Identity By Amy

Everyone says to always be yourself. But almost everyone has changed their character at some point. They try to be someone else. But why? People strive to find their true self, and ironically, that usually involves changing their identity. They become a repetition of someone else. Sometimes in literature, characters change their own character. In the short stories, ¨Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan, ¨Two Kinds¨ by Amy Tan, and ¨Papa's Parrot¨ by Cynthia Rylant, the characters learn about their identities through significant moments. First of all, in “Fish Cheeks”, Amy Tan learns about her identity through the events of an awkward Christmas dinner. For instance, Amy has a crush on a boy named Robert. However, when Amy learns that his family is coming to dinner, she cries. During the dinner, she is embarrassed because of her loud and rude chinese relatives and the particular Chinese menu that her mother had prepared. She only realizes many years later that “For Christmas Eve that year, she had chosen all my favorite foods,” (1). In this realization, Amy Tan learns that her

To begin with, Amy in tries to be a different person during a christmas dinner with the minister’s family, but learns from her mother that she will always be chinese. Next Jing-Mei is pushing back from her mother’s wishes for her to become a prodigy, but learns that her mother was just wanting what was best for her. Finally, Harry learns about his actions and character when his father’s parrot speaks invaluable words. All these characters change their own identities, but soon learn to be themselves. These three receive important life lessons about being themselves from certain moments in their lives. If everyone didn’t learn to be themselves, the world would be monotonous, and truly