Summary

The short story “How to Pronounce Knife” by Souvankham Thammavongsa begins with Joy, a first-grade student, being sent home from school with a note pinned to her chest. At home, Joy’s mother throws the note away because she cannot read. She also believes that if it is something important someone will call her. 

When Joy’s father comes home from work, the family eats dinner on the floor from newspaper sheets. They eat chitterlings and Joy recalls being mocked by her classmates for taking the smelly dish to school. Joy’s father worries about his job and thinks about his former life in Laos which was more prestigious. Joy tries to give her father the note that her mother threw away, but her father dismisses her and tells her to hide her Lao identity. 

A few days later, Joy’s class prepares to take the class pho...