Amy Eilberg

American Identity is unique, this is a common theme found in the two pieces of writing "Response to Executive Order 9066" by Dwight Okima, and "Mericans" By Sandra Cisneros's, and that how they determine their American Identity is how they are exposed to American Culture. This theme is seen in both pieces of writing as both narrators are treated differently based on their looks and ethnic backgrounds, yet they are both able to show that they think, feel, and act the same as any other American,…

Similarities and distinctions Alice Walker and Amy Tan are modern American writers. Both stories depicts relationships between mothers and daughters, their lifestyles, achievements and expectations. Both families are non - American origin. Alice Walker shows African American mother with two daughters. The old one is well-educated and successful. She holds in contempt her roots, though. Meanwhile, the young daughter is proud of her origin. Amy Tan presents the reader Chinese mother and daughter…

of their children than in past times. I believe that, while your children should know that you love them, they should also know that certain behavior is unacceptable, and that they are to respect other people, especially people older than they. In Amy Chua's article “Why Chinese Mother's Are Superior,” she explained how strict and forceful she is with her daughters. Her children are not allowed to have sleepovers, she expects them to receive only A's in school, and they must learn piano and…

In her debut novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers perfectly captures the sense of human isolation. Throughout her book, McCullers masterfully maintains the unrelenting motif of loneliness by providing intimate details of the lives of five different characters. However, despite being stuck in the stifling, soul crushing South, Mick Kelly rises above the recurring theme of disillusionment and burns bright with ambition and emotion. With her passion for music, her sensitivity…

Though at a glance one may act as if they know everything, they are often not wise enough to see where they truly stand. Sometimes a good fall is necessary for an individual to acquire such wisdom. The short story, “Rules of the Game,” written by Amy Tan, demonstrates how easily one can assume their stance in a struggle for power. Waverly Place Jong, a young girl not yet ten years old, finds herself in a struggle for power with her mother when she becomes a national chess champion. When the…

Each culture passes down their own irrational traditions, regardless of the absurdity. Traditions alter and mold one’s core life decisions. For the Chinese, these practices range from a variety of superstitious beliefs such as a compatibility test between horoscopes and names or an oppressive belief such as foot binding. Bound Feet and Western Dress, written by Pang Mei Natasha Chang, is a memoir that exposes the effect these traditions have on the evolving Chinese population during the early…

“The ‘F Word’” (2003) by Firoozeh Dumas showcases her lifelong struggle of accepting her name. The excerpt is an autobiography about Dumas’ encounter with American standards Her name brought negative attention to herself causing her to change it. Later in life Dumas felt comfortable with her own name and culture allowing her to revert back to her original name. Dumas’ lifelong battle with her identity is shown in this story through her use of irony, metaphors, and similes. Prior to Dumas’ birth…

In the novel The Joy Luck Club, Jing-mei believes that her mother, Suyuan, expects her to be a successful prodigy and do well in anything she does. Jing-mei feels that she has failed her mother by not achieving success in many areas throughout her life and blames Suyuan for her high expectations. Perceiving to have disappointed her mother, Jing-mei loses belief in herself while in reality, Suyuan still held high hopes for her and only wants Jing-mei to try her best. Therefore, Jing-mei’s future…

The Motifs of Amy Tan in “The Joy Luck Club” Often, Tan writes about struggling mother-daughter relationships and the Chinese- American experience. In Amy Tan’s novel “The Joy Luck Club,” she cultivates her life throughout the novel by illustrating connections between the characters in the novel and her own life. Equally important, Tan is the daughter of two Chinese immigrants, this is where her inspiration for writing about these differences comes into play. Tan and her own mother had…

condition and finding the source of life to bring you forth into a richer or more mature condition” (Campbell 1). According to Campbell, heroes ”recover what has been lost or [they] discover some life-giving elixir” (1). In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, the character Jing-Mei Woo fits into the criteria of being a hero because efewfhydwfe. After her mother Suyuan passes away, Jing-Mei is asked to take her mother’s spot in the Joy Luck Club. During one of the meeting of the Joy Luck…