"The Paper Menagerie" is a 2011

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

magical realism Magical realism, magic realism, or marvelous realism is a style or genre of fiction and art that presents a realistic view of the world while incorporating magical elements, often blurring the lines between speculation and reality. ''Magical rea ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

Ken Liu , birth_date = , birth_place = Lanzhou, Gansu, China , occupation = , nationality = American , period = , genre = Science fiction, fantasy , subject = , movement = , notableworks= * '' The Paper Menagerie'' (2011 ...

. It was first published in ''

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy fiction magazine, fantasy and science-fiction magazine, first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence E. Spivak, Lawrence Spiv ...

''.

Plot Summary

"The Paper Menagerie", a fantastical short story written by Ken Liu, follows Jack, a first-generation American son of a white American father and a Chinese immigrant

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mother. As a child, Jack is enchanted by his mother's magical ability to make

origami ) is the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a ...

paper animals come to life. These paper creatures play with him, comfort him, and become a vivid representation of the intimate bond he shares with his mother, as well as a link to his Chinese heritage. However, as Jack grows older, he becomes conscious of the differences between his family and the American families around him. Wanting to fit in, he begins to reject his Chinese heritage. He stops speaking Chinese and distances himself from his mother, ashamed of her accented English and traditional ways. The rift between them widens as the years go by. As an adult, after his mother's death, Jack discovers a letter she wrote to him, but it's in Chinese. With help, he translates it and learns about his mother's tragic past during the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

in China, her journey to America, and her enduring love for him despite his rejection. The story highlights themes of internalized racism and embracing one's identity.

Reception

The story became the first work of fiction to win all of the

Nebula A nebula (; or nebulas) is a distinct luminescent part of interstellar medium, which can consist of ionized, neutral, or molecular hydrogen and also cosmic dust. Nebulae are often star-forming regions, such as in the Pillars of Creation in ...

, the Hugo and the

World Fantasy Awards The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the eponymous ann ...

. The ''

South China Morning Post The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remaine ...

'' praised the story. ''

The Jakarta Post ''The Jakarta Post'' is a daily English-language newspaper in Indonesia. The paper is owned by PT Bina Media Tenggara and based in the nation's capital, Jakarta. ''The Jakarta Post'' started as a collaboration between four Indonesian media ...

'' called the story a 'masterclass'. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' called it a 'magnificent, poignant tale'. ''

Mashable Mashable is a Online newspaper, news website, digital media platform and entertainment company founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005. History Mashable was founded by Pete Cashmore while living in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2004. Early iterations o ...

'' praised the story as it 'explores immigration, identity, and culture, with so much heart, joy, and brevity'.

References

2011 short stories Fantasy short stories Nebula Award for Best Short Story–winning works Hugo Award for Best Short Story–winning works World Fantasy Award–winning works Fiction about origami Literature about race and ethnicity Chinese-American literature Multiracial literature {{2010s-fantasy-story-stub