U.S. Multicultural Visions
Ask any typical-looking Asian students around campus whether they are Chinese
or Japanese and the reply will probably be universal: "Neither, I’m
Chinese-American." In reality, developing a clear concept of exactly how they
define themselves as a "race" has become a difficult thing to do in this day and
age for most Chinese-Americans. Many have become so well adjusted to the
American way of life, that the only thing still tying them to their ancestral
roots is physical appearance and the answer to the SAT questionnaire about
ethnicity background. This is the basis for the overall theme of The Joy Luck
Club by Amy Tan. The Joy Luck Club is a group of varied stories rooted in the
culture clash between four women whom adamantly follow Chinese refinement and
their respective daughters, who are Americanized. Throughout the story, it
becomes obvious that the daughters have become Americanized and are veering away
from the sacred culture with which the mothers have come to appreciate as the
basis for what keeps them stable throughout the endless trails and hardships
they face. The differences in the upbringing of those women born during the
first quarter of this century in China, and their daughters, born in the
American atmosphere of California, are differences that form a metaphorical
brick wall between the two generations’ lives. Faced with this wall, both sides
have a hard time relating to one another.
From the beginning of the
novel, Suyuan Woo tells the story of "The Joy Luck Club," a group started by the
four Chinese mothers during World War II, where "we feasted, we laughed, we
played games, lost and won, we told the best stories. And each week, we could
hope to be lucky. That hope was our only joy." (p. 12). It is obvious that over
the years this weekly event has become more than just a game of Mah Jong and an
extra helping of dinner for these women. It is the tie that binds them together;
it is what keeps them grounded in what little Chinese culture is left for them
to have and hold. Growing up during perilous times in China, they all were
taught "to desire nothing, to swallow other people’s misery, to eat [their] own
bitterness." (p. 241). Though not many of them grew up terribly poor, they all
had a certain respect for their elders, and for life itself. These Chinese
mothers were all taught to be honorable, to the point of sacrificing their own
lives to keep any family members’ promise. They all were taught "to desire
nothing, to swallow other people’s misery, to eat [their] own bitterness." (p.
241). This is in comparison to the American daughters who grew up with little to
almost no culture. Lindo Jong, whose daughter, Waverly, doesn’t even know four
Chinese words, describes the complete difference and incompatibility of the two
worlds she tried to connect for her daughter, American circumstances and Chinese
character. She explains that there is no lasting feeling in being born in
America, and that all being a minority means is that you are the first in line
for scholarships. Most importantly, she notes that "In America, nobody says you
have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you." (p. 289). Living in
America, it was easy for Waverly to accept American circumstances and to grow up
as any other American citizen. As a Chinese mother, Lindo wanted her daughter to
learn the importance of Chinese character. She tried to teach her
Chinese-American daughter "How to obey parents and listen to your mother’s mind.
How not to show your own thoughts, to put your feelings behind your face so you
can take advantage of hidden opportunities . . . How to know your own worth and
polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring." (p. 289). The
American-born daughters never grasp on to these traits, partly why their story
lines become so different from their purely Chinese parents.
"Rules of the
Game" is a set example in which the mother-daughter cultural conflict is
evident. Waverly’s mother is constantly showing off her daughter because she is
a national chess champion. In a Chinese society, a woman’s social standing is
measured by how successful the children are and also how well you care for your
spouse. Waverly’s mother constantly boasts about Waverly’s mastery of the game
of chess. However, this conflicts with the accepted American norm of modestly
equaling politeness. Because of this, Waverly interprets this constant praise as
exploitation.
In another episode, "Waiting Between the Trees," the
cultural clash emerges again. This time, however, it is over spouses. Ying-Ying,
the mother, admits that her daughter, Lena St. Clair, "sprang from me like a
slippery fish, and had been swimming away ever since" (p. 274) when she was
born. Lena chooses American ways of life over her Chinese culture, not realizing
that her Chinese family education and tradition will have influence over her
future. There was always a serious lack of communication in the St. Clair
household. Both sides, parents and daughter, only tried to keep peace and
stability growing up instead of really getting to know each other. Lena always
ignored the fact that children learn to act as their parents do before them
regarding marriage. Because of this, Lena inherits her mother’s attitude and
rushes into a superficial marriage just as her mother had done two times
before.
When June makes her trip to China at the end of the book, it is
her way of undermining any obstacles standing in the way and finally reaching
out to her mother’s culture. By completing her mother’s promise to return to
China and honor her sisters, June is transferring what she had absorbed from her
mother and her tradition. One of the most important and pivotal quotes is on
page 306 with the line: "And I think, My mother is right. I am becoming
Chinese".