![]() ![]() Basically, although An-Mei believes that she failed to raise her daughter, Rose comes to the realization of what she truly needs with the help of her mother. Additionally, in the article, “An-Mei Hsu”, Catherine Romagnolo describes how even though An-Mei feels she is unsuccessful in raising her daughter the opposite way she was brought up, “Rose comes to better understand herself and her own desires by listening to her mother’s wisdom, and in the end, she is able to extricate herself from a loveless marriage” (Romagnolo). But they also need to discover their individual strength separate from their mothers. All mothers and daughters are connected, and daughters need to honor that. An-mei says that her daughter must metaphorically peel off her own skin to see the love and influence of her mother beneath. After An-Mei’s mother put her flesh in the soup, she advised, “You must peel off your skin, and that of your mother, and her mother before her”. In conclusion, through their life stories of wisdom and sacrifices, Tan demonstrates the deep, valuable bond between a mother and daughter.Īn-Mei Hsu reveals more about her complex relationships with her mother and daughter through the wisdom passed down from generations to generations. Their individual decisions to tell the stories and their secrets and histories, is their last attempt to bridge the gap between cultures, languages and generations and restore the mother and daughter relationship. The mothers see their own daughters reflected in Jing-mei and realize how little she knew about her own mother’s past and realize the relationships with their daughters are the same and their stories need to be told. Furthermore, after the mothers find out that Jing-Mei never really knew her mother, she realizes, “They see daughters who grow impatient when their mothers talk in Chinese, who think they are stupid when they explain things in fractured English… They see daughters who will bear grandchildren born without any connecting hope passed from generation to generation”. The mothers want to keep their daughters close and teach them lessons from their own Chinese upbringing, but the daughters strive to be independent from their mothers. (Shen)Įssentially, Tan describes how the mothers’ lives, though different, all develop similar mindsets and convey their love through their life stories to help their daughters understand the meaning of their actions. ![]() As a result, the mothers are possessively trying to hold onto their daughters, and the daughters are battling to get away from their mothers. Though the mothers all have different names and individual stories, they seem interchangeable in that they all have similar personalities - strong, determined, and endowed with mysterious power - and that they all show similar concerns about their daughters’ welfare. Moreover, Born of a Stranger, published in 2009, by Gloria Shen, describes the novel’s mother-daughter relationships, through the illustration: ![]() Tan illustrates how no matter the countless differences and troubles a daughter and mother may have, deep down, mothers still love and care for their daughters and daughters to mothers. From the relationship displayed between An-Mei’s mother and grandmother, she realizes that the connection is still strong even though Popo forbade her from coming back home and An-Mei from talking about her. It is shou so deep it is in your bones” (Tan 48). For instance, after An-mei’s mother attempts to save Popo by adding her own flesh to a Chinese soup, An-mei realizes, “This is how a daughter honors her mother. This essay investigates mother-daughter relationships in The Joy Luck Club through analysis of the characterization of the women using the symbolism of jewelry and chess, and the irony of American dreams.Īs complex as they may be, Tan’s novel pays particular attention to the special connection between mothers and daughters being extremely valued and powerful. Chinese American novelist, Amy Tan, is best known for her first novel, The Joy Luck Club a beloved tale of the emotional conflict between Chinese American mothers and Chinese American daughters separated by generational and cultural differences. During the 20th century, literature took an uprise in the world of fiction in the United States, where many writers originating from a diversity of ethnic minorities shared their ideas, background, and culture with the public. ![]()
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