The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is a novel focusing on the relationships that mothers and daughters share. It discusses the struggle to keep a strong bond between mother and daughter and how generation gaps and cultural differences effect these relationships. The novel is split into four parts, two of which are narrated by the daughters and two of which that are narrated by the mothers. The novel revolves around Jing-mei and her mother Suyuan, along with Suyuan's weekly gathering The Joy Luck Club. The gathering consists of three other mothers who are also immigrants from China just like Suyuan. The daughters who narrate the other two parts of the novel are the daughters of the members of the Joy Luck Club. Jing-mei keeps this gathering alive even after her mother dies. Before her death, Suyuan was trying to locate her two twin daughters, Chwun Yu and Chwun Hwa, who she abandoned in China just before she was forced out because of World War II. Jing-mei struggles with the stress of having to find her half twin sisters and telling them the entire life that their mother lived. She worries whether or not she can portray her mothers great life and teach the twins the values and morals her mother taught her. By being the narrator of her mother, since her mother is dead, Jing-mei cements the bond that her and Suyuan share. Jing-mei shares her mothers life throughout the book, which she now has to share with the twins. She needs to cement the bond the twins share with their mother as well. When she finally travels to China, urged mostly by the women in the Joy Luck Club, Jing-mei successfully forges the mother-daughter relationship between Suyuan and the twins. Her journey to China is symbolic to bringing closure to a broken family and the forging of two different cultures.
Discussion Questions:
1. Jing-mei was the first to tell her twin sisters about the life their mother lead. How would you feel if you had to tell a sibling the entire life of your mother and attempt to forge their mother-daughter bond with them as well? Would you have stress knowing that the fate of their relationship rested on your shoulders?
2. Like Jing-mei and Suyuan, have you ever felt a struggle keeping a friendship or strong relationship with your mother? Has a generation gap ever kept you from becoming close?
3. Why do you think it is a good idea to have more than one narrator in a novel?
6 comments:
To answer the second question, I have felt distant from my mom in certain ways. She enjoys things that I don't exactly like, and I like things that she doesn't. Of course a lot to do with that is the generation gap, because she's experienced a lot more things than I have, she's gained knowledge in some areas that I haven't, and let's face it.. She wears mom jeans......
But anyways, it's difficult to connect with your mom sometimes because you see things differently due to your difference in age. It's hard to have a bond with someone you have nothing in common with, but when you find a way to connect, it helps you to build on your relationship and "bond" the way you want to.
I agree, me and my mom have felt that same way, too. You make a good point about how your mom has experienced more than you and has gained more knowledge in some areas, which can cause a slight strain on the relationship. But once you find that one thing you share in common with, you can build the relationship even stronger.
Oh, and mom jeans. No comment..
To answer the third question, I think it is a good idea to have multiple narrators in some novels, especially when the novel is dealing with experiences and relationships. This is because everyone experiences things differently, and by showing more than one side of the story it gives the reader a better understanding of the situation, and everyone involved.
Agreed. Having multiple narrators gives the novel a new dimension by adding different opinions, which can change the story-line completely. One persons view on something can change the entire plot, and can change how we view certain characters. It makes the novel more dynamic and gives it a better plot-line.
2. Yes, i do struggle to keep a good bond with my mother and i do believe that i am not the only one. Growing up in different generations, it is very tough for a parent to judge how to raise their children and also how to connect to something they've never experienced. The world and its' people are changing every day, and with the stress of every day life and work, it must be very difficult to connect with somebody who grew up in a different society than you and has very different ideas.
Growing up in different generations strongly effects parent and child relationships. It is shown that women who have children at young ages have a closer and stronger relationship with their children because they are closer in age. Their generation gap is much smaller than mine would be with my parents. My parents went to highschool in the late 70's, and I am going to highschool in the late 00's. That right there proves there will be difficulties understanding each others teenage lives.
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