In Ken Liu’s short story “The Paper Menagerie,” Jack’s identity changes and develops through the use of symbolism, setting, and point of view.

In Ken Liu’s short story, “The Paper Menagerie,” the paper tiger symbolizes the struggle of the mother to show her love to her son.

In Ken Liu’s short story, “The Paper Menagerie,” the protagonist Jack’s stereotype develops and changes by people around him.

In Ken Liu’s short story “The Paper Menagerie,” Jack’s identity changes and develops through the use of symbolism. Since his mother is Chinese, Jack got influenced by Chinese culture when he was young. His mother’s paper menageries symbolize Chinese culture. As Jack grows up, his identity changes by his American friends. They had a stereotype that American culture is better than Chinese culture. Since then, he criticizes his mother and her paper menageries. He continuously avoids Chinese culture and his mother until her mother dies. A few years later, he finds letters written in the paper menageries. Although the letters were written in Chinese, Jack’s mother had tried to express her love by letters because Jack did not talk with her. After reading the letters, he regrets his actions. The paper menagerie symbolizes a mother trying to express her love towards a son who closed his heart.