ipl-logo

The Joy Luck Club American Dream Analysis

1034 Words5 Pages

Bi, Zijian
Thu. 3/5/2015
English 2B
Ms. Freeland 2°
WHEN THE DREAM COMES TRUE
What is your American Dream? “The Joy Luck Club”, a novel by Amy Tan, talks about how four mother-daughter pairs have fulfilled their American Dreams. Suyuan and Jing-mei was one of the mother-daughter pair who wants to fulfill their dreams in America. Suyuan’s American Dream starts in her heart when she decides to escape from the chaotic China and find a better life by immigrating to America. However, she loses her two babies on the way to Chungking. American Dream means different things for different people. Suyuan has fulfilled her American Dream in a certain degree by trying to provide her daughters with successful, blissful and better lives. First of all, Suyuan left Kweilin for Chungking in order to find her husband and avoid the Japanese. But, unfortunately, her journey to Chungking becomes a nightmare to her. “I packed my things and my two babies into this wheelbarrow and began pushing to Chungking four days before the Japanese marched into Kweilin. On the road I heard news of slaughter from people running past me. It was terrible” (26). At that time, there is no train to leave Kweilin, so she has to carry all of her belongings plus her two babies to Chungking by using a wheelbarrow used to haul coal. How preposterous is that! Finally, when she is not able to carry her babies farther any more. She has to beg other people to carry her two babies, but nobody responds or accepts her …show more content…

Through analyzing the stories about their lives’ hardships and experiences, it is revealed that Suyuan’s American Dream is achieved by Jing-mei by going back to her own country, retrieving her two sisters, and makes the family whole again. The story of Suyuan and Jing-mei chasing their American Dream teaches us a lesson: Never gives up your dreams casually. One day, you will be thankful for your persistence, when the dream comes

Show More
Related
587 Words | 3 Pages

The Good Earth, a historical fiction by Pearl S. Buck, shows the life of a farmer in twentieth century China. Throughout the novel, Wang Lung, the main character, progresses from a poor countryman to a rich businessman. O-lan, Wang Lung’s faithful wife, bores her husband many children and serves as a strong foundation in the household. Through multiple examples in the book, Buck portrays the obvious gender bias of Ancient China, a woman’s understood responsibilities within a household, and their quiet power.

Read More
1047 Words | 5 Pages

When Jin is upset on his way to his new home, he is comforted by an old Chinese parable making him feel closer to his mother. Jin is sitting in the back of his car with a tear running down his face (Yang 23). His mother tells him the story of a Chinese boy whose mother makes him move often but in each place new place he stays he can learn new skills in order to adapt to the environment (24). With the use of their culture, she is able to alleviate his worries about moving. It proves to him that no matter where he goes there are always ways to fit in.

Read More
430 Words | 2 Pages

This passage tells of the unsuccessful journey that Suyuan and her new husband go on a search for the babies. It demonstrates how attached a family is in Chinese

Read More
1066 Words | 5 Pages

This disagreement quickly became a source of resentment and anger for both of them, but Jing-Mei and her mother were unable to resolve this conflict because of their different backgrounds and experiences. The story showcases how relationships between mothers and daughters can be strained because of differences in culture and a lack of communication. One of the difficulties between Jing-Mei and her mother is their different cultural backgrounds, which is supported by two points from the story. Firstly, Jing-Mei and her mother both disagreed on the opportunities that existed in America. According to Singer, Amy Tan uses “two entirely

Read More
429 Words | 2 Pages

“After losing everything in China…She never looked back with regret. ”(Chunk 1 ¶3). Jing-Mei’s mother is a Chinese immigrant with the typical ‘everything is better in America’ mindset. Jing-Mei, being raised in America, had more of an American mindset. “You want me to be someone i’m not…I’ll never be the daughter you want me to be!”

