Review & Notes The Joy Luck Club

Woo Family

“The Joy Luck Club” – Jing-mei Woo Mom’s death (19) Mom’s U.S. history (20) Kweilin story (21-25) “…we had no heart or eyes for pain…” (24) Abandons her children (26) June’s adult life (31) – What element is June like? (Fire? Wood? Water?) Why the East? (33) Hsu’s trip to China (35-36) Mom’s lies (37) The plan for June (40-41)

BUT, I don’t want to! Who plays an instrument? Who plays a sport? How long have you played? What’s your practice schedule like? Have you ever wanted to quit? What is your parents’ reaction to you quitting? Parents’ pride vs personal pride…when did you start taking pride in your own accomplishments?

“Two Kinds” – Jing-mei Woo Opening line (132) Need for June to be a prodigy June’s promise (134) Genius or personal best? (136) Mom’s bragging (138) The concert A change in piano lessons Two kinds (142) Closing paragraph

A Special Gift Tell me about a time when you received a special gift from someone you loved. Was there special meaning behind it? What makes it so special?

“Best Quality” – Jing-mei Woo Jade pendant – “life’s importance” Meaning?(197) Why not ask “family”? Jade pendant – Meaning for bartender – “I’m still worth something.” (198) Tenants’ cat? What happened? (200) Guest list (201) –These people are “family” You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family! Crab’s death (201) – How does this show Jing Mei’s difference? Waverly’s crab choice (202) Mom’s crab choice (202) Waverly (204) June’s sophistication (207) June & mom’s discussion (208)

“A Pair of Tickets” – Jing-mei Woo What is June becoming? What does June imagine about the twins? The letter (269) Imagining telling the twins (271) June’s arrival Unanswered questions (278) Their names (280) New Kweilin story (281) Goodbyes (286) The meeting (288)

Hsu/Jordan Family

Is this a true statement? Why? Reputation Popo says, “When you lose your face, An-Mei...it is like dropping your necklace down a well. The only way you can get it back is to go in after it.” “face” = reputation Is this a true statement? Why?

“Scar” – An-mei Hsu An-Mei’s mother – Tai Tai An-Mei’s grandmother – Popo Wu Tsing, wife and concubines An-Mei’s view of her mother BEFORE she remembers the scar (44) An-Mei’s mother arrival – What is her reaction? Soup accident (46) – Who’s fault? How does Popo keep An-Mei from dying? (47) “…That is the way it is with a wound…” True? (47) An-Mei’s true understanding of her mother? (48) How did she come to love her mother? (48) Closing paragraph (48)

What’s the moral? Re-read the turtle/magpie story at the beginning of the chapter. A turtle eats tears and then there’s eggs and then the eggs hatch and it’s a bunch of magpies “laughing”...What’s the lesson of this story?

“Magpies” – An-mei Hsu An-Mei (mother) disappointed in Rose (daughter) – Why? Turtle and Magpies’ story; what’s the moral? Tears/Happiness An-Mei leaves with her mother; the change in her mother (220) Wu-Tsing and his home (223) Describe Wu-Tsing’s 5 wives – Who do we like? Who do we hate? Why? 4th wife/Superstition – 4 (zi can be pronounced like die) Who’s the 4th wife? What literary element is used here? Big Mother’s gift of the pearl necklace (230-231) Big Mother/Second wife’s story; How does she get what she wants? (234) Taitai’s story (236) Does Taitai have a choice? (238) Taitai’s suicide (239) – Why the lunar new year? (240) The Magpies in the paper; the moral? (241)

Faith vs Fate It’s not by accident that Amy Tan makes An-Mei mispronounce “faith” as “fate”. What is the difference between faith and fate? Rose says that she “discovered that maybe it was fate all along, that faith was just an illusion that somehow you are in control.” Do you agree? Why?

“Half and Half” – Rose Hsu Jordan An-Mei’s faith  what is ironic about it? Does she have faith? (116) Rose & Ted’s story (117) – What does she love about Ted at the beginning? Ted’s racist mother  what is ironic about her statements? (118) Rose & Ted’s roles as husband & wife ...”I was victim to his hero…” (118-119) Ted’s lawsuit  how does it change the gender roles? (119-120) Fight and divorce (120) “Ningkan” (121) – What is it? Who has it? Is it like faith? or fate? The Book of the Malignant Gates (122) What is it? The beach day (Rose is 14 years old, Bing is 4 years old) (122-123) Rose’s thoughts before Bing falls into the ocean (125) How does Rose react to Bing’s fall? (126) Rose’s punishment (127) Mom’s prayer and ring ceremony (127-129) During Rose and An-Mei’s trip to the beach; how does An-Mei believe in a false hope? Bing’s name in the Bible written in erasable pencil – Ultimate faith or foolish hope?

“Without Wood” – Rose Hsu Jordan What is “wood” in this chapter? One of the elements...symbolically? “...a mirror could only see my face, but she could see me inside and out even when I was not in the room” (185) Old Mr. Chou – Who is he? (186) Talks to everyone, but Ted, about Ted…different versions (188-189) The note…what’s the deal with the pen? (190) Without Wood (191) Chinese opinions vs. American opinions. What is the flaw? (191) Do you agree? Fortune cookie advice: “When a husband stops paying attention to the garden, he’s thinking of pulling up roots.” (192) – True? What’s the garden? Real reason for the divorce? (194) Rose’s response (196) Dream; why weeds? (196)

Jong Family

“The Red Candle” – Lindo Jong The idea of promises (49) Arrange marriage at 2 years old (50) Tyan-yu (51) How does Lindo’s mother treat her after the arrangement? (51) Age 12 (53) The Huangs’ house  Lindo’s place in it (55) Learns to be an obedient wife (56) Wedding Day (57) Thoughts of suicide  Strong like the wind (58) The red candle (59) What really happened to the red candle? (60) No children (61-63) Lindo’s “dream” (64-65) Never forget (66)

“Double Face” – Lindo Jong The two cultures  American circumstances and Chinese character (254) How does Waverly treat her mother at the hair salon? (255) Lindo’s mom’s statements about her face (256-257) Advice upon arriving in the U.S. (258) Waverly’s lies about her mother; why? (259) The fortune cookie factory (262) “A house is not home when a spouse is not at home” “Lindo, can you spouse me?” (264) Lindo’s children’s names. Why? (265) “If you show one, you must always sacrifice the other”  Is this true? (266)

“Rules of the Game” – Waverly Jong Invisible Strength  “Strongest wind cannot be seen” (89) Christmas = chess set (93) “American Rules” (94) Lau-Po (95-96) Different view on winning  life advice? (97) National chess champion (97) Benefits of winning (97 & 99) “I wish you wouldn’t do that, telling everybody I’m your daughter” (99) Run away (99-100) The fight  who will win? Is there ever a “winner” in a fight with a loved one? (100-101)

“Four Directions” – Waverly Jong Lindo = horse, Waverly = Rabbit (167) Rich (167) Shoshana – 4 years old (167) Rich’s gift (169) Mom knows how to hit a nerve (170) Waverly at 10 years old (chess) (170-173) Waverly’s first marriage (174) Trick to get Lindo to meet Rich (176) Rich’s appearance (177) Everything Rich does wrong (8 things) (177-178) “I wanted to tell you…Rich & I are getting married” (181) Waverly’s two halves (182) “I saw what I had been fighting for…” (183) Closing paragraphs

St. Clair Family

“The Moon Lady” – Ying-ying St. Clair “I want to tell her this…” (67) The Moon Festival/age? (68) Secret wish vs. selfish desire (70) Ying-ying as a child (72-73) Dyes clothes (76) Falls into the water (78) The Moon Lady (80-81) “woman is yin…man is yang...” (81) The real Moon “Lady” (82) “I never believed my family found the same girl” (82) Closing paragraphs… What does Ying-ying mean? “I wished to be found.” (83)

“Waiting Between the Trees” – Ying-ying St. Clair “And now I must tell her everything about my past…” (242) The marble table (243) Ying-ying’s name (243) Ying-ying at age sixteen (244) The marriage…”I became a stranger to myself” (246-247) Husband’s affairs (247) Ying-ying’s pregnancy (248) The year of the tiger (248) Life after the marriage (249) Clifford St. Clair…“saved” her (250) The sign to marry Clifford (251) Life after the second marriage (251) Empty love/Life as a ghost (251-252) Equal love (252) Ying-ying’s plan for Lena (252)

“The Voice from the Wall” – Lena St. Clair Losing yourself to irrational fears/unspoken terrors (103) Lena’s childhood thoughts (103-104) Mom’s warnings (105-106) “…things not being balanced…” (108) Ying-ying is pregnant (109) Neighbor girl (109-111) Baby’s birth (111-112) Ying-ying’s Breakdown (112-113) Lena meets Teresa (113-114) Neighbor shows up and goes home  Which household is better? (114-115) “Then you must die the death of a thousand cuts” (115) Why is pain a good thing for Ying-ying?

“Rice Husband” – Lena St. Clair Theme: “We have to pretend nothing is the matter.” (151) Mom’s prediction (Lena was 8-years-old) (151) Arnold; Lena’s plan (152-153) Five years later; Ice Cream as a child (153-154) The beginning of Lena and Harold’s relationship (155) What does Lena think about herself? (155) “…All I can remember…you aren’t the girl I thought were, are you?” (156) “As long as we keep the money thing separate, we’ll always be sure of our love for each other.” (157) Theme restaurants (158) Inequality (159) “I love you” – daily rituals & car scene (159-160) The list (160) Prenuptial Agreement (161) Ice cream as an adult (162-163) The fight (164) The questions  the uncertainty (164) The closing paragraphs (165)