The Magic Fish

What do Mrs. Flynn and Father Niles represent as characters? What might they be reflecting about society during this time? How is Hiền’s decision to accept Tiền a response to this?

Why is the historical and authorial context important to understanding this novel? Write an essay in which you incorporate historical information to support your argument.

What does it mean in this graphic novel to be in-between? How do the illustrations represent this state of being? Use at least three examples from the text to support your argument.

How does Tiền grow and change throughout this novel? What does he learn by trusting in his friends and family?

How does Hiền’s character develop through the novel, especially when she goes back to Vietnam for her mother’s funeral? What does it mean to return to one’s homeland after leaving?

How do Julian and Tiền’s conversation at the school dance provide a space for Tiền to feel accepted while also being rejected romantically?

Nguyen says in the author’s note that he “wanted to explore how stories can serve both as an escape and as an anchor for us in our real lives” (230). How are the stories within this narrative both escapes and anchors?

Why might Nguyen have chosen the color scheme he did when illustrating this novel? Think not only about the three storylines but also the oranges and deep reds he used for peaches and blood. Why might those have been used?