The Magic Fish

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2020

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 1-117

Pages 118-184

Pages 185-229 and Author’s Note

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Themes

Being In-Between Worlds

Both Tiền and Hiền feel like they’re between worlds. Hiền feels distant from both her homeland and her son, who, in many ways, represents her life in the United States. The graphic novel opens with her ruminations: “They say we’re meant to go from here to there, but so much happens between those two places […] And there’s always more, isn’t there?” (1). As Nguyen points out in his author’s note, this isn’t a story about her journey to the United States; rather, it contends with the emotional aftermath of Hiền and Vinh’s decision to flee Vietnam. Hiền tells her aunt: “My past and present selves speak two different languages. It feels like I died on that boat. I’m still stuck in the middle of the ocean” (176).

We learn how Hiền came to the United States for a better life but feels guilt for leaving her mother. Hiền’s aunt reminds her that her mother was proud of Hiền and did not resent her for being in the United States. She also reminds Hiền of the story of the magic fish and Tấm to remind her that stories often extend beyond the “happily ever after” and that Hiền’s story isn’t over.

Tiền feels in between worlds as well. His inability to communicate that he is gay in Vietnamese is a source of struggle; he wants to come out to his parents but worries that he will be shunned for being gay. Father Niles exacerbates this fear and stigmatizes being gay. However, Hiền quickly accepts Tiền after she meets with Mrs. Flynn. She tries to counteract Mrs. Flynn and Father Niles’s anti-gay bias. Hiền tells him: “I don’t know how to talk about this stuff…but I love everything that you are” (229). They will work to bring their in-betweenness together.

Falling in Love

In this graphic novel, Tiền experiences his first crush. He is interested in his friend Julian and isn’t sure how to handle it, afraid of alienating his friends and family.

Many of Hiền’s memories are tinged with sadness as she thinks about leaving her mother behind, but she finds comfort in thinking about her relationship with Vinh. She remembers telling him about how her father died and how he suggested that they leave Vietnam together, as well as his suggestion that they get married in a church. She remembers how he had the cross necklace he always wore melted down into their wedding bands. As readers, we don’t see much of Vinh; however, the moments when he appears make it apparent that he and Hiền love one another.

It is difficult for both Tiền and Hiền to explain falling in love. It is another example of the gap they feel between them. This gap will narrow when Hiền alters the final fairytale so that two women fall in love. This shows Tiền that she loves him unconditionally.

Each of the three fairytales in the novel illustrate love. The stories provide an escape for Tiền and Hiền as well as a way for them to communicate.

Trusting in Friends and Family

Hiền and Tiền’s friends and family are a huge part of the novel. They rely on and support one another emotionally, physically, and financially. First, Tiền confides in his friend Claire about having feelings for Julian, and Claire endeavors to be supportive, telling him that Julian will love and accept him. She and Hiền share a desire to ensure that Tiền doesn’t “miss out on things” (75). They want him to go to the school dance and have a normal childhood where he can be surrounded by his friends and family. That was one of Hiền’s goals in coming to the United States: to provide a life for him that she didn’t have. She even tells him, “you know you’re the very first person in our entire family to go to a school dance. That’s exciting!” (81).

When she has to go back to Vietnam for the funeral, Tiền considers not attending the school dance. With his mom gone, Tiền feels more and more distant from his friends, especially after Mrs. Flynn singles him out. Claire hugs him and lets him know that he can trust his friends, resolving some of the distance between them.

Hiền also feels alone, “still stuck in the middle of the ocean […] Far away from my mother…and far away from my son” (176). Hiền is also fearful that “Tiền doesn’t think he can tell me things. He knows we’re from two different sides of the world” (177). Her aunt is quick to assuage her fears. When Hiền is able to trust her aunt and confess how she is feeling, she is able to release her guilt. At the end of the novel, she connects with Tiền and shows her unconditional support.