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Close Reading Assignment- The Paper Menagerie
Close Reading Assignment- The Paper Menagerie

Close Reading Assignment- The Paper Menagerie

  The passage I chose is called “The Paper Menagerie” its main theme was of the paper Menagerie and how it has a connection with Zan’s mother, how he could have that deep connection with the Paper Menagerie seeing her mother in them. There were many annotations I have, for example” The skin of the tiger was the pattern on the wrapping paper”, showing the creation of the mothers 1st paper menagerie to her son which caught his eyes. Throughout the story the mother did many animal papers for her son to play with, the older he got he didn’t want to do many more because of a kid called “jack” that kinda bullied him,”Your Mom makes toys for you from trash” and then proceeds to destroyed his animal paper( Laohu, Tiger animal paper) the main one. HE later wishes for American toys and speaks in english, time goes by he puts the animal papers in a box into his attic and never wants to see them or even touch them again. Years passed and his mother died of cancer. The only thing left of her is the paper menagerie which she has made. One comes to his lap called Laohu which unfolds and has Chinese writing on it which Zans’s mother has written in it. He goes to look for help to read it, “So I decided to write to you…write in the paper animals I made for you that you used to like so much.” Telling us her story and what can I tell to you, she went through a lot of challenges and difficulties in life. When she had Zan it was the best thing ever, she loves her son so much, proving to us the way she made the paper menagerie and writing inside them knowing her time will be up but still having the answers to Zan and communicating to him after her death. Throughout the story the animal paper menagerie was created to show him her true self and the caring and loving she has for her child. This article was amazing and helps me understand how to appreciate the time with loved ones because you never know when it will be their last day.

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