In The Joy Luck Club, the author, Amy Tan introduces four mother-daughter pairs which displays the perspectives of each character through their view on life. Tan also shows how each of the mothers’ thoughts influence their daughter as well as their expectations for them in America. The novel compares the past life and experiences of each mother, cultural conflicts, and the transition from their life in China to America. Through the mothers stories of their experiences in China, many family secrets and cultural backgrounds are revealed. Ying-Ying and Lena St. Clair, one of the four mother daughter pairs, both experience tragic lessons from emotionally abusive husbands, leading them to fear their surroundings, and the struggle to find their true
…show more content…
In her childhood, her thoughts consists of abusive men who she would have to fear and try to escape from as well as those who takes advantage of women. The fear of men from her mother Ying-Ying shapes Lena to assume that people are violent and abusive. As Lena is listening to the overheard conversations, she begins to contemplate whether the relationship between her and her mother is better or if the relationship of the Sorci family is better. The relationship between Lena and Ying-Ying consists of a lack of communication due to a language barrier between her parents and her mother who has an illness of depression. However, the relationship between Teresa and her mother consists of constant communication involving altercations. Lena wishes to help save her mother by cutting her mother to pieces to guide her back to her ordinary life of …show more content…
In “Waiting Between the Trees” Ying-Ying is contemplating how she can help stop the marriage between Lena and Harold from falling apart. While Ying-Ying is resting in the guest room, her daughter is having a dispute with her husband, who does not consider her thoughts or opinions. “I will use this sharp pain to penetrate my daughter’s tough skin and cut her tiger spirit loose. She will fight me, because this is the nature of two tigers. But I will win and give her my spirit, because this is the way a mother loves her daughter.” (287) After Ying-Ying loses her chi or spirit, she believes that she becomes an invisible spirit to others. Ying-Ying marries Clifford St. Clair hoping that their marriage will soon make her black side vanish, leaving only her gold side. However, the second marriage costs her to lose her tiger spirit-her spirit representing her strength and identity. After Lena marries her husband Harold, she is not able to express her emotions or opinions without being told that she is making a big deal out of the situation. The relationship between Harold and Lena consists of one person who is not open to listening to her needs and the other person not being able to express their opinions without starting a fight. As Ying-Ying sees the conflicts causing the fall of the relationship, she learns to stay beside her daughter, waiting to resolve the problems. Ying-Ying
In her childhood, her thoughts consists of abusive men who she would have to fear and try to escape from as well as those who takes advantage of women. The fear of men from her mother Ying-Ying shapes Lena to assume that people are violent and abusive. As Lena is listening to the overheard conversations, she begins to contemplate whether the relationship between her and her mother is better or if the relationship of the Sorci family is better. The relationship between Lena and Ying-Ying consists of a lack of communication due to a language barrier between her parents and her mother who has an illness of depression. However, the relationship between Teresa and her mother consists of constant communication involving altercations. Lena wishes to help save her mother by cutting her mother to pieces to guide her back to her ordinary life of …show more content…
In “Waiting Between the Trees” Ying-Ying is contemplating how she can help stop the marriage between Lena and Harold from falling apart. While Ying-Ying is resting in the guest room, her daughter is having a dispute with her husband, who does not consider her thoughts or opinions. “I will use this sharp pain to penetrate my daughter’s tough skin and cut her tiger spirit loose. She will fight me, because this is the nature of two tigers. But I will win and give her my spirit, because this is the way a mother loves her daughter.” (287) After Ying-Ying loses her chi or spirit, she believes that she becomes an invisible spirit to others. Ying-Ying marries Clifford St. Clair hoping that their marriage will soon make her black side vanish, leaving only her gold side. However, the second marriage costs her to lose her tiger spirit-her spirit representing her strength and identity. After Lena marries her husband Harold, she is not able to express her emotions or opinions without being told that she is making a big deal out of the situation. The relationship between Harold and Lena consists of one person who is not open to listening to her needs and the other person not being able to express their opinions without starting a fight. As Ying-Ying sees the conflicts causing the fall of the relationship, she learns to stay beside her daughter, waiting to resolve the problems. Ying-Ying