Waverly Jong In The Joy Luck Club
Trillions of tons of matter create the universe, and a miniscule portion of that matter composes Earth. Every unique piece of matter affects the universe in a different way. Similarly, a various number of societies and cultures exist on Earth. Additionally, different viewpoints on how human beings should treat each other are sprinkled among billions of people across the globe. Thus, each location has different effects on a person’s persona. Moreover, in America, in this day and age, in the “land of the free”, people enjoy exploiting their freedom to decide every aspect of their life. Being able to choose from an unlimited number of options enthrall modern day Americans. In Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, Tan uses various marital relationships
…show more content…
to suggest how love marriages ultimately empower the Chinese born American daughters to learn to be their own person after their mothers’ Chinese culture impacts their personas. Rose Hsu Jordan benefits from her collapsing love marriage. Even though she was raised in America, Rose’s Chinese background still influences her marriage. When Rose’s mother, An-Mei Hsu, was young, women were expected to be submissive to men in China. An-Mei believes that “A girl in China did not marry for love. She married for position…” (Tan 228). She suggests that men have strong standings in society, and that women need to gain their status by affiliating with men. Similarly, it is observed that modern Chinese families still retain former ideologies, “Still today, familial relationships remain strictly regulated in the majority of Chinese families as seen in Confucian ideology--The Three Cardinal Guides: Rule guides subject, fatherguides son, and husband guides wife” (Zhang). Some Chinese families still preach that husbands are superior to wives. Tan and Zhang’s literature exhibit that some cultures believe that people should base relationships on power instead of love. Nevertheless, men having a larger sphere of influence than women in a relationship is not the social norm anymore. However, directly impacted by her heritage, Rose Hsu Jordan relies heavily on her husband, Ted Jordan. As her marriage crumbles, Rose realizes that “The power of my words was that strong” (Tan 196). She learns that her strength, and courage demolishes her hulihudu, “confusion”, and heimongmong, “dark fog” (Tan 188). Ameliorating her character, Rose understands that the palm of her hands holds her own, precious life.
Lena St. Clair’s heritage influences her ignorance to the power imbalance in her unhealthy marriage. Her husband, Harold, never takes the time to observe each minute detail about Lena. They are two separate entities living under the same roof. After years as a widow, Lena’s mother, Ying-Ying St. Clair, marries another man because she thinks that it is easy. By getting married, Ying-Ying exclaims that she “willingly gave up my chi, the spirit that caused me so much pain” (Tan 251). She gives up the life, power, and strength inside of her so that she can avoid the agony of fighting for a life she wants. Ying-Ying sacrifices what she wants for what she accepts, and she accepts effortless survival. She exists without a dynamic spirit which wants to live, not only survive. Likewise, the article “Language, women, and culture problems in China” reveals that “Women in China were taught to exercise forbearance and self-sacrifice and accept their fate” (Shu). Suppressed Chinese women are taught that men hold greater than themselves; women should do anything for a man, but men do not need to do anything for women. Marriage does not require ropes of love, yet only those of commitment and resignation. As a result, in The Joy Luck Club, Lena allows Harold to build the foundation of their relationship alone. Nevertheless, Lena finally decides to voice her opinion about their marriage, “We need to think about what our marriage is really based on...” (Tan 165). Lena decides to stick up for herself instead of taking the easy way out and settling for an relationship she is unsure of. She breaks out of her shell and soars with more fortitude than ever before.
Waverly Jong is not confident that her mental strength can withstand her mother berating her fiancée’s character.
She presumes that she needs her mother to approve of her fiancée, Rich, before she can start a successful marriage. Moreover, Waverly cowers at the thought of her mother making a snide comment about Rich because “some unseen speck of truth would fly into my eye, blur what I was seeing and transform him…” (Tan 173). She believes that her mother’s opinions overpower her love for Rich; Waverly needs her mother to show her reality. Waverly only allows her mother’s approval to unlock her happiness. Likewise, in the article “Marriage and suicide among Chinese rural women”, a study takes place to see whether being married or single affects suicide rates. The data illuminates that “the controls had stronger social support than the suicides, which was true for both married and unmarried subjects” (Zhang). Having family members’ support crucially adds to the life of Chinese women by giving them confidence. The family’s support reassures the women that they deserve a life worth living. Similarly, Waverly’s marriage will happen solely because her mother approves of her fiancée. Waverly needs her mother’s reassurance as a source of unwavering mental
strength.
