Joy Luck Club

I think that in the case of the mothers, the past can be a restraint on their lives at times. The daughters have a weak grasp on what life was like back in China for their mothers and their heavy integration into American culture has made it difficult for them to understand the past of their mothers, a past which is filled with rich Chinese culture. Because of this barrier created by a lack of full comprehension of one another, it becomes difficult for the mothers and daughters to relate as the differences in their cultures are so polar. I think this is especially difficult for the mothers because it symbolizes a loss of their heritage; their heritage can’t be retained if it can’t even be understood by their daughters.

depiction of women blogtizzle

In response to the question regarding the depiction of women in the novel, I agree wholeheartedly with Lauren in that it’s shown most apparently through the mother-daughter relationships in the story. To speak generally, the story can be seen as a depiction of the positive influence a mother can have on a daughter, which is seen throughout the story in the relationships between all four Chinese women and their Americanized daughters. The book also highlights some of the struggles that women face, both from the perspective of the mothers and the daughters. Through the narrative, struggles such as rape, death, and war are highlighted as struggles of the Chinese mothers, while the daughters deal with such issues as the struggle for love, happiness, and acceptance.