Paired Texts > On the Reverence Due Father- and Mother-in-Law

by Zhao Ban c. 49 - c. 120

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

On the Cultivation of Virtue, Woman's Work, and Politeness
On the Cultivation of Virtue, Woman's Work, and Politeness
Zhao Ban

This first-century text written by China's first female historian shares some of the principles that women should follow to serve their husbands.

Pair these two texts by the same author and ask students to compare the advice Zhao Ban gives in each text. Based on both texts, what does Zhao Ban believe the role of women in society is? How is the way a woman should treat her husband similar or different from the way she should treat his parents?

8th Grade Philosophy 600L
Fish Cheeks
Fish Cheeks
Amy Tan

In "Fish Cheeks," which is about a Chinese American girl who feels embarrassed by her family during dinner, Tan explores how culture can be essential to a person's identity.

Pair “Fish Cheeks” with “On the Reverence Due Father- and Mother-in-Law” to expose students to takes on Chinese culture nearly two millennia apart. Honor might not mean what a reader expects in Zhao Ban’s “On the Reverence Due Father- and Mother-in-Law.” Similarly, in “Fish Cheeks,” the narrator is embarrassed by her father following the custom of burping after a meal to show appreciation, which astonishes guests who come from a culture where burping is rude. How might time period and culture affect the ways people show respect?

6th Grade Short Story 910L
Northeast Natives
Northeast Natives
BirdBrain History

"Northeast Natives" is an informational text that invites readers to imagine how they would explore the villages and lives of America's pre-Columbian northeast natives.

Pair “Northeast Natives” with “On The Reverence Due Father- And Mother-in-Law” and ask students to compare and contrast the use of the second person, or “you,” point-of-view and how it affects them as readers engaging with the text.

6th Grade Informational Text 930L