Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question. My father was the school principal. The day I was born, he caught a twenty-pound carp. He gave it to the school kitchen. All the teachers and boarding students tasted it. What symbol does the carp represent in this excerpt from Wang's "The Carp"? Select all that apply. Accomplishment death hope innocence

Answer 1

It is Accomplishment or Death

Step-by-step explanation:

It could be Accomplishment because the father caught a twenty-pound carp that feeds the students and teachers. The answer could also be Death because if the Carp never died then the students and teachers would never have got to eat the fish.

Answer 2

Answer: I would contend that the right answers are accomplishment and hope.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that different types of fish have a special significance in Chinese culture. The carp has traditionally be seen as a symbol of success and advancement through hard work and determination. By giving the carp to the school kitchen where he was the principal on the day when his daughter was born, the father might be symbolically wishing (hope) for his offspring' advancement (accomplishment), and, by extension, for the advancement of the students and the teachers.