

"The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu
Aug 29, 2017
An immigrant mother uses magical origami to connect with her American-born son. The story explores their strained relationship, culminating in a poignant hospital scene. The narrator reflects on memories of their mother, finding a letter from her in the form of a paper animal. They seek a better life and reflect on the delicate nature of relationships. The hosts discuss the parallel between the paper menagerie and relationships, have a conversation with filmmaker Ava Duvernay, and share their love for Barbies.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Introduction
00:00 • 4min
Magical Origami
03:53 • 17min
Strained Relationship and Cultural Divide
20:47 • 5min
Memories and Reflections
25:58 • 13min
Seeking a Better Life
38:54 • 10min
Reflections on the Delicate Nature of Relationships and The Paper Menagerie
48:32 • 4min
A Conversation with Filmmaker Ava Duvernay and an Advertisement
52:11 • 2min