RUTCHELL H.

CAÑETE BSED 2
CSEE 204
THE PAPER MENAGERIE
TASKS:
1. Find the meaning of the following difficult words.
Glossary of Difficult Words Cultural & Historical Terms
• Qingming – Chinese “Tomb-Sweeping Day,” a festival to honor ancestors by cleaning graves and making
offerings.
• Zhezhi – The Chinese art of paper folding (similar to origami).
• Great Famine – A catastrophic famine in China (1959–1961) where millions died due to food shortages.
• Cultural Revolution – A political movement in China (1966–1976) that caused persecution, violence, and
destruction of traditions.
• Hebei Province – A region in northern China, where the mother was born.
• Guangdong Province – A southern province in China, near Hong Kong. Emotional & Symbolic Words •
Ai (爱) – The Chinese word for “love.” In the story, the mother explains it comes from the heart.

• Purred – The soft vibrating sound cats make when content; here, Laohu the paper tiger makes this sound.
• Awkward handwriting – Writing that looks clumsy or childlike, uneven in form.
• Intertwining strokes – Writing lines that overlap or weave together, symbolizing connection.
• Exile (attic) – The act of hiding something away, symbolizing rejection or erasure. Everyday Words in
Context
• Cheongsam – A traditional Chinese dress, often silk, with a high collar and tight fit.
• Catalog – A booklet listing items (or, in this case, women for arranged introductions).
• Suburbs – Residential areas outside of a city, often quieter and more spacious. • Peasant – A poor farmer from
rural areas, usually with little wealth or education.
• Resume – A document listing work experience and skills for job applications.
• Transcript – An official record of school grades.
• Management consultant – A professional who advises companies on efficiency and growth. Story-Specific
Phrases
• “Adopt” (in Hong Kong) – Not legal adoption but being taken in as a servant or laborer under abusive
conditions.
• “Speak English” – The narrator’s demand to his mother, symbolizing assimilation pressure and rejection of
heritage.
• “Chink face” – A racial slur used against the narrator, showing the cruelty of racism.
• “All-American pursuit of happiness” – His attempt to assimilate fully into American culture, rejecting his
mother’s traditions.
2. Make a sketch note of the story.
What’s inside the sketch note
• Paper tiger & menagerie: Childhood magic, love expressed through zhezhi animals.
• Star Wars toys vs. paper animals: The clash between assimilation and heritage.
• Attic box: Symbol of exile, hiding away culture and love.
• Mother’s cheongsam & hospital bed: Her quiet presence and eventual illness.
• Broken heart & “ai” (爱): The pain of rejection, and the enduring love expressed in Chinese.

• Final embrace: The son cradling Laohu, reconciling with memory and regret. It’s a visual map of the
emotional arc: childhood wonder → teenage rejection → silence and loss → rediscovery and regret →
reconciliation through memory.
3. Answer the following questions:
 What questions do you have after hearing this account?
After reading the mother’s story in The Paper Menagerie, here are some thoughtful questions that arise:
• Why did the narrator reject his mother’s love and culture so strongly?
• How might things have changed if he had learned Chinese or asked about her past earlier?
• What does it mean to inherit trauma through silence and memory?
• Can cultural identity survive when it’s hidden or denied for years?
• How do we honor someone’s love after they’re gone, especially if we rejected it while they were alive?
These questions reflect the emotional and cultural depth of the story, and they challenge us to think about how
we treat our own heritage and relationships.
What is cultural revolution?
The Cultural Revolution was a political campaign launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 to preserve communist
ideology by removing capitalist, traditional, and cultural elements from Chinese society.
• Duration: 1966–1976
• Goals: Purge “impure” elements, revive revolutionary spirit, and consolidate Mao’s power • Methods:
Mobilizing youth (Red Guards), public shaming, imprisonment, torture, and execution
• Impact:
• Millions persecuted: Teachers, intellectuals, and families with foreign ties were targeted • Cultural destruction:
Temples, books, art, and traditions were destroyed
• Family breakdown: Children were encouraged to denounce parents; communities turned against each other
How does it change a person’s character?
The Cultural Revolution deeply altered people’s psychology and behavior:
• Instilled fear and silence: Survivors learned not to speak about their past or express emotion openly
• Destroyed trust: Neighbors and family members betrayed each other, leading to lifelong trauma
• Suppressed identity: People were forced to abandon traditions, language, and personal beliefs
• Created resilience and caution: Many survivors became emotionally guarded, grateful for small kindnesses,
and deeply protective of their children In The Paper Menagerie, the mother’s quiet strength, her fear of
rejection, and her deep love for her son are shaped by these experiences. Her story is not just personal—it’s a
reflection of a generation that endured unimaginable loss and still tried to pass on love through fragile paper
animals.

4. Create a letter in response to the letter of Jack’s mother. (Pretend you are Jack.)
Dear Mom,
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry I didn’t listen. I’m sorry I didn’t ask. I’m sorry I didn’t speak to you in the language that made your
heart feel full. I’m sorry I didn’t see you—not really—until it was too late.
I read your letter. I traced the character for ai repeatedly, hoping my strokes could somehow reach you,
wherever you are. I held Laohu in my arms, and for the first time in years, I let myself remember. The way you
used to sing in the kitchen. The way your fingers folded magic into paper. The way you looked at me like I was
the proof that love could survive anything.
I used to think I was ashamed of being different. But now I know—I was afraid. Afraid of being hurt, of being
left out, of being seen as less. And in trying to protect myself, I hurt you. I erased you from my life, even while
you were still living in it. You gave me everything. You gave me your stories, your magic, your love. You gave
me yourself. And I threw it all into the attic.
But I see you now. I see the girl who survived famine and revolution. I see the woman who crossed oceans to
build a life from nothing. I see the mother who folded her heart into paper animals and placed them gently on
my nightstand. I will keep the box with me. I will open it every Qingming. I will remember you—not just as my
mother, but as the brave, beautiful soul who gave me life and love in every breath.
Haizi, wo ai ni. I love you, Mom.
Always,
Jack