on Tim O’Brien’s short story On The Rainy River delivers an intricate story telling piece from the fictional perspective of Tim O’Brien himself. Upon receiving a draft letter to go to war in Vietnam, Tim’s faced with a moral dilemma: Fight a war he does not believe in and potentially die, or flee to Canada while carrying… Continue Reading The Rainy River Dilemma
on In the novel The White Tiger, author Aravid Adiga illustrates the influence an individual’s desire to belong has on the actions they take through the character of Balram. When an individual with a desire to fit in is presented with the opportunity to increase their personal status, they will do so at any cost to… Continue Reading The Social Rooster Coop
on Humans are creatures that instinctively crave approval and acceptance from a wider group; thus, individuals will often base their actions on the influence and pressure placed on them by others. Within Ken Liu’s short story, “The Paper Menagerie,” the characterization of Jack and his internal conflict between pursuing the contrasting aspects of his mixed heritage… Continue Reading Folded Into Conformity
on The idea of strength has been presented through the lens of physical nature and habit. Societal expectations and stereotypes have created an environment in which those who wish to be deemed as strong must assert the pre-determined values of masculinity that have been created by society. These values are partial towards males as they are… Continue Reading The Battle of Masculinity
on Introduction: “The Paper Menagerie,” Ken Liu’s powerful short tale, discusses the dilemma between pursuing personal goals and conforming to cultural standards. The story follows Jack, the son of an American father and a Chinese mother, as he struggles with his cultural identity and the implications of his decisions. Liu explores themes of lineage, familial ties,… Continue Reading The Struggle for Identity: Pursuing Personal Desires vs. Conforming in Ken Liu’s “The Paper Menagerie”
on A coward oftentimes can be characterized by lacking courage in difficult situations. Many times this lack of courage can result from wanting to take the easy way out, rather than taking risks. “On The Rainy River,” By Tim O’Brien allows the reader to infer why Tim could be considered a coward. Tim was drafted into… Continue Reading Why People See you as a Coward
on A coward is someone who betrays their values in order to carry out what society wants them to. In the short story, “On the Rainy River”, by Tim O’Brien, we follow the story of Tim himself and the internal conflict of being deemed a coward. In modern text, being a coward is typically someone… Continue Reading Cowards Always Lose Themselves.
on Have you ever struggled to decide between pursuing your ambitions and assimilation? If so, you could identify with Ken Liu’s award-winning short tale The Paper Menagerie’s main character. Liu examines the concepts of identity and belonging in this narrative through the eyes of Jack, a little Chinese-American boy who has a… Continue Reading The Effect of Society on Young Minds
on An individual conforms to the society around them as a form of self-preservation and to avoid ridicule from the society around them. This is demonstrated in the short story “Paper Menagerie” through the character of Jack where Ken Liu displays how an individual will follow the norms of the society around him in order to… Continue Reading How an individual becomes like a Chameleon to protect themselves.
on When you care deeply about another individual, you will be willing to compromise your happiness for the sake of making the other person happy. This is true in the short story “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu. This story follows Jack and his internal battle between his Chinese culture and the American society in which… Continue Reading Personal Sacrifice