Saving Fish from Drowning
Encyclopedia
Saving Fish From Drowning is a 2005 novel
written by Amy Tan
. It is Tan's sixth and most recent work. The story follows the trials and tribulations twelve American tourists face when they embark on an expedition to explore China
and Burma.
The novel was awarded an honorable mention from the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
.
... messages from the unseen world" a term which can refer to stories people receive from the dead, and which are then written down. She says that a specific story, of a lady from her home town of San Francisco, caught her attention, inspiring her to do some digging and write the story which we now know as "Saving Fish From Drowning".
However, in an interview, she recants this explanation and claims that she actually made up the story of Bibi Chen, the protagonist whose story was supposedly passed along through automatic writing.
, stating that 11 tourists, including four men, five women, and two children have mysteriously vanished in Burma, after sailing away on a cruise on Christmas morning.
From then on, the story is told through the omniscient first person narrative of Bibi Chen, the tour leader who unexpectedly dies before the trip takes place and who continues to watch over her friends as they journey towards their fate.
The novel explores the relationships, insecurities and hidden strengths of the tourists, set against the uneasy political situation in Burma.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Amy Tan
Amy Tan
Amy Tan is an American writer whose works explore mother-daughter relationships. Her most well-known work is The Joy Luck Club, which has been translated into 35 languages...
. It is Tan's sixth and most recent work. The story follows the trials and tribulations twelve American tourists face when they embark on an expedition to explore China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Burma.
The novel was awarded an honorable mention from the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
The Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature are a set of literary awards presented annually by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association...
.
Inspiration
Amy Tan says in her "Note to the Reader" that she drew inspiration for her work from a collection of "Automatic writingAutomatic writing
Automatic writing or psychography is writing which the writer states to be produced from a subconscious and/or spiritual source without conscious awareness of the content.-History:...
... messages from the unseen world" a term which can refer to stories people receive from the dead, and which are then written down. She says that a specific story, of a lady from her home town of San Francisco, caught her attention, inspiring her to do some digging and write the story which we now know as "Saving Fish From Drowning".
However, in an interview, she recants this explanation and claims that she actually made up the story of Bibi Chen, the protagonist whose story was supposedly passed along through automatic writing.
Plot summary
The book opens with an article from the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, stating that 11 tourists, including four men, five women, and two children have mysteriously vanished in Burma, after sailing away on a cruise on Christmas morning.
From then on, the story is told through the omniscient first person narrative of Bibi Chen, the tour leader who unexpectedly dies before the trip takes place and who continues to watch over her friends as they journey towards their fate.
The novel explores the relationships, insecurities and hidden strengths of the tourists, set against the uneasy political situation in Burma.