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Undiscovered Pride

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Amy Tan achieved the epitome of short and sweet in her essay “Fish Cheeks”, where she teaches us the great lesson to be proud of our heritage. Fourteen year old Amy Tan tells us how she is reluctant and nervous to have her crush Robert, the minister’s son, over for Christmas Eve dinner, because it’s not the traditional American one he is used to. Amy’s mother has devised an exotic menu consisting of prawns, rock cod, tofu, dried fungus, and squid (p. 117, par. 3). Amy’s relatives are loud and noisy, displaying their different forms of manners, by burping to show their delight in the food (p. 117, par. 6). As the night comes to an end, Amy’s mother presents her with an early gift, a tweed mini skirt. She can see Amy is embarrassed by her culture, and tells her to be proud she is different. Amy’s only shame is to have shame (p. 117, par. 8). From my own experiences, I am a true believer in not only being proud of my heritage, but knowledgeable. I was adopted at two days old to an Irish father, and a Dutch and French mother. I am 85% Mexican and 15% Navajo. I never knew my real mother or father or surprisingly enough, my seven half brothers and sisters. No one ever educated me on my culture or heritage. I struggled through middle school and high school to fit in. White people called me Hispanic, whereas “knowledgeable” Hispanics called me “white girl”. I always wished someone would teach me about my heritage. To me it wasn’t enough to say I was proud. I had to fully learn my culture, and then still be proud. I could never stand the Italians kids in my town. Throwing one’s hair into a poof, being called “Bella”, eating pasta on Sunday’s, and wearing a jacket that said Italia may make it seem like you’re proud, but are you truly knowledgeable? The only reason my Hispanic friends made fun of me was because I was indeed not knowledgeable. I didn’t speak the language, know any songs, the food, the dances,

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