"Fish Cheeks & Superman and Me"

The article “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan is a story about a young lady and her struggle to fit into American culture being raised by a Chinese family. Tan tells of her first crush, the son of a minister joining their family for Christmas Eve dinner and the devastating humiliation she experiences during the meal. She reflects later in life on the benefit of her family ensuring she was familiar with their culture and their traditions. Amy ruminates on her gratitude for being shown the way to her future through the eyes of her families’ past.

Sherman Alexie’s piece “Superman and Me” is a story about a Native American boy who pushes against the stereotype associated with his peers and follows in his fathers’ footsteps to feed his hunger to read and learn. In a reservation school program he ignores the peer pressure to conform to the non-tribal belief that they are all slow and pitiable. Sherman chooses not to subscribe to the undertones of racism and instead he reads obsessively and defies the odds to grow into a professional writer.

I have chosen to write about Alexie’s article because I found it to be exceptionally relatable. I am Native, an avid reader, an amateur poet and also consider myself to be something of the exception in my desire to excel in my tribal community.