The Joy Luck Club English 12 A Mr. Laird

Chinese mother wants to take daughter to America for better life The Parable Chinese mother wants to take daughter to America for better life Brings swan but taken by customs Left with feather Doesn’t give to daughter until able to speak in perfect English (Is she not able to “communicate” with daughter?)

Jing Mei Woo (for Suyuan) “June” joins JLC, replacing mother who died of aneurysm. June struggles with Chinese US JLC started in 1949 Original version started in Kweilin, China during war Hope of being lucky and winning (worthless money) was the only joy they had

Jing Mei Woo (for Suyuan) (cont.) Kweilin Once a city of hope. Now a mixing pot of “refugees” during the war Left for Chungking to avoid Japanese (wife of Chinese officer) “…I had lost everything…”

Jing Mei Woo (for Suyuan) (cont.) Joy Luck Club Group invests in stocks instead of prize money Account = $24,825 Eat Women clear table and play mah jong Men play cards

Jing Mei Woo (for Suyuan) (cont.) The 5 elements Suyuan judged friends and family Fire = too much created temper (father) Wood = too little means no spine (An-mei) Water = too much means you flow and never finish what you start (June) Other two?

Jing Mei Woo (for Suyuan) (cont.) June isn’t first replacement Ying Ying’s brother replaced dead husband The ladies compete especially Lindo and Suyuan (in the past, of course) Mothers want to send June to China to meet the missing daughters and tell them about Suyuan June worries she doesn’t know her mom

An-Mei (Scar) 1923 (9 years old) Lives w/ Aunt, Uncle, and “Popo” Father is deceased Mother is a forbidden topic Shunned for becoming 3rd concubine Returns to care for dying Popo Cuts flesh from her arm for soup Received scar when 4 when mother came for An-Mei and soup spilled on her during fight

Lindo (The Red Candle) Marriage arranged at age 2 Promised to Tyan-yu, son of Huang Taitai Sent to live with new family early when old family had to move due to flood. Mother gives her “chang” (red jade necklace) Tyan-yu is a spoiled brat Treated like servant Huang Taitai wants grandchild once Lindo turns 16

Wedding Lindo (cont.) Week after Japanese invaded Few guests “I was like the wind.” (Keep promise but stay strong) Candle finalizes marriage. Lindo blows it out.

Huang Taitai takes back wedding gold Lindo (cont.) Baby? Tyan-yu didn’t want to touch her. Lied to mother. Locked in room Matchmaker says she is too balanced Other 2 elements Earth Metal – too little causes independent thinking Huang Taitai takes back wedding gold

Lindo sent away with money to go to US Lindo (cont.) The Plan (…or Dream) Ancestors doomed marriage because of candle Mole will kill Tyan-yu Teeth will fall out Secret “imperial” servant pregnant w/grandson Lindo sent away with money to go to US

Ying Ying Isn’t noticed by daughter 4 years old in 1918 Part of wealthy family Concubines (Step-sisters #2 and #3) Preparing for Moon Festival One day a year you make a wish to Moon Lady Spending day at Lake Tai

Isolated from others after getting blood on clothes Ying Ying (cont.) “Discovers shadow” Dark side with same restless spirit “hide in the comfort of your shadow” Isolated from others after getting blood on clothes Falls in water/saved by fishermen/taken to shore

Lost innocence (became a shadow?) Ying Ying (cont.) Moon Lady women = yin (darkness within) Men = yang (bright truth) Is a man Lost innocence (became a shadow?) Wished to be found

Parable Mom tells daughter not to ride bike Predicts fall because of 26 Malignant Gates Daughter falls

Waverly Learned to “bite back your tongue” Grew up in San Franciso Named after street Brother receives chess set for Christmas Learns about life through chess Have the clearest plan for attacking and getting out of traps Have foresight and patience Gather invisible strengths and see endgame Never reveal “why”

Learns chess etiquette from Lau Po Waverly (cont.) Learns chess etiquette from Lau Po Uses reverse psychology to play in tourneys Becomes chess prodigy Gets special treatment Gets embarrassed by mother showing off Runs away for day… …but mother wins by not reacting?

Lena Grandfather sentenced beggar to death Father is English-Irish Came back, dragged him “through the wall,” and killed him (or it was the flu) Terrors devoured Ying Ying Lena inherited the terrors Mom constantly warning of unwanted babies Father is English-Irish Lack of communication Father would “translate” Lena took advantage of mom’s lack of English

Ying Ying fails to protect Lena Lena (cont.) Ying Ying fails to protect Lena YY is having a baby…and she isn’t excited Thinks mother next door is killing daughter (Teresa)…night after night Girl appears fine Mom delivers baby but it dies shortly after Mom reveals she had killed her “other son” and shuts down Lena takes comfort in feeling neighbors suffer more

Lena (cont.) Teresa comes over to sneak back into her bedroom after getting kicked out “We do this kind of stuff all the time.” Happier than Lena’s family Gives Lean hope

Rose Mother keeps Bible under table leg Getting Divorced Name of brother written inside under Deaths Getting Divorced Ted always made decisions until he lost confidence Thinks mother wants her to save marriage

“You must think for yourself.” Rose (cont.) Belief in “nengkan” Brother Bing drowns All felt responsible Mother uses spiritual beliefs to find him Pours tea to repay stolen water Throws in sapphire ring Uses lifesaver tube to lead the way Family loses faith when nothing works “You must think for yourself.”

Jing Mei Mother came to US in 1949 Mother wanted her to be a prodigy in something Shirley Temple? Capitals? Card Tricks? Gymnastics? Prediction? Memorization? “Ni kan” = “you watch” ….always watching others Disappointing her deflated her Wanted to achieve despite mom

Jing Mei Piano! Mom traded lessons for cleaning with Mr. Chong Deaf with poor eyesight Faked practice/rebelled Suyuan and Lindo competed Embarrassed at talent show mom says nothing Mentions lost daughters in one final argument Offered the piano for 30th birthday “Pleading Child” and “Perfectly Contented”

Lena (Part Two) “Chunwang chihan” – One thing is always the result of another. Ying Ying always sees the negative and knows why Coming to stay with Lena Told as child to clear plate or future husband will be pock marked Feared marrying bully Arnold Went opposite direction to make him die He died

Lena (Part Two) Married Harold Rose tries to teach her to have a spine Met at same architectural firm Split everything equally Encouraged him to start own firm Doesn’t get paid what she’s worth Table and vase become metaphor for their marriage Rose tries to teach her to have a spine

Waverly (Part Two) Meeting Lindo to announce engagement to Rich Has 4 year old daughter (Shoshana) from previous marriage (Marvin) Thinks Lindo poisoned marriage Almost aborted Shoshana Lindo ignores Rich (and his gifts) Quit playing chess to spite mom Lost confidence after starting again (“It is not so easy anymore.”) Quit for good at age 14

Waverly (Part Two) Played off of Lindo’s rivalry with Suyuan Rich screws up and doesn’t know it Tells Lindo she is engaged. She already knows. Postpones wedding to have better weather for honeymoon in China Lindo coming with them?

Rose (Part Two) Listen to An-Mei or “ear would bend” (An-Mei’s problem?) Old Mr. Chou – guardian of dreams (not the piano teacher) An-Mei suspects Ted is cheating on Rose Ted sends check for 10K with divorce papers What does it mean? Ted wants to get remarried Proof he was cheating? Emboldens Rose – wants the house

Jing Mei (Part Two) Suyuan gave her “life’s importance” (jade pendant) Not sure what it means nor do others with same pendant Will darken with use Suyuan has Chinese New Year dinner Complains about tenants in building (landlord?) Accused of killing their cat

Jing Mei (Part Two) Tries to take bad crab but mom says no Waverly still snotty Sounds the same 25 years later “…probably charges more than you’re used to” Gets back at Waverly Reminds her of unpaid invoice from work Waverly’s work didn’t want the work Mom says Jing Mei isn’t sophisticated like Waverly (“cannot teach style”) Lindo advocates for Jing Mei

Jing Mei (Part Two) The talk Chases away cat just like mom Only Jing Mei offered to take bad crab “Everybody else want best quality. You thinking different.” Compliment? “Why you want to follow behind her (Waverly)?” Chases away cat just like mom

An-Mei (Part Two) Can relate to Rose’s failure to speak up An-mei’s exiled mom teaches that misery makes others happy through turtle story. Moral: Keep it bottled up Mom takes An-Mei but leaves son

An-Mei (Part Two) Life in Tientsin Western style mansion (made money from foreigners) Yan Chang – mom’s personal maid Learns to ignore clock (or meaningless things calling to her) Wu Tsing brings home 5th wife (only a few years older than An-Mei) Wu Tsing uses mom in the middle of the night after 5th wife “fourth wife is less than a fifth wife.” “fourth” sounds like “die” when said angrily

An-Mei (Part Two) 2nd and 3rd wife return home First Wife 2nd wife = Big Mother with suspiciously young son Gives An-Mei a pearl necklace Mom believes she is manipulative and crushes necklace as proof Blue sapphire is “true” 3rd wife has 3 shy daughters First Wife Wu Tsing’s age 2 daughters each with “defect” Allowed to live separate life at different estate Returns twice a year to pay respects An-mei’s mom hopes to have same arrangment

An-Mei (Part Two) 2nd wife manipulates Wu-Tsing and others Threatens suicide. Wu-Tsing fears vengeful ghosts. Arranged for 3rd wife to provide son (3 girls) Tricked An-mei’s mom to stay over where she is raped 2nd wife’s son is hers Spreads lies about mom’s reputation forcing her to accept marriage Keeps first wife drugged

An-Mei (Part Two) Mom commits suicide (with a purpose) Dies when Wu-Tsing would fear vengeful ghost the most (lunar new year) Wu-Tsing raises kids as “honored children” An-Mei crushes necklace in front of 2nd wife An-mei learns to shout

Ying Ying (Part Two) Ying Ying = Clear Reflection (just like mom)