The Wedge Between Old & New Cultures
Communicating through superstitions and spiritual connections in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club
Connections & Conflicts: Evelyn
One positive aspect of my relationship with my parents is that we have trust in each other. When it comes to academics, my parents usually trust me to do my own thing and watch me work my way up without really forcing me into anything. They give advice and suggestions when necessary, and I usually trust their judgment.
Illustration by Evelyn K.
One conflict between me and my parents is the lack of communication. It didn’t have to do with language, since I’m bilingual and my parents can understand English pretty well. Sometimes, we can’t understand each other’s feelings and perspectives and tend to only think about ourselves when getting into arguments.
I could see this issue in the relationships between the mothers and daughters in The Joy Luck Club.
Rules of the Game: Waverly
“It was her chang, a small tablet of red jade which held the sun’s fire. ‘Is luck,’ she whispered, and tucked it into my dress pocket” (Tan, Chapter 5).
Illustration by Evelyn K.
The Voice from the Wall: Lena
“She whispered something in Chinese about ‘things not being balanced,’ and I thought she meant things looked, not how things felt. And then she started to move the larger pieces: the sofa, chairs, end tables, a Chinese scroll of goldfish” (Tan, Chapter 6).
Illustration by Evelyn K.
Half and Half: Rose
“My mother had a superstition, in fact, that children were predisposed to certain dangers on certain days, all depending on their Chinese birthdate. It was explained in a little Chinese book called The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates… In one picture, the lizard man was standing on a curved bridge, laughing as he watched the little boy falling forward over the bridge rail, his slippered feet already in the air” (Tan, Chapter 7).
Illustration by Evelyn K.
Two Kinds: Jing
“My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America. You could open a restaurant. You could work for the government and get good retirement. You could buy a house with almost no money down. You could become rich. You could become instantly famous” (Tan, Chapter 8).
Illustration by Evelyn K.
