The Joy Luck Club, By Amy Tan

It’s common for daughters and mothers to have rough relationships because of culture and wants.The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan has mothers and daughters who are different in many ways and argue tremendously. The mother in the novel by Amy Tan is trying to show her daughter Jing-Mei that she can do anything she wants but she is too lazy and not trying. Even when Jing-Mei didn’t do well at her piano recital Suyuan insisted that she still did lessons.’’She came into the kitchen and saw me watching tv. Four o’clock she reminded me’’(Tan152). She is telling Jing-Mei that she is still doing lessons. Another time when Suyuan gave her old piano back to her she said,’’’ You have natural talent. You could be genius if you want to’’’(Tan 142). She is

While her mother on the other hand grew up Chinese so some things can be hard to understand about each other. They both have different wants like Jing-Mei doesn’t want to play the piano. For example,’’’ Why don’t you like me the way I Am, I’m not a genius, I can’t even play the piano’’’(Tan146). She states to her mother that she doesn’t know why she can’t like her the way she is. While they both were arguing about the piano situation Jing-Mei said,’’’ Then I wish I wasn't your daughter. I wish you weren’t my mother’’’(Tan 153). She is angry because she doesn’t want to play the piano and her mother is making her still do lessons and play

For example Jing-Mei has grown up in the western culture while it is common for kids to become lazy and not achieve . While her mother on the other hand grew up in the Chinese culture where she had to work for everything she had. She had to work and make good grades and not be lazy so she could become successful. So when Jing-Mei doesn’t try and be successful it could lead to some arguments in between them. Another example is referring back to the first one about culture. They were raised totally different, Suyuan had to work hard for what she wanted and needed. While making good grades in school. Jing-Mei had almost everything planned out for her and she had nothing to worry about. Suyuan also had to an instrument. That also led to some arguments. One Last reason is how things have changed in their surrounding worlds while Suyuan had to work really hard for grades and needs. Jing-mei is lazy and doesn’t have any ambition to become great and successful. I think Amy Tan is trying to show us the differences in culture and how it could affect relationships between daughters and mothers. Also how the Chinese culture is more strict on their kids and don’t baby them and how they are pretty much forced to make good grades and work hard for the things they need. They also would almost force them to go to college. While in American culture you can be whatever you want you can