most often and state their name when hey first meet. They also shake hands again when leaving. Spaniards tend to shake hands with everyone present when first meeting and also when leaving. Men may embrace one another when meeting and women may kiss each other on the cheek and embrace. Asia is a country where distance is more expected when greeting someone. In such countries as France, Paris, Europe, the Netherlands, and Italy, it is appropriate to greet others with a...
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..." “How are you?” She keeps going and ignores him. keeps: v. continues That’s it: idiom. “That is all”, He yells, "Hey, why won't you talk to me? I want to go to dinner with you. I'll take you to an expensive restaurant." there is no more, that is everything The girl turns, gets off the bike, and looks at him. She says, "I don't want to go to dinner. But if you give me your car, I will give you a surprise." Past Tense Verb Forms Carlos says, "OK!" He jumps out of the car. He gives her the keys and says, "Here are the keys." buys: bought is: was The beautiful blond takes the keys and then kisses Carlos on the driving: was driving cheek. Then she jumps into the car and drives away. drive: drove sees: saw Carlos stands on the sidewalk. Now he has no car and no girl. He has: had says, "That's it, just a kiss on the cheek?" yells: yelled ignores: ignored He gets on her bike and rides home. keeps: kept turns: turned looks: looked says: said jumps: jumped gives: gave takes: took kisses: kissed drives: drove stands: stood gets on: got on rides: rode www.EffortlessEnglishClub.com...
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...As I walk outside with my cup of coffee in one hand and my new book in the other I flap the book up and down in the air attempting to wave at the new neighbor that just moved in across the street. Her name is Sarah. Her job recently transferred her here a few months ago from Texas. She waves back as she rushes to put her three kids into the minivan to take them to school and then make her way to work. I settled down into the comfy black wicker chair accented with forest green pillows and place my cup of coffee on the matching table. The table and chair was located in the corner of my wood porch. This has become my little oasis and from here I can see every house on the block. I sit back in my chair and exhale as every part of my body begins to relax and take in the morning air. Before I open my book I notice her husband Jim pulling up. I learned from her yesterday that he works nights while she works days. She explained that their schedules are hectic and they hardly get time to see each other. Jim gets out of his black A6 Audi grabs his briefcase from the back seat and closes the car door. While he’s walking to his front door I speak to him the same as I do every morning and as usual he does not speak back. He walks into the house and closes the door behind him. A little upset that he can be such a jerk I decided to sip on my coffee and try to enjoy my book. Occasionally I glimpse up at the house. The first time I could see Jim through the window in the kitchen fixing him something...
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