Read More
1130 Words | 5 Pages

Born into a family of eight, John D. Rockefeller grew up poor and struggled to meet demands before finding success through the oil industry. Beginning his tough journey through small jobs such as bookkeeping to eventually starting his own oil company, Rockefeller became one of the richest and most successful men in history. His story follows the concept of the so-called American Dream, defined by many as the idea that all people are given the chance to find success and wealth through their own efforts and through perseverance. However, there are different interpretations of the American Dream, as some people view it as personal achievement and happiness. The stories Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald strongly

Read More
212 Words | 1 Pages

Jennifer L. Hochschild describes the American dream as “the soul of the nation.” She clearly illustrates the importance of the dream to American culture. So, what is the American dream according to Hochschild? She was referring to John Locke and his fantasy, then said “But the sentence evokes the unsullied newness, infinite possibility, limitless resources that are commonly understood to be the essences of the “American dream.” She also pointed out the flaws in the American dream and how at times the pursuit of it can lead to counterproductive outcomes not just for the individual but society as a whole.

Read More
1171 Words | 5 Pages

American Dream The “American Dream” is what drives almost every U.S. citizen throughout their lives. The american dream to most people is moving to america finding a job you love buying a nice house and plot of land that they can raise their family on. In the Playwright A streetcar named desire a female character named Stella tries to live out her american dream but ends up doing quite the opposite.

Read More
1232 Words | 5 Pages

Each and every character in Yu Hua’s To Live is a catalyst through which the author explores human nature. The novel itself follows the life of Fugui, whose narrative is framed by pre-communist, Maoist, and post-communist China. Though he chronicles a long period of time, Yu Hua effectively uses characterization to present and prove his claims on human nature. Throughout Fugui’s journey, each character he encounters reflects on an aspect of humanity, through an event or group of people. For example, Long Er symbolizes the death of feudalism, while Fengxia symbolizes the Chinese people under a fascist, nationalist government.

Read More
1369 Words | 6 Pages

At first Jing-Mei grew in her dreams and desirers to be perfect for her family; “In all of my imaginings

Read More
938 Words | 4 Pages

In the story，Tianbao and Nuosong，sons of Shunshun，the boat owner，both fell in love with Cuicui，granddaughter of the old boatman. Knowing that Cuicui had given her heart to Nuosong，Tianbao quit voluntarily. Shortly after that, he was killed in a boat accident on his way to Chenzhou. Saddened by the grievous news，Nuosong left home and went to Taoyuan. After her grandfather 's gloomy death，Cuicui kept waiting at the ferry for the return of

Read More
431 Words | 2 Pages

They have lost their loved ones and are now being separated from their families. Su-Yin’s response to the Taiping Rebellion changed her personality as she had to become stronger to survive the dreaded incursion. This greatly affected Su-Yin because she could see the once, festive community of Nanjing, slowly

Read More
1493 Words | 6 Pages

The fall of Hong Kong gives this couple some spaces to live together, to have an ordinary life. As the poem from the Book of Song says, humans are not able to control all the events, "but through natural turns of events and against all expectations" (Louie 23), the couple holds each other 's hands and gets married. Chang gives the story rather a happy ending, Fan Liuyuan is able to marry the woman he loves, and Liusu gets remarried, she gains back her social status. However, many scholars question that if wealth and social status are all Liusu desires. She achieves what the society expects of her, but maybe this is not what she desires in her deepest heart.

Read More
1309 Words | 6 Pages

In the words of Jing-Mei in the last line of the story, “Together we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish” (Tan 159). Throughout her life, Suyuan, their mother, held onto the hope that she would see her daughters again. In this hope, she named Jing-Mei in connection to her sisters, keeping the “long-cherished wish” that someday her daughters would reconcile and complete their family circle. The occasion that

Read More
989 Words | 4 Pages

Baiyun hails from a struggling family but worked hard to secure a place at the prestigious Beijing University. We are thus presented with Tiananmen Square as a place where society’s frustrations are heard and treated with the seriousness they deserve. Tiananmen Square is further shown as marking a damaging period in Chinese history. In the book, the authors present the little known aspirations of frustrated Chinese. Lisa Zhang is used as representative character who is nursing an ambition to study in the United States so as to earn a gateway to a better life.

Read More

More about The Joy Luck Club American Dream Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document