The Role Of Relationships In The Valley Of Amazement By Amy Tan

No matter which culture is considered, which environment is investigated, or which society is explored, family and relationships perform an incredibly significant role in lives across nations and lifetimes. From a mother to a child, a friend to one another, or a sister to a brother, kin and friendships possess a powerful position in lives in countless circumstances— whether good or bad. In the brilliant novel The Valley of Amazement, written by Amy Tan and published in 2013, it depicts how relationships are a significant aspect of our lives and they affect us all throughout our lives. This book conveys the impact relationships possess throughout lives and that they are not easily discarded because of the emotional effect it has, whether of
For example, her tie to this courtesan was extremely significant throughout Violet’s entire life: “She made me laugh by boasting about the rareness of her furnishings in outlandish ways” (10), she trusted her in what she learned throughout the home: “I told Magic Cloud what had happened to Rosy Cloud” (12) and dealt with all her childish questions: “Are those real pearls?” “Who gave them to you?” “Who will you see tonight?” “Will you bring him to your room (12)?” The clear evidence that Violet, being the only non-courtesan in Hidden Jade Path, who had Magic Cloud as a
However, in a circumstance like Violet’s— where she is lied to, sold, and left alone for most of her life by the one parent she had— it would seem almost certain that a family tie so prominent would still fall to bitterness and ill-will. This relationship between kin began strong: “From my perch, she was easy to spot” (5), which clearly depicts how Violet was never far from her mother. This can also be furthered through: “I recall an evening when I was standing next to Mother as she introduced a British mill owner, Mr. Scott, to a banker named Mr. Yang” (7). Violet was even beside her mother when she was in the process of making promising connections between westerners and Chinese businessmen— which, in a residence full of powerful, distinguished people, is a risky move; so the detail that Violet constantly surrounded her mother is an evident fact when expressing how Violet’s lonely, friendless life (“I . . . have no one who likes me” (14)!) was heavily impacted by the presence of her mother. Nevertheless, through a twist in fate, Violet and her mother are separated and have no information of where the other is. This relationship is drastically effected— Violet originally believes that her mother planned to abandon her, and desired to write a letter where, “I would tell Mother I wasn’t fooled by her lies and false grief” (54). Years later, Violet went through being sold into courtesanship, heartbreak,