Questions and Answers for Amy Tan
Amy Tan
What is the purpose of the story "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan?
Amy Tan’s “Fish Cheeks” is very short, even by the standards of short stories, but still manages to address several themes. One of the most obvious purposes of the story is to present the contrast...
Amy Tan
What is the theme of the story "A Pair of Tickets"?
Amy Tan's theme is related to the re-identification with the motherland (China, her mother and half-sisters), but ironically the story's theme is weakened by Tan's focus on China's modernization....
Amy Tan
In Amy Tan's "A Pair of Tickets," how does the meaning of "Chinese" evolve in the story? June May's change relates to...
At the beginning of Amy Tan’s "A Pair of Tickets," American-born Chinese protagonist June May thinks the term “Chinese” has two meanings: a set of superficial physical traits and a set of...
Amy Tan
How does the narrator's view of her father change by seeing him in a different setting in Amy Tan's "A Pair of...
The narrator, Jing-Mei, changes her view of her father in the short story "A Pair of Tickets," the last segment in The Joy Luck Club. As Jing-Mei travels to China with her seventy-two year old...
Amy Tan
How is the external setting of Amy Tan's "A Pair of Tickets" essential to what happens internally to the narrator in...
"A Pair of Tickets" is the final chapter of Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, and it centers around Jing-mei's trip to China to meet her mother's twins. Jing-mei's mother, Suyuan, had twin daughters in...
Amy Tan
In what ways does the narrator feel both at home and foreign in China, in Amy Tan's "A Pair of Tickets?"
Jing Mei feels both at home and foreign in China for a number of reasons. First, she feels foreign because she towers over the typical Chinese citizen. The text tells us that Jing Mei stands at...
Amy Tan
Next, after reading "A Pair of Tickets," briefly answer the following questions about Setting: Where does the story...
Amy Tan's story, "A Pair of Tickets" describes both a physical and emotional journey experienced by Jing Mei Woo and Canning Woo, her father. Jing Mei's mother is recently deceased, and the pair...
Amy Tan
How would I write an essay comparing and contrasting "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan and "Museum" by Naomi Shibab Nye?
When writing an essay comparing and contrasting “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan and “Museum” by Naomi Shihab Nye, you can examine the narrators, their reactions to their situations, and what their...
Amy Tan
In "A Pair of Tickets" by Amy Tan, how does June May specifically grow and change throughout the story?
June May changes gradually from the beginning of "A Pair of Tickets" as she travels to China to meet a family she has never known. She travels with her father, having lost her mother only three...
Amy Tan
What does the essay "Snapshot: Lost Lives of Women" suggest to you about responding to personal challenges or...
In this essay Amy Tan places the issues facing women today in the context of her family history. She suggests that one can gain strength by an awareness of the cultural differences that have...
Amy Tan
What is the main idea for the story "A Pair of Tickets" by Amy Tan?
"A Pair of Tickets" is the final story in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, and it focuses on Jing-mei Woo's trip to China to meet her mother's twin daughters. When Suyuan Woo was a young woman in...
Amy Tan
In "A Pair Of Tickets", why does Jing-Mei feel that she disappointed her mother, Why did her mother abandon her twin...
Jing-Mei's mother clearly abandoned her babies because she felt she had no other choice. She may not have survived the journey, and even if she did, how would she care for them? She likely hoped...
Amy Tan
In "A Pair of Tickets" by Amy Tan, how is Tan's use of authentic Chinese language significant in the story?
In reading "A Pair of Tickets," it could be argued that the authentic use of the Chinese language lends itself to the authenticity of the story. However, I believe that it is more than this;...
Amy Tan
If possible, based only on the excerpt "My Mother's Secrets" in Amy Tan's new book The Opposite of Fate, what makes...
One thing particularly remarkable about Amy Tan's writing is that she takes autobiographical accounts and turns them into fiction. We particularly see her accomplish this fantastic feat in her...
Amy Tan
Does Amy Tan have any favorite authors or books that have impacted her?
In an interview on June 28, 1996, Amy Tan mentioned loving fairy tales, particularly Grimm fairy tales. She also mentioned liking Bible stories, and Gothic works in general. Tan makes reference...
Amy Tan
Amy Tan asks a very interesting question: "Why do we fall in love; why can't we rise in love?" Please comment. I am...
From a general view on love, a couple loses much of their own individuality when they fall in love. They come to depend upon each other, losing much of their own desire to do things individually....
Amy Tan
Relate Amy Tan and Sarah Orne Jewett's lives.
Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) was a native of Maine. She had her first story published at the age of 19 and her stories became standard fare in the Atlantic Monthly magazine for more than three...