Paper Menagerie

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

(i) How did Mom react to Jack’s sobbing?

Answer: (d) she left the bedroom

(Note: It can be inferred that she tried to soothe him by creating a paper tiger
(origami) to distract him. So, the closest option is not provided in the MCQs)

(ii) How did Jack’s father select his mother as his wife?

Answer: (b) through introduction service

(iii) The catalogue gave which false information about Jack’s mother?

Answer: (d) all of the above

(iv) Where did Jack’s father take his mother from Hong Kong?

Answer: (a) Connectient

(v) Who was Laohu?

Answer: (a) a tiger

(vi) Who was the boy who started bullying Jack at school?

Answer: (b) Mark

(vii) What was Mom’s age when she was hospitalised?

Answer: (b) under forty

(viii) What was Jack worried about when he was in the hospital?

Answer: (c) his campus-placement

(ix) What did his mother ask him to do after his death?

Answer: (a) remember her at Qingming

Answer: (c) a ritual to remember the dead

Logic-based questions:

1. Jack’s mother made the paper animals because ______.

Answer: she wanted to share her special ability and create a bond with Jack. She
breathed life into these paper animals, making them move and behave like real animals.

2. Mom breathed into her paper animals because ______.

Answer: her breath was special. She shared her breath with the paper animals, which
made them move with her life. This was her unique magic.

3. Sometimes the animals got into trouble because ______.

Answer: they behaved like real animals. For instance, the water buffalo wanted to
wallow in a dish of soy sauce, which made it soggy and unable to stand.

4. Mom made a new shark for Jack, this time out of tinfoil because ______.

Answer: the first paper shark she made became soggy and fell apart when Jack put it in
water.

5. Jack stopped talking to his mother because ______.

Answer: he was angry and didn’t like his Chinese heritage, which he saw reflected in
his own physical features.

6. Jack packed the paper menageries in a shoebox because ______.

Answer: he was upset with his mother for not speaking English and for not being like
other American moms. He wanted to distance himself from his Chinese heritage and fit
in with his peers.

7. Even in the hospital where his mother was dying Jack was thinking of his
job because ______.

Answer: he was in the middle of the on-campus recruiting season, focused on resumes,
transcripts, and strategically constructed interview schedules. He was more concerned
about his future career than his mother’s deteriorating health.
8. Jack’s father aged rapidly after his mother died because ______.

Answer: he was deeply affected by her loss. The house they lived in became too big for
him and he had to sell it.

9. Susan remarked that Jack’s mother was an amazing artist because

Answer: she found the paper menagerie in the attic and was impressed by the origami
animals that Jack’s mother had made.

10. Jack felt ashamed of himself when he heard about his mother’s life
because ______.

Answer: he realized how much his existence and their shared language meant to her,
and how much pain he caused her by rejecting her and their shared heritage.

Short answer questions

1. Comment upon Jack’s mother’s art of making paper menagerie?

Answer: Jack’s mother was skilled in the art of origami, which she referred to as
“zhezhi”. She could create intricate paper animals, such as tigers, that were so lifelike
they could move and even make sounds. This was a unique talent that she used to
connect with her son and share her cultural heritage with him. However, as Jack grew
older, he began to see these creations as childish and embarrassing, leading him to
reject them and, by extension, his mother’s love and heritage.

2. What made Jack almost stop talking to his mother?

Answer: Jack’s relationship with his mother began to deteriorate as he grew older and
became more conscious of the cultural differences between them. He was embarrassed
by her broken English and Chinese accent, and he began to correct her and eventually
stopped speaking to her altogether when she was around. His mother’s attempts to
connect with him, such as miming things or trying to hug him like American mothers
do, only annoyed him further. This, combined with his desire to fit in with his American
peers, led him to almost stop talking to his mother.
3. What problems did Jack face in America? Why did the natives bully him?

Answer: Jack faced significant cultural and racial challenges in America. He was
bullied at school, particularly by a boy named Mark, who made fun of his Chinese
heritage. This bullying was so severe that Jack began to reject his Chinese identity, even
asking his father if he had a “chink face”. He also insisted that his family eat American
food and speak English at home, further distancing himself from his Chinese heritage.
The bullying and his desire to fit in with his American peers led him to reject his mother
and her Chinese heritage.

4. Who was Susan? What was her attitude towards Jack’s mother and her
art of paper menagerie?

Answer: Susan was Jack’s girlfriend. She found Jack’s mother’s paper menagerie in the
attic and was amazed by the artistry, referring to Jack’s mother as an “amazing artist”.
This suggests that Susan had a positive and appreciative attitude towards Jack’s mother
and her art of paper menagerie.

5. How was Jack affected by the letter written to him by his mother after her
death?

Answer: Jack was deeply affected by the letter written by his mother after her death.
The letter revealed his mother’s life story, her struggles, and her love for him. It made
him realize the sacrifices his mother made and the cultural heritage she tried to pass on
to him. This realization brought him a sense of regret and a longing for his mother. He
even sought help to understand the Chinese characters in the letter, showing his
renewed interest in his Chinese heritage.

6. Comment upon the social discrimination Jack had to confront in

Answer: Jack had to confront social discrimination in America due to his Chinese
heritage. He was embarrassed by his mother’s broken English and her Chinese customs,
which made him feel different from his peers. He was also subjected to racial slurs at
school, which led him to reject his Chinese heritage and demand that his family
assimilate into American culture. This discrimination caused a rift between him and his
mother, as he began to resent her for making him feel different.

Long answer questions

Answer: The relationship between Jack and his parents, particularly his mother, is
complex and evolves throughout the story. In his early childhood, Jack shares a close
bond with his mother, who creates magical origami animals that come to life, a
testament to their shared imaginative world. However, as Jack grows older and becomes
more influenced by his peers and American culture, he begins to feel embarrassed by his
mother’s lack of English proficiency and her cultural practices. This leads to a strained
relationship, with Jack rejecting his mother’s attempts to connect with him through her
paper menagerie. His relationship with his father is less explored but seems to be more
distant, with his father often absent or trying to mediate the tension between Jack and
his mother.

2. What role is played by paper menagerie in the story? Discuss with close
reference to the text.

Answer: The paper menagerie plays a significant role in the story, serving as a symbol
of Jack’s mother’s love, her cultural heritage, and the magic of childhood.

The paper animals, particularly Laohu the tiger, are a source of joy and wonder for
young Jack. They represent the unique bond between Jack and his mother, as well as
her special talent and the cultural tradition she brings from her homeland. However, as
Jack grows older and becomes more assimilated into American culture, the paper
menagerie becomes a source of embarrassment and a reminder of his mother’s
foreignness. In the end, the paper menagerie, especially the letter from his mother
hidden inside Laohu, helps Jack to reconnect with his mother’s memory and understand
her experiences and sacrifices.

3. Comment upon the ending of the story.

Answer: The ending of the story is poignant and filled with regret. Jack, now an adult,
discovers a letter from his mother hidden inside the paper tiger, Laohu. The letter
reveals the hardships his mother faced in her life, her love for him, and her longing for
him to understand and appreciate his Chinese heritage. This revelation leads Jack to a
deeper understanding of his mother and fills him with regret for his past actions. The
story ends on a note of sadness and reflection, as Jack grapples with his loss and the
newfound understanding of his mother’s life.
4. The main idea projected in the story is about social prejudices and their
impact on human relationships. Discuss.

Answer: The story explores the theme of social prejudices and their impact on
relationships through Jack’s experiences. Jack’s mother is a Chinese immigrant who
faces prejudice and isolation due to her lack of English proficiency and her adherence to
her cultural practices. Jack, influenced by the prejudices of his peers and society, begins
to feel embarrassed by his mother’s differences and distances himself from her. This
leads to a strained relationship and a loss of connection with his cultural heritage. The
story highlights how social prejudices can create divisions and misunderstandings
within families and cause individuals to reject their own identities. It also underscores
the importance of empathy and understanding in overcoming these prejudices.