Clay Pot Fish- symbolizes the nature of relationships: The more time and effort one puts in, the more "flavorful" the relationship becomes.
Gaping Fish- symbolizes the trauma Chi (and later Minh) experienced due to her failure to belong. She is "paralyzed" and "fried;" forced to watch as her very identity is stripped from her, powerless to stop it.
Catfish- Catfish, in the context of the memoir, are a representation of the Vietnamese people. The cycle of catfish consumption is introduced very early. While in prison, An's father would eat catfish, then defecate them into the water, where the other catfish would feed on his leavings. Later, An's father would eat those very catfish, perpetuating the cycle. The Vietnamese, life the catfish, sustain themselves through what many would consider inhumanly vile ways. This reflects An's opinion of the country as a "whore".
Regret- An, the American Vietnamese War Veterans he meets, and Thong all feel regret over the things they have done (or not done) to others.
Exile- Just as An is exiled from Vietnam because he and his family no longer belong, he later returns due to his feelings of displacement experienced in the United States.
Food- Food is the enduring connection through which An connects with people. Nearly all of An's significant interactions, both negative and positive, revolve around meals. This is exemplified in his conversations with Tyle, Chi(star fruit), Anh(clay pot catfish), Huy, and Colonel Van, and many others.
Survival- Repeatedly, survival is placed above all else. An harshly judges the Vietnamese people for their lives of squalor and poverty, but they do what they must to survive. As An says: "Dignity does not ride shotgun to opportunity."
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