The Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan

People experience different things throughout life that can shape their views. Sometimes this can lead to conflict(s). In Amy Tan's novel "The Joy Luck Club", she shows the relationships between mothers and daughters. Through the mother Suyan and her daughter Jing-Mei, Tan reveals characters whose value's influenced their experiences. Suyan, the mother, has a different view on living than Jing-Mei, the daughter. Both characters have had different experiences in life, which causes conflict between the mother and daughter. "Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!" I cried. My mother slapped me. "Who ask you be genius?" she shouted. "Only ask you to be your best. For you sake. You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!" (Tan 146). Her mom thought that since she was in America, she could be anything. But Jing-Mei thought that it meant freedom of what she wanted to do. “I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would never feel the need to sulk for anything.” (Tan 143). She did this so that she wouldn’t be seen as a disappointment or to make

Later on, they finally understood each other. When they were at supper for crab, the mother said to Waverly, "True, cannot teach style. June not sophisticate like you. Must be born this way." (Tan 230). This upset Jing-Mei in ways that made her feel discouraged. But after supper, Jing-Mei and Suyan were talking. She said, "Tss! Why you listen to her? Why you want to follow behind her, chasing her words? She is like this crab." My mother poked a shell in the garbage can. "Always walking sideways, moving crooked. You can make your legs go the other way." (Tan 234). This meant that Suyan was lying to Waverly and believed that Jing-Mei was smart. Jing-Mei finally understood her