What Is A Cultural Collision In The Joy Luck Club

In Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club, many cultural differences exist between the characters, creating complications in their relationships. An example of a cultural difference is between An-mei’s Chinese values and traditions and those of Christianity. The collision of these Chinese and Christian faiths profoundly influences An-Mei's character by causing her to doubt both faiths and resulting in her daughter Rose's inability to control her own choices. An-mei’s exposure to Chinese culture and the Christian faith results in an intermixing of both ideals which eventually leads to a cultural collision. An-mei is exposed to the traditional Chinese values of filial piety, wisdom, deference, and honesty through her grandmother. Her grandmother,

She tried to fill the emotional void her mother’s suicide left within her with a myriad of different beliefs from the Chinese and Christian faiths. Rose, An-mei’s daughter, describes her parents as very religious, stating, “It was this belief in their nengkan that had brought my parents to America. It had enabled them to have seven children and buy a house in the Sunset district with very little money.” (Tan 129). This displays An-mei and her husband’s shared trust in their nengkan; their ability to do anything they put their minds to. The usage of the word “belief” suggests they worshiped this nengkan almost like their faith, proclaiming this benevolent, driving force within themselves had brought them so much prosperity. However; it is revealed in subsequent quotes they align with other religions such as Christianity, specifically stating, “...It had given them the confidence to believe their luck would never run out, that God was on their side…” (Tan 129). It can also be inferred that the Hsu’s align with some aspects of Taoism, “...the house gods were only benevolent things to report and our ancestors were pleased, that…our lucky streak would never break…all the elements were in balance, the right amount of wind and water.” (Tan 129). An-mei believed she was on a streak of luck because of her dutiful worship of God and her adherence to Taoist ideals, and believed so long as she remained faithful, nothing bad could

Rose was told by her mother she was “without wood”, and bends too easily to what others say. Essentially, she explains that Rose is too agreeable and does not assert herself. This dynamic is seen in her relationship with her husband, Ted. She would turn to him to ask what to do rather than inject her own opinion. After Ted loses a malpractice case, he starts to doubt himself and forces Rose to make more decisions. She says, “...whenever I said, “You decide,” or “I don’t care”, or “Either way is fine with me,” Ted would say in his impatient voice, “No, you decide.” (Tan 126). Rose also perceives herself as weak. For example, she describes herself as being a “...victim to his hero. I was always in danger and he was always rescuing me.” (Tan 125). Rose also misunderstands her emotions and eventually has to get a psychiatrist to interpret how she is feeling, but still is left lost and confused. This confusion mirrors the confusion of her mother in her faith; Rose doesn’t have a parent with stable ideals, and thus has no stable ideals to