The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a look into the lives of four Chinese women and the lives of their daughters in America. It's a testament to how these women became friends, their daughters growing up, and the difficulties they experienced in a new land. Throughout the novel, the four mothers and their daughters share memories of the joys and conflicts in their lives. It portrays the mothers" struggles in China and their acceptance in America, and the daughters" struggles of finding themselves as Chinese-Americans. .
The first vignette is told by the daughter of the club's founder. Jing-mei Woo explains how the club first started in China and how it continues to the present. The stories, while separate, are woven together as we learn of subsequent deaths, divorces, and family reunions in later chapters. The feelings that mothers have concerning their daughters, how daughters feel about their mothers, and the competition, love and resentment that takes place among various members of the group are gradually revealed. They essentially capture hearts and open eyes at the same time. While reading the book, my heart went out to the women as I realized they had to endure things that many others would never see.
One of the major conflicts is the mothers" desire of the younger generation to become more Americanized. Yet as the second generation ages, they become more interested in retaining their unique Chinese heritage. Each girl has a true nature and spirit that enables her to find unique ways to cope with life. These individual characteristics are their means of survival through hard times. However, because of drastic differences in the environments in which they were raised and in their life experiences, the women have some opposing ideas and beliefs. This, and their lack of communication is responsible for many of the problems in their relationship. .
I believe the way their relationships begin to develop, and the conflicts they face reveal the themes that Amy Tan intends for the readers to learn.
