Han+Sean

Sean Han

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

Although it seems obvious that daughters should resemble their mothers, sometimes they can be like complete strangers. Generally, when immigrants raise their children in America, they fear that their children will be negatively influenced by American culture. In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan explores a variety of relationships between friends, lovers, and enemies, but mostly between mothers and daughters. The four mothers in the novel try to imprint their Asian cultures into their daughters, but they rebel against them because of their desires to fit in with American culture. The difference between women born during the first quarter of this century in China, and their daughters born in California, is undeniable; in many cases, the daughter is an “American translation” of her mother.

Since the beginning of the novel, Suyuan Woo talks about "The Joy Luck Club," a group she started during World War II, where "we feasted, we laughed, we played games, lost and won, we told the best stories. And each week, we could hope to be lucky. That hope was our only joy." (p. 12). They grew up during dangerous times in China. They all were taught "to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat [their] own bitterness." (p. 241)

Having grown up in America, it was natural for Waverly to accept American circumstances and to grow up as an American citizen. As a Chinese mother, though, Lindo wanted her daughter to learn the importance of Chinese character. She tried to teach her Chinese-American daughter "How to obey parents and listen to [her] mother's mind. How not to show [her] own thoughts, to put [her] feelings behind [her] face so [she] can take advantage of hidden opportunities . . . How to know [her] own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring." (p. 289)

Waverly never understands her mothers words, and as the book shows, she became completely different from her purely Chinese mother. She never gains a sense of real respect for her elders, or for her Chinese background, and in the end grew up to be completely different from what her mom planned her to be.

By the situation given by Waverly and Lindo Jong in The Joy Luck Club, it is obvious just how different a Chinese-American daughter can be from her Chinese mother. The Waverly shows that Chinese beliefs and ideals can be changed completely to American ones through just one generation. She has become American not only in her speech, but in her thoughts, actions and lifestyles. This novel has shown the great contrast that occurs from generation to generation and how a daughter can grow up to become an “American translation” of her mother.

EB: Jin Soo Cheong