Free Narrative Essays: Amy Tan's True Identity

Words: 1194
Pages: 5

Identity isn't just who you are but who you perceive yourself as. Most people struggle with who they are and who they want to become, identity can be mistaken or guessed but whatever it is it's not important to others but it must be important that you see your true identity. Amy Tan knew deep down inside she was a chinese girl but didn't want to act like it. She pretended to be the normal american girl and trained her mind to see herself as that. Amy viciously and repeatedly murdered her identity to cover up for some fake non chinese girl who wanted to be considered normal she wanted to be seen as an american girl and not be judged by who she really is, as if being chinese was something not to be proud of. Amy struggled with identity not wanting …show more content…
Amy also states “What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese Christmas? “ this shows Amy’s embarrassment, she doesn't think Robert, her crush would think of there christmas dinner as “shabby” or very negatively. Amy didn’t realize how she was making herself more and more insecure about her true identity by thinking all these awful thoughts. “what would he think of our noisy Chinese relatives who lacked proper American manners? What terrible disappointment would he feel upon seeing not a roasted turkey and sweet potatoes but Chinese food?” these words and sentences Amy used made her feel worse and worry more she obviously wanted to be considered “American” which to her was “normal” she didn't wanna seem like an outsider. The way Amy tan expresses her mom's christmas dinner sounds like she's trying to make it sound like the worst thing ever “On Christmas Eve I saw that my mother had outdone herself in creating a strange menu. She was pulling black veins out of the backs of fleshy prawns. The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of raw food: A slimy rock cod with bulging eyes that pleaded not to be thrown into a pan of hot oil. Tofu, which looked like …show more content…
Mrs.Tan goes to Amy and says "You want to be the same as American girls on the outside." She handed me an early gift. It was a miniskirt in beige tweed. "But inside you must always be Chinese. You must be proud you are different. Your only shame is to have shame." Amy’s honest in the story and says she didn't agree with her mother she understood her struggle during the Dinner but many many long years after i’m not sure how but Amy seems to “grow up” Part of growing up leads you to becoming more mature and not really caring about what people think of you, Growing up develops with identity and how Amy sees herself as, part of growing up makes your brain stronger and makes you realize things you haven't before like how not to care about minor things because there's bigger things to care about whether than your crush thinks you're a weirdo or not. Identity is a huge part in your life and is a roller coaster journey and some people still don’t know what to think of themselves or how they want other people to see them Identity may not seem like a big deal but it really is, Not knowing who you are can cause you to do actions that the real you wouldn't approve of Being pressured to do something can cause negative actions and feeling pressured can cause a negative