Question

Which statement best explains how symbolism conveys Amy's development as character?

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.

A. The fish cheeks that her father eats represent Amy's Chinese heritage, which she tries to suppress.
B. The grimace that Robert makes indicates that the narrator, Amy paying special attention to him.
C. The chopsticks that Amy's relative lick stand for the clash of cultures between Amy and her family.
D. The desire to disappear in one of several signs that Amy is embarrassed by her family's behavior.

Answer 1

The fish cheeks that her father eats represent Amy's Chinese heritage, which she tries to suppress.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

A. The fish cheeks that her father eats represent Amy's Chinese heritage, which she tries to suppress.

Step-by-step explanation:

One of the hints we get that makes us assume the fish cheeks are an important symbol is the fact that the story is called "Fish Cheeks." This implies that the fish cheeks play an important role in the story. The fish cheeks represent Amy's Chinese heritage. It is true that she loves it (in the same way she loves the fish cheeks), but it can also make her feel embarrassed. She is particularly embarrassed at this point in the story, when she knows that Robert and his family are not used to her family's ways.