20 pages • 40-minute read
How to Pronounce Knife
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Essay Topics
There are several symbols in “How to Pronounce Knife.” Choose a symbol that reinforces the theme of Assimilation and Belonging. How is it conveyed? Which characters are associated with this symbol, if any?
Some narrative elements are revealed through dialogue or repetition. How do these subtle revelations reinforce the theme of Assimilation and Belonging?
What is the significance of scent in the short story? Why does Souvankham Thammavongsa repeat specific scents throughout the story?
Why does Joy contradict and withhold information? How does her behavior reinforce the theme of Miscommunication and Silence?
Describe Joy and her father’s relationship. How are they similar and different? What influences their differences?
How does Joy’s refusal to accept the correct pronunciation of “knife” connect to one of the story’s themes?
Joy is physically and symbolically set apart from her classmates on picture day. What are these physical and symbolic differences? What is her attitude toward her perceived differences?
Why do you think Joy’s parents are left unnamed? What does this narrative choice reveal about the family as a whole?
What role does Miss Choi play in the story? In what ways does she change, if at all?
In what ways does Joy wrestle with The Weight of Internal Conflict? Does this weight shape her relationships with people outside of her family? How so?
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