"THE PAPER MENAGERIE"

A Short Story Analysis 

Prepared by: Quiza S. Tamudmud
            English III A




CHARACTERS: Jack- a biracial man, the protagonist of the story, the son of a Chinese woman, and an American man. Jack's Mother- mother of Jack, the owner of the paper menagerie. who taught jack to make paper menagerie. Jack's Father- an American man. Mark- the bully, the antagonist of the story, call jack's mother's artwork "TRASH". Susan- Jack's Girl Friend, who encourages jack and accepts jack's identity, appreciates jack's mother's paper menagerie. Two Female Neighbors-These two women are Jack’s childhood neighbors. He overhears them exchanging racist gossip about his family, questioning why Jack’s father married Jack’s mother and criticizing Jack’s biracial looks. The Young Chinese TouristThis young woman helps Jack by translating the letter that Jack’s mother left for him.

Setting: The paper Menagerie' by: Ken Liu, takes place in Connecticut US, where the jack was born and lived with his Family.


Plot: When jack's parents meet they get married and they have Jack. and then, one day, jack won't stop crying. In response to jack's tantrums. His mother begins making him a tiger out of wrapping paper left over from Christmas. Interested, Jack stops crying.r mother When his mother finishes the tiger, she breathes into it, which brings the paper tiger to life. Jack tries to touch the tiger. It leaps on his finger and roars at him, which makes him laugh. In Chinese, his mother explains that what she has just done is origami. and then, one day. they migrated to the US when he was 10 years old. One day, they have neighbors who visited their house. These two female neighbors are gossiping about jack's racial identity, by means of criticizing jack's biracial identity, without knowing that jack can understand the English language.

Rising Action: Mark, the bully known as the Antagonist in the story, calls Jack's mother's Paper menagerie " TRASH". and because of this Jack feels ashamed about his racial identity, and his own culture rather.

Climax: Jack gradually avoided his mother, he didn't even talk to his mother. Because of the incident that happens between mark and him, where mark, utters the word about his "Chinese trash paper". he starts to hate his Chinese culture. He always ignores his mother's presence. until, there such time Jack's Mother died because of cancer, but still he didn't manage to talk to his mother. Though he still made origami taught by his mother, he didn't have the guts to display the origamis he made, instead, he just keep them inside the box.

Falling Action: Susan, Jack's Girl Friend, found those Paper animals placed inside the shoebox, she became amazed by simply staring at the origami. Jack told her that those are from her mom, and her mom taught him how to fold those papers to create a menagerie. Susan astonished jack's mother and said: " your mom, is a good artist, not all Chinese people know how to create paper menagerie jack". And, because of that, Jack starts reconnecting with his tradition.

Denoument/ Resolution:
Jack found his mother's Letter from 2 years ago, he ask help for the young Chinese tourist, to translate what was being written in the letter. He found out that the letter's content was all about his mother's struggle with the Chinese revolution before. where her mother experienced being abused and become a slave before her mom, meets her dad. And because of this Jack slowly embraces his own culture.


Conflict:

Man Vs. Man

Man Vs. Himself


Moral Lesson: 

The moral lesson of the Story The Paper Menagerie is that connecting our culture is one way of accepting what type or kind of person we are in the present time, as well as in the future.

Theme:

The story PAPER MENAGERIE reveals the truth of how Racism exists in different cultures in a specific country.  It also talks about the cultural differences are not barriers to the Person whom you love, it also portrays the possible consequences if you will neglect your own culture. 

 

Point of View:

The story has a First Person Point of view, because Jack the character, narrates his story, about his culture and his mother. The story is consistent in its use of this point of view, and this made the story reliable and interesting.

Imagery: 

The imagery of the story is when Jack's Mother Makes origami or known as the paper menagerie became real by simply blowing it by her mouth. and it creates a picturesque in our minds. And that's why the story has something to do with magical realism.


Symbolism: 

In the story, "Paper Menagerie" the origami there symbolizes LIFE, CULTURE, AND ACCEPTANCE. Life, because by means of blowing them to his mother it became real and the origami starts to have life. Culture, because as we know, the paper menagerie is known as the Chinese culture. and acceptance because whether we like it or not, our culture is our culture and will serve as our identity. you cannot call yourself a human being if you will refuse your culture. accepting it wholeheartedly will make us feel at peace.

Figurative Language 

It uses Hyperbole and Personification. Hyperbole in the way that the Paper menagerie became real. Personification because the characters there give paper menagerie qualities of HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.

Tone:

The tone of the author purely tackles positive vibes with regard to culture, he clearly emphasizes the importance of accepting our own CULTURE. Embracing your culture allows other people to like it and that's Power.

Irony:

The story has something to do with verbal irony. Where Jack who is one of the main cast in the story, thought Mark was GOOD and can able to accept the paper menagerie taught by jack's mother, however, Mark bullied him. and uttered offensive words against Jack's Menagerie.







"SHE MIGHT AS WELL BE FROM THE MOON"


If we are going to describe the characteristics of the moon, it is quite far from us. Same with jack, he's having a far relationship with his mother. but considering the fact that their relationship was too vague. we cannot erase the fact moon gives us light in every dark path that we might encounter in life. She might as well be far from the moon, but our mother's presence will always remain. The memories will reminisce wherever we go, we cannot dare to forget those good things that our mother once cherished and shared with us. 

Nothing is permanent in this world, but we should always put it inside our minds that even though the relationship that we currently have with our family is unclear, the relationship was already far, it will not be a burden to all of us if we know how to accept light in our lives and are able to nourish hope, and strong camaraderie, not just only to our family, and also towards other people. 







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