The Joy Luck Club is a very moving movie about four mothers and four daughters and how they relive many of the same occurrences and hardships throughout life, only in different times and settings. Their expectations for that are passed from one generation to the next, their beliefs, and their customs. Starting with the mothers who grew up in China, they tell their stories through flashbacks and what they have taken from their experiences growing up. Tradition, respect, and obedience were the main themes of their generation. They were taught never to desire anything to be humble and quiet. They wanted so much more for their children. They came to America wanting more for their families, but more particularly their daughters who were born as Americans. The mothers did not want their daughters to experience going "without," love, hope, joy, and to always have good luck and fortune, all while knowing whom they are. I really enjoyed this movie because it helped me learn more about Chinese customs and traditions and gave me insight into some of the hardships many Chinese women had to experience such as arranged marriages and the importance and prestige of bearing sons, the daughters had to deal with bi-racial children, European-American fathers introduced in the family, as well as hold up the expectations the mothers hold for them. As for gender, sons were more important to have as well as the prestige of being male in the culture (making decisions). Filial Piety was very important on different levels, the children were taught to respect the ancestors and elders, and while the American born children did, it was also hard for them to live up to the standards of their mothers they did respect them, but they were trying more to fulfill their expectations. The relationships between all mothers and daughters were very important and how each possessed similar characteristics and qualities that they pass on from generation to generation.
