Mothers And Daughters In Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club

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Introduction An anonymous author once said, “Mothers and daughters- they always share a special bond- though near or far apart- the words that would describe it- are written on the heart” (Maposa). This statement sums up the relationship between the four mother-daughter relationships in Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club. Tan shows that despite differences in culture and upbringing that may cause misunderstandings, a mother’s love for her daughter does not cease. By creating eight unique characters, Tan gives readers seven different point of views in which to illustrate the differences between mother and daughter but also the love that each mother has for her daughter.
Biography
In 1952, Amy Tan was born in America to Chinese immigrant parents. …show more content…

Each mother grew up Chinese, but their daughters were raised American. As the mothers fled from China, each had a wish. “In America I will have a daughter just like me. But over there nobody will say her worth is measured by the loudness of her husband’s belch. Over there nobody will look down on her, because I will make her speak only perfect American English” (Tan 17). This hope kept them going, even when things were tough. Every action the mothers make can be explained by this desire to give their daughters a better life than they once had. The first mother-daughter pair is Suyuan and June Woo. June is put into a unique position compared to the other three daughters. Suyuan passed away two months ago, and June has been asked to replace her mother in the Joy Luck Club. As June ponders this, she thinks about what the other members of the club are thinking.
“They must wonder now how someone like me can take my mother’s place. A friend once told me that my mother and I were alike, that we had the same wispy hand gestures, the same girlish laugh and sideways look. When I shyly told my mother this, she seemed insulted and said, ‘You don’t even know little percent of me! How can you be me?’ And she’s right. How can I be my mother at Joy Luck?” (Tan

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