Theme Number 1 Overcoming Obstacles
The theme of overcoming obstacles is a theme in the book The Joy Luck Club. The theme of overcoming obstacles is prominent all throughout the book because each character had to deal with an obstacle. For instance, the mothers had to deal with an obstacle in China that eventually led them to America. And, the daughters of that women had to obstacles |
Theme Number 2 Change in Generations
The theme that the generations has changed over time is made in the book, The Joy Luck Club. This theme is shown throughout the book because as the mothers acquired their customs, beliefs, and traditions, they were not always so successful in passing them down to their daughters. The daughters in the story have begun to adapt to America in which they grew up in, and they have adapted their beliefs, customs, and traditions, making them a more "modern American." |
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan is a story that is separated into four parts; within these four parts, the stories of 16 women are told. Through these characters, the themes of overcoming obstacles and cultural/generation differences are shown. These two themes interact and work together in the story because in the story most times the character had to overcome the obstacle of having a different point of view than the other.
The story begins with the quote, “My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother, whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts.” (Page 19) This quote opens up the story that Jing-Mei now has to take over the club that her mother once oversaw; however Jing Mei is quite unsure if she can. The theme of generation differences is already shown in the beginning of the book because Jing-Mei is unsure if she knows her mother that well. She knows that she has to go to China and tell her twin sisters what her mother was like and what she had to go through, but she is unsure if she can. Also, in the beginning of the story the theme is shown when Jing-Mei recites her mother’s story of when she was in Kweilin; “We were a city of leftovers mixed together. If it hadn’t been for the Japanese, there would have been plenty of reason for fighting to break out among these different people.” However, this also shows how the mother had to overcome the obstacles she faced in China. In China, the mother had a rougher life and because of that she had to make a difficult decision on what she should do with her two twin daughters. Unfortunately though, the best option was to leave her twin daughters in hopes that someone would come upon them and take care of them, and give them a good life that she knew she might not be able to give them.
The theme of overcoming obstacles is shown multiple times in the short stories of the character’s lives. For example, An-mei had learned from her mother to be strong and to not trust anyone. An-Mei later had a daughter, Rose Hsu Jordan. Rose is set on marrying Ted, although her mother and mother in law do not approve of it. An-Mei’s mother said to her, “He is American,’ warned my mother, as if I had been too blind to notice. A waigoren.” In addition to An-Mei’s mother not approving their marriage, Ted’s mother did not approve of the marriage. “…But Ted was going to be in one of those professions where he would be judged by a different standard, by patients and other doctors who might not be as understanding as the Jordan’s were. She said it was so unfortunate the way the rest of the world was how unpopular the Vietnam War was.” This incident between both parents made the couple overcome the obstacle of having their parents disapprove of their marriage. However, this incident also touches the idea of discrimination/ conflict in America because the two ethnicities had something against each other; as Ted’s mother thought she was Vietnamese instead of Chinese, and An-Mei’s mother already stereotyped Ted since he was white. But, An-mei and Ted eventually were married despite their parent’s opinions. However, Rose has let herself be controlled by Ted; she had let Ted make all the decisions in their life. Finally, Rose decides that she has to gain control in her life and files for a divorce.
The story begins with the quote, “My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother, whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts.” (Page 19) This quote opens up the story that Jing-Mei now has to take over the club that her mother once oversaw; however Jing Mei is quite unsure if she can. The theme of generation differences is already shown in the beginning of the book because Jing-Mei is unsure if she knows her mother that well. She knows that she has to go to China and tell her twin sisters what her mother was like and what she had to go through, but she is unsure if she can. Also, in the beginning of the story the theme is shown when Jing-Mei recites her mother’s story of when she was in Kweilin; “We were a city of leftovers mixed together. If it hadn’t been for the Japanese, there would have been plenty of reason for fighting to break out among these different people.” However, this also shows how the mother had to overcome the obstacles she faced in China. In China, the mother had a rougher life and because of that she had to make a difficult decision on what she should do with her two twin daughters. Unfortunately though, the best option was to leave her twin daughters in hopes that someone would come upon them and take care of them, and give them a good life that she knew she might not be able to give them.
The theme of overcoming obstacles is shown multiple times in the short stories of the character’s lives. For example, An-mei had learned from her mother to be strong and to not trust anyone. An-Mei later had a daughter, Rose Hsu Jordan. Rose is set on marrying Ted, although her mother and mother in law do not approve of it. An-Mei’s mother said to her, “He is American,’ warned my mother, as if I had been too blind to notice. A waigoren.” In addition to An-Mei’s mother not approving their marriage, Ted’s mother did not approve of the marriage. “…But Ted was going to be in one of those professions where he would be judged by a different standard, by patients and other doctors who might not be as understanding as the Jordan’s were. She said it was so unfortunate the way the rest of the world was how unpopular the Vietnam War was.” This incident between both parents made the couple overcome the obstacle of having their parents disapprove of their marriage. However, this incident also touches the idea of discrimination/ conflict in America because the two ethnicities had something against each other; as Ted’s mother thought she was Vietnamese instead of Chinese, and An-Mei’s mother already stereotyped Ted since he was white. But, An-mei and Ted eventually were married despite their parent’s opinions. However, Rose has let herself be controlled by Ted; she had let Ted make all the decisions in their life. Finally, Rose decides that she has to gain control in her life and files for a divorce.