Essay+Rough+Draft

//**In what way is a daughter the “American Translation” of her mother? Choose a mother/ daughter pair and discuss.**//

A translation is the “conversion of something from one form or medium into another.” One can see translation in everyday life through usage of language dictionaries. As a word gets translated, one will realize how the meaning is slightly different from the original. This is because different memories are associated with languages that are used in divergent cultures. An American translation is demonstrated in The Joy Luck Club through mother/daughter pair. A daughter is the American translation of her mother when they both have similar personalities or experiences, but the daughter shows her character in an American way. Waverly Jong is the “American Translation” of Lindo Jong because Waverly becomes critical about her husband and like her mother, makes cunning plans to get what she wants.

Waverly’s feelings towards her husband becomes the American translation of Lindo’s criticism. When Waverly first meets her husband, Marvin Chen, she pictures him as “nearly perfect” (174). She describes him as a rich, handsome man who got a full scholarship to Standford. He makes her happy and she is attracted to him. However, after she hears bad comments from her mother about Marvin, she realizes how she starts to see him differently. Lindo’s criticism translates into Waverly being critical about Marvin. The daughter is influenced by the mother because she agrees with the mother’s comments and does not try to save her marriage. Lindo’s criticism influences Waverly to believe that her husband is not the same man as he was before the marriage. Lindo would “be quiet at first. Then, she would say a word about something small, more and more, until his[Marvin]’s looks, his character, his soul would have eroded away” (174). Lindo is telling Waverly how the marriage will not succeed, only it will worsen. Waverly becomes afraid after she falls in love with Rich because she is scared of failing another marriage by becoming like her mother. Although Waverly wants to marry Rich, she is concerned that she will become just like her mother and fail another marriage. Through Lindo’s criticism, Waverly has been influenced to think and act like her mother. In this sense, Waverly is an American translation of Lindo.

Waverly learns her crafty personality from her mother, which she uses in order get blessings for her new relationship with Rich. Waverly is very cunning and she is great with creating brilliant plans to get what she wants. One example is trying to make Lindo to approve her relationship with Rich Shields. Waverly is very sharp and she always observes her surroundings before she makes a plan. At the same time, she is sensitive to people’s personalities which she uses to manipulate them later on. For instance, when Waverly comes up with “a brilliant plan” to have Rich Schields, her lover, win the mother over. or instance, Waverly comes up with a plan to have Rich Schields, her lover, win over her mom. One afternoon, Rich and Waverly stop by Auntie Suyuan’s house and stays there for dinner. Waverly knows Lindo and Auntie Suyuan are competitive and they are very close to each other. Waverly gets Rich to write a thank you card to Auntie Suyuan saying that her food “was the best Chinese food he has ever tasted” (176). This makes Lindo become competitive. She make an excuse to invite Rich to make him taste her food. Waverly observes Lindo and Auntie Suyuan’s relationship before coming up with a plan. She is very manipulative of the situation. This is very similar to Waverly’s plan works in the end and she gets blessings for her new relationship. Just like Lindo, Waverly acquires skill being crafty from Lindo.

Waverly demonstrates how she becomes an American translation by being critical about her first husband and also by making crafty plans to get approval for her relationship with Rich. Waverly has very similar personality as her mother but Waverly shows her character in an American way. Not only this American translation is limited to China or Asia but for all countries around the world. The translation really depends on the background overall. A lot of mothers and daughters’ relationships show the translation. American translation can be seen as a universal value. It is evident that every daughter becomes a translation of her mother.

Peer edit by Anna Kim:

Peer edit by Susan Kim: Peer edit by Sarah Lee: