Humans are inherently weak and sorry creatures. That is why, in order to make their children strong, parents must teach their children life lessons about the real world, using any means necessary. There is a constant debate on the concept of pain and whether it should be used for disciplinary purposes. This also connects to the ongoing debate about how much punishment should be used in parenthood. Authors Amy Tan and Adam Bagdasarian wrestle with said topic, and depict how pain, both physical and mental, can help kids learn valuable lessons about the real world. In a modern world full of spoiled brats and painless lives, Tan and Bagdasarian show us the ideal balance between pain and comfort. Their stories accurately portray how good parents should be harsh while …show more content…
Tan, also the narrator, is tormented by her fear that her relatives and Chinese Christmas will disappoint Roger, her crush. Tan writes, “...she [her mother] had outdone herself in creating a strange menu”(Tan 5), but later writes, at the end of the story, “...she had cooked all my favorite foods”(Tan 6). The author illustrates how Amy is originally appalled by the menu created by her mother, using words like ‘outdone’ and ‘strange’ to convey her dismay. On the contrary, the second quote shows Amy’s reflection and character development, and shows how she realized that she should appreciate her culture, not reject it. Such a realization would have been improbable without Amy’s mother being unmoved by Amy’s wishes, and would have left her oblivious to the importance of tradition. By not spoiling Amy, Amy’s mother opened her mind to the importance of values. Thus, it was Amy’s mother’s refusal to obey Amy’s every wish that led to Amy’s important realization that she must accept her culture, and led to her shift from a spoiled girl to a wise, humble