English 12A Mr. Laird
Parable Old woman and swan traveled to U.S. Dream for daughter officials take swan Grew up “Americanized” not understanding mother
Joy Luck Club Group of four mothers from China Suyuan Woo died, asked Jing-Mie to take place Started in 1949 in San Francisco (hid Chinese culture)
Suyuan Woo’s (dead) Kweilin story City in China Husband officer (left to fight)- 2 babies Japanese winning- hard times Created Joy Luck Four woman Act “well” Played Mah Jong Played for $= worthless
They hoped to be lucky- hope was only joy in the world Japanese came to Kweilin-Suyuan Woo left to Chungking- wheelbarrow broke, left food, bags, finally arrived with only herself (3 dresses she had on)
Joy Luck Club At Hsus’ house Jing-Mei (June) Woo new to group Club has $24,825 on account (Business as usual, no mention of mother) Ladies played Mah Jong
Competition between mothers June getting degree (too much water) Waverly chess Mothers wanted to send June to China to see sisters- tell them about Suyuan June not sure she knows about what to say- mothers scared.
Scar 1923 China An-mei young girl living w/ Popo (grandma) Mother age 4 to be 3 rd concubine after husband died. Popo hates mother/ puts An-mei through hard times.
Scar (continued) Popo dying- mother came back- cared for Popo An-mei remembers how mother came for her and how she got the scar.
The Red Candle- Lindo Jong Lindo young girl in China Village matchmaker & Huang Taitai- picked her for Tyan-yu Future husband
At 12, flood destroyed home moved to Taitai’s home Well off Show Real mom gave her chang, necklace of red jade Tyan-yu Rude, spoiled
Lindo Servant Did not want to ruin family name Huang wanted grandson-will be married
Wedding Rained, thunder- guests thought that it was Japanese bombs- few came Wind- power of wind- saw who she was – under scarf knew who she was Tyan-yu- made her sleep on the couch Candle went out- Lindo blew it out
Story Taitai- mad because no baby Ordered to stay in bed Made up dream Ancestors said Lindo must leave marriage Mole on back of Tyan-yu will grow and eat flesh Lost tooth Servant imperial blood carry baby
The Moon LadyYing-ying St. Clair She’s quiet/ daughter doesn’t hear her China-Young 4 years old Moon Lady Festival- make wish Going to lake with family 2 half sisters: #2 & #3 Ying-ying Discovered shadow
Ying-ying St. Clair Father had concubines = $ On boat for Moon Lady Festival Fishing with bird cleaned fish & dirtied dress Fell into water fishing boat found her/ went to wrong boat = left on shore
Ying-ying St. Clair (continued) Moon Lady Performance she “saw” Moon Lady- but it was a man Lost herself- lost innocence, trust = fear, loneliness Amah and parents didn’t find her right away Moon lady = man
Parable Mom told daughter to not ride bike- she’ll fall doesn’t believe mom & rides bike She falls Mom knew it (because of 26 Malignant Gates book)
Rules of the game Waverly Jong Waverly was six lived in modest apt Can be brat Christmas from missionary ladies- older brother Vincent got chess set
Waverly observed then played brothers-won Played Lau Po- lost then won- learned Played tournament Lindo gave Waverly her chang Showed Waverly off mad- ran away “We are not concerning this girl”
Ying-Ying telling Lena stories Grandfather sentenced beggar to death Basement & bad man Ying Lost name & D.O.B change b/c husband Husband spoke for her Uneasy in new house- NOT balanced Didn’t protect Lena when crazy man came Pregnant- kept bumping into things
The Voice from the Wall Lena heard something shouting in other apt. Imagination run wild about what was happening Baby brother was dead when born Ying-Ying never the same- always resting “No thought to killing my other son”
Neighbor girl, Teresa, came over to sneak back in her own room Her (Teresa) mom not bad- made up Gave her (Lena) hope Didn’t always see terrible things
Half and HalfRose Hsu Jordan An-mei Hsu Mom Bible under table leg (lost faith) Rose Wants to get divorced from husband Ted- mom doesn’t let her An-mei Believed in fate and God Family went to beach- Rose “in charge” of 4 brothers
Bing, 4 years old, fell in water Everyone blamed themselves An-mei Believed if she did what was right (prayed- ask God, offered tea)- Angry didn’t work
Two kinds Jing-Mei Woo ( Mom Suyuan Woo) Suyuan Woo Thought you could be anything you wanted in America T hought Jing-mei could be prodigy Shirley Temple Knows all capitals Stand on head without hands CTC
Jing-Mei Kept seeing mom’s disappointed face- something began to die Took piano lessons- never tried Talent show failed Refused to play Suyuan never pushed Many disappointments as Jing-Mei got older Offer piano to Jing-Mei
Parable Shows how mother silly superstitions beliefs- but- shows the wisdom hidden in them Crazy Chinese mom- but- she’s right
Rice Husband Lena- voices from wall Ying ying: mom, moon lady, lost baby Ying Ying coming to stay for one week Said she would marry bad man Always saw things before happened Lena stopped eating to kill boy she thought she would marry- he did die
Lena marries Harold Lena helped Harold start firm- she never got a raise- 7x less $ Split everything 50/50 Marriage is struggling Ying-Ying knows and asks “why didn’t you stop it” about vase falling
Four directions Waverly Jong chess Lindo Jong: Red Candle Lunch Waverly and Lindo “fight” Going to marry Rich Takes Lindo to her apt. to show Rich lives there Criticizes mink coat
Chess How Waverly quit to get Lindo when she tried to play, she wasn’t as good Marvin First husband of Waverly/ Lindo “poisoned” marriage Father of Shoshona (almost aborted)
Rich Went to Suyuan so Lindo had to “top” Took too much/ drank too much/ put soy sauce Waverly started to be annoyed of him Lindo Knows about marriage Explained who she was Understanding
Without Wood Rose Hsu Jordan: Bing died An-mei Hsu: mom- Scar Dreams with old Mr. Chou- listens to mother Divorce Ted gives her divorce papers and $10,000 check Trick?
Divorce (continued) An-mei want to know “monkey business” Rose doesn’t know what to think or what to do- takes sleeping pills Bad dream Ted wants to marry someone else Decides she wants the house/ gets lawyer Stands up to Ted/ for herself
Best Quality Jing-Mei Woo: Piano Suyuan Woo: Died, started JLC Chinese New Year Buy crabs “Friends” coming over (11) Jing-Mei tries to take bad crab Waverly- criticizes hair cut/ then announces her firm didn’t like Jing-mei’s work Embarrassed
Chinese New Year (continued) Suyuan gave Jing-Mei her jade-don’t always follow Cooking dinner for dad- she is apart of her mom- she is okay with who she is
Magpies An-mei: scar with Popo Same as daughter (Rose marriage falling apart) An-mei’s mother 3 rd concubine Took An-mei with her- shame Very nice home- 1 st wife not there or Wu Tsing Husband
An-mei’s mother (continued) Yan Chang- servant Wu Tsing home with 4 th Concubine An-mei- nine at the time
Magpies (continued) An mei- had to leave room (Wu Tsing came) 2 nd wife gave An-mei fake glass pearls Mother broke it Fake suicides scare Wu Tsing Gave An-mei’s mom opium (?) Tricked An-mei’s mom to sleep with Wu Tsing Raped her Brother Syaudi
An-mei’s mother Suicide Wu Tsing scared- honor her by raising An-mei and Syaudi as his honored children and revere as first wife An-mei learned to shout- Rose needs to learn to shout
Waiting Between the Trees Ying-Ying St. Clair Staying at Lena’s house for 2 weeks Must save daughter to show her who she is Ying From $$ Married bad man- loved him- pregnant Left her for opera singer Late term abortion
Ying Ying (continued) Lived for 10 years on poor farm After went to work- met Clifford St. Clair Courted for 4 years Married after husband died Never “true” love/ gave up chi (spirit) Lena has no chi Give up- let things happen
Double Face Lindo Jong: Red Candle Waverly: Daughter, chess Waverly takes Lindo to get hair done for 2 nd wedding Putting Lindo down by talking to Mr. Rory Lindo Going to America- gets “help” from girl Finds a job at a fortune cookie factory Meets An-mei
Lindo (continued) Met her husband- married Winston Vincent Waverly Waverly and Lindo have the same looks