Joy Luck Club Post #2

After reading the next section of the Joy Luck Club, it mainly follows the story of fighting against her mother and her cultural beliefs. These mainly regard her marrying an American man while her sisters married Chinese men. This is a very interesting plot and theme for the story and I am very fascinated by it. Taking this into my own life, it reminds me of how my mother is from the south and married my father who is from the north. However, I am particularly disenchanted with the book due to its confusing characters and while trying to read other books at the same time and can not fully enjoy the book unfortunately. I enjoy the ideas the book has to offer and the scenes and flashbacks are great such as the "chess scene" but I do not thoroughly enjoy this book right now.

Lancellotti: Post 4

So, all in all, I was very impressed with this book--no disappointments whatsoever! Then again, could I expect anything less from Amy Tan?
The last section of the book had many interesting points, a few of which I will address here. While reading about An-Mei Hsu's childhood and how her mother left her uncle's house and became a concubine of a rich man, I came across a passage about the new clothes her mother was supposed to wear. She wore a white dress, which in many European and eastern countries is associated with death as we associate black, and so it is the color of mourning. Confused, An-Mei Hsu says, "This was a shocking sight. We were in mourning. But I could not say anything. I was a child. How could I scold my own mother? I could only feel shame seeing my mother wear her shame so boldly" (248). I thought this was very interesting that An-Mei's mother choose to wear white as a start to her new life. I contemplated different reasons for her decision: Perhaps she was upset that she had to leave her son behind at their uncle's house; maybe she was simply sad about leaving her old life behind (the life she had without the condescending tones of their aunt and uncle); or possibly she was mourning over the truth of what she was really going to, being the fourth concubine of a rich merchant, and didn't tell her daughter to spare her youth and innocence. Later I found that this last assumption was probably right because Wu Tsing had sex with An-Mei's mother and she had to comply. This was the most disgusting part of the book; I was so angered by the terrible treatment the Hsu girls had to endure. I was heartbroken when An-Mei began crying as she was wrenched out of the room and separated from her mother, both physically and emotionally. From that moment on, she and her mother became spiritually stained by the unspeakable acts of that man.
Another quote that I liked was from the same story segment, but towards the end, when An-Mei recalls the days after her mother poisoned herself with opium, saying, "And on that day, I showed Second Wife the fake pearl necklace she had given me and crushed it under my foot. And on that day, Second Wife's hard began to turn white. And on that day, I learned to shout" (272). I felt that the pearl necklace was very symbolic of the way some people treat others. They will sing nothing but praises about them, feeding them the foods of pride and appreciation. But in reality, they are not a solid marble statue of loyalty, but a gilded sculpture of clay, wavering and unsteady, that will be crushed at the slightest hint of pressure or trouble, like the pearls. Unfortunately, that's how many "friendships" are in America, and I even see this type of relationship daily in the hallways at school. I've even had someone talk badly about a "friend" to me privately and then the next minute I see they're being all buddy-buddy with them. I don't get how difficult it is to be genuine! Maybe it's just a survival instinct. After all, high school is a dangerous jungle.

Blog Post #4

In the fourth and final section of reading, Jing-mei’s story deals with superstition blending into wisdom. Again, cultural tensions emerge as a motif. At the beginning of her narrative, Jing-mei describes her first reaction to the “life’s importance” pendant; she had found it garish and unstylish, yet since her mother’s death she has come to realize its meaning. Once symbolizing only a cultural difference between herself and her mother, the pendant has now become a testament to the maternal wisdom and love that Jing-mei once mistook—indeed, perhaps due to cultural differences—for superstition and criticism. This reminds me that humans don't know what they have until it's gone, nor do they appreciate it. Although this is not true for some people, often times, many individuals take what they have and who they have for granted. I enjoyed reading about Jing-mei's realization about her mother because it taught her a lesson and forced her to have a new perspective. It is easy to relate to this because I am also guilty of taking who I have (or had rather) in my life for granted. Although it is tragic to loose a relative, it makes their time on Earth that much more meaningful.

Blog Post #3

In the third section of the reading, I noticed a reoccurring theme: to listen to elders. During the story, "Rice Husband", the mother could predict evils. She told Lena that for every grain of rice she did not finish, her husband would have an imperfection. Time and time again, Lena would leave heaps of rice untouched. She was bound to marry her childhood neighbor named Arnold who had severe acne and facial imperfections. Lena refused to marry Arnold and wished him to die. She started finishing all of her rice and even suffered from anorexia to prevent her husband from being imperfect. Years later, Arnold died and Lena sobbed and mourned for his loss. She was unhappy with her present marriage and regretted every wishing anything bad upon Arnold. I feel as though there are two very important lessons within this story: to listen to elders and to practice what you preach. These are two of many of the important lessons that I was raised to practice. This section of the book was very relatable because it showed that one has to accept their own fate. One cannot change their fate. God has a different plan for everybody. If one tries to change their fate, they will only feel heartbroken and hurt in the end. This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference". This just goes to show that one, ultimately, cannot escape what's in store for them; they will receive their fate one way or another.

Blog Post 4

       In this last and final section of The Joy Luck Club, I really learned the importance of family. The way An-Mei Hsu talks about her relationship with her daughter shows how strong the bond between mother and daughter is. "And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came the same way! Maybe it is because she was born to me and she was born a girl. And I was born to my mother and I was born a girl. All of us are like stairs, one step after another, going up and going down, but all going the same way," (241). There is no other relationship like the one of a mother and a daughter. Just like An-Mei Hsu's daughter, many can't help but become just like their mothers, because their influence is that strong and the relationship is perhaps one of the most important. Also, An-Mei Hsu left everything she knew to be with her own mother. She left behind all her other family members, even her brother so that she would not have to live without her mother. She went against the advice of everyone around her in order to do this. A mother is the one that endures the most and yet is always there to care for her child when they need her. There is no other person on Earth that can compare to a mother. I can't even imagine being a girl having to grow up without my mom, so I can completely understand An-Mei Hsu's decision to go with her mother, even though it would be a hard decision.