Multiculturalism and Mother-Daughter Relationships in "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
In the novel "The Joy Luck Club," author Amy Tan delved into the dynamics and nature of relationships between Chinese mothers and second-generation Chinese-American daughters. Illustrating through the relationships of four mother-and-daughter pairs, Tan reflected how multiculturalism had contributed to the strain in the relationships of people exposed to different beliefs, values, and viewpoints in life. The novel centered most particularly on the relationship between Suyuan Woo and Jing-mei "June" Woo, whose antagonistic treatment against each other was the result of misperceptions and misunderstandings from the different cultures they had known and grew up with. The antagonistic nature and conflict-filled dynamics of Suyuan and June's relationship reflected Tan's objective, which was to portray through their characters how multiculturalism had created a 'gap' between the two characters, straining their relationship until Suyuan's death. Their relationship was just one of the many conflicts that emerge from multiculturalism, an inevitable social change in American society that led to the hybridization of numerous cultures extant in the society. June's Chinese and American heritage created conflict within her, wherein she
was not able to reconcile whether she should be Chinese or American; to reconcile both would result to an altogether different identity. Whichever cultural identity June chooses, she was met with criticisms by her mother-by being 'not too Chinese or American enough.' Similarly, Suyuan's Chinese identity clashed against June's pluralist view of her culture (i.e., both Chinese and American). This phenomenon was not only the mother's dilemma, but the daughter's, too. Having grown up in a culture that was more Americanized with the inclusion of other numerous cultures, the daughter (specifically, June) cannot empathize with her mother's desire to get to know her native Chinese culture and heritage. For June, what was worth knowing about was the culture she had known all her life; to know other cultures apart from hers would necessitate not only emotional attachment, but also dedication and perseverance on her part. Thus, both mother and daughter experienced their own kinds of 'void'-that is, inability to express empathy for each other's feelings, thoughts, and experiences. "The Joy Luck Club" is therefore a novel that seeks to illustrate multiculturalism not as a hindrance, but a 'bridge' through which cultural differences become complementary rather than conflicting with each other. Through Tan's effective portrayal of mother-daughter dynamics in the novel, she was able to argue that multiculturalism and differences are more beneficial than detrimental in thoroughly understanding people of all races, culture, and personalities. The second theme, which posited that Suyuan and June's different cultures complement each othe
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1108
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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