Free Essay Joy Luck Club

Sue · Uploaded by **Sue** on Jul 23, 2005

Joy Luck Club - Generational Dichotomy of Culture

In a mixed race society, misunderstanding amongst different ethnicities occurs frequently. In her novel The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan asks what happens when different generations of the same heritage misunderstand each other. Tan focuses on the stifling relationships between mothers and daughters from seemingly separate centuries. The driving wedge proves to be cultural. Tan questions the role of culture in individuality and whether one can choose to ignore her history. After reading this novel, one gains a new respect for history and ancestry. Using academic literary techniques such as symbolism and characterization, Tan presents a complimentary view on heavily culture-based societies.

Tan presents the generations as squaring off across polar universities. The mother generation came from a society of political and societal upheaval. The dictatorial Chinese power is turned upside down by Japanese insurgents. The mothers live solely for surviving with a modicum of dignity. They escape from a dangerous political regime-"America was where all my mother's hopes lay...after losing everything in China" (141), only to lose a definitive piece of their culture. The country is a melting pot of heritages, diluting each society to a dull broth. The daughters are of the selfish generation today. They view their Chinese history as a barrier, a road block to their dreams. All they see is the disappointment of their mothers. As Rose Hsu Jordan says, "After seeing my mother's disappointed face once again, something inside me began to die" (144). The daughters find solace from this disappointment in the secular culture. From the mothers' perspective, the daughters' behavior is cutting. Lindo Jong says, "I am ashamed. Because she is my daughter and I am proud of her, and I am her mother but she is not proud of me" (291). Both of these opinions push the generations to act. The mothers cling to their culture, the daughters shove it away. Tan portrays the mothers as embroiled to combat the secularized mellowness of American culture and the daughters as cult believers in American vanity. The purpose of the novel is to define how much culture can direct the actions of an individual.

Tan analyzes character and personality in culture. The determination given derives from both political and geographical roots. For the Chinese culture in the novel, "Once you are born Chinese, you cannot help but feel and think Chinese" (306). Tan distinguishes between a political and a geographical alliance to a society. The difference being one driven by fear or consequence versus one based on devotion and love. The mothers devote themselves to their Chinese background, but not to the country's rulers. These women connect because of a shared love for their culture. As Jing-Mei Woo describes of her mother, "My mother could sense that the women of these families also had unspeakable tragedies they had left behind in China and hopes they couldn't begin to express in their fragile English" (6), while tragedy brought them together culture united them. The mothers fear that this "joy-luck" culture will not pass on, "They are frightened. In me they see their own daughters, just as ignorant, just as unmindful of all the truths and hopes they have brought to America...They see daughters who will bear grandchildren born without any connecting hope passed from generation to generation" (31).The daughters in the novel do not want to feel a connection to their ancestry. Yet, as Tan points out, a person cannot escape heritage. Culture need not be a shackle, however. As Lindo Jong says, "I made a promise to myself: I would always remember my parents' wishes, but I would never forget myself" (53). A person's culture can act as a flavorful spice in personality. Tan argues that the fact of culture does not denote eternal and absolute submission to an idea.

As a multi-cultural novel, The Joy Luck Club accomplishes in developing understanding of generational and cultural disparity. Tan's powerful use of symbolism creates a metaphor for cultural imprisonment-"The water heated up and the pot began to clatter with this crab trying to tap his way out of his own hot soup...screaming as he thrust one bright red claw out over the side of the bubbling pot" (226). By using insightful, contextual symbols, Tan invites the reader into the constrictive barriers of this culture. Writing from a Chinese heritage, Tan takes advantage of the cultural reliance on animal importance to cultivate depth in its intellectual meaning. Her imagery representing individuality is concrete and memorable, "She and I have shared the same body. There is a part of her mind that is a part of mine. But when she was born, she sprang from me like a slippery fish, and has been swimming away ever since" (274). The use of these symbols and imagery is divided between divergent viewpoints. As the novel shifts in perspective, Tan develops distinguishable character voices. If not for these constant voice cues, one might get lost in the ever-changing plot developments. Not only does this make the novel an easier and interesting read, but by doing so Tan directs the reader to shift viewpoints from character to character. Each character contributes a new facet to this culture-based society. There is a distinctive generational separation on the view of cultural responsibilities. This musical-chair narration adds to the idea of generational and cultural diversity. Tan's wielding of literary tools carves out a masterpiece of twentieth century literature.

Ultimately, Tan wants the reader to see that a person can remain selective of her culture without rejecting the entire heritage. Writing on the same idea, David Henry Hwang's Golden Child conversely argues that there is no compromise between eastern and western ideals. Unlike Hwang, Tan incorporates character evolution to accomplish a balance of the conflicting societies. For instance, Tan allows a character to declare in one moment, "My mother and I spoke two different languages...I talked to her in English, she answered back in Chinese" (23) and then to say, "My mother was right. I am becoming Chinese" (306). Even the women of stringent cultural heritage undergo a change in the novel. The practical use of character progression forges new opportunities for Tan. Without it, her position would be inarguable. Humanity is ever changing and cultures transform-making it easier to balance cultural responsibility and individuality.

Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club is a study of maternal relationships and cultural influence. Her use of literary elements argues that culture is meant to be a joy, not a burden. Tan succeeded in educating this generation in its filial responsibilities.