Amy Tan describes how three mothers’ Chinese culture affects each of their three Chinese born American daughters in their love marriages. Rose Hsu Jordan, Lena St. Clair, and Waverly Jong are the daughters of An-Mei Hsu, Ying-Ying St. Clair, and Lindo Jong. Their mothers’ heritage shapes them into weak “American” women, but Rose, Lena, and Waverly improve their persona when they stop acting submissive, and gullible. They learn that they have courage and strength within themselves when their romantic relationships teeter on the edge of destruction. Moreover, they are each affected by two distinct cultures, and it has altered their world. Culture has the power to change the world. Among the billions of people on Earth, culture, and heritage, and traditions are present in every waking moment. It affects human beings to the core their existence- just like how all of the matter in outer space has the power to tear through the universe and cause change.
to suggest how love marriages ultimately empower the Chinese born American daughters to learn to be their own person after their mothers’ Chinese culture impacts their personas. Rose Hsu Jordan benefits from her collapsing love marriage. Even though she was raised in America, Rose’s Chinese background still influences her marriage. When Rose’s mother, An-Mei Hsu, was young, women were expected to be submissive to men in China. An-Mei believes that “A girl in China did not marry for love. She married for position…” (Tan 228). She suggests that men have strong standings in society, and that women need to gain their status by affiliating with men. Similarly, it is observed that modern Chinese families still retain former ideologies, “Still today, familial relationships remain strictly regulated in the majority of Chinese families as seen in Confucian ideology--The Three Cardinal Guides: Rule guides subject, fatherguides son, and husband guides wife” (Zhang). Some Chinese families still preach that husbands are superior to wives. Tan and Zhang’s literature exhibit that some cultures believe that people should base relationships on power instead of love. Nevertheless, men having a larger sphere of influence than women in a relationship is not the social norm anymore. However, directly impacted by her heritage, Rose Hsu Jordan relies heavily on her husband, Ted Jordan. As her marriage crumbles, Rose realizes that “The power of my words was that strong” (Tan 196). She learns that her strength, and courage demolishes her hulihudu, “confusion”, and heimongmong, “dark fog” (Tan 188). Ameliorating her character, Rose understands that the palm of her hands holds her own, precious life.
Lena St. Clair’s heritage influences her ignorance to the power imbalance in her unhealthy marriage. Her husband, Harold, never takes the time to observe each minute detail about Lena. They are two separate entities living under the same roof. After years as a widow, Lena’s mother, Ying-Ying St. Clair, marries another man because she thinks that it is easy. By getting married, Ying-Ying exclaims that she “willingly gave up my chi, the spirit that caused me so much pain” (Tan 251). She gives up the life, power, and strength inside of her so that she can avoid the agony of fighting for a life she wants. Ying-Ying sacrifices what she wants for what she accepts, and she accepts effortless survival. She exists without a dynamic spirit which wants to live, not only survive. Likewise, the article “Language, women, and culture problems in China” reveals that “Women in China were taught to exercise forbearance and self-sacrifice and accept their fate” (Shu). Suppressed Chinese women are taught that men hold greater than themselves; women should do anything for a man, but men do not need to do anything for women. Marriage does not require ropes of love, yet only those of commitment and resignation. As a result, in The Joy Luck Club, Lena allows Harold to build the foundation of their relationship alone. Nevertheless, Lena finally decides to voice her opinion about their marriage, “We need to think about what our marriage is really based on...” (Tan 165). Lena decides to stick up for herself instead of taking the easy way out and settling for an relationship she is unsure of. She breaks out of her shell and soars with more fortitude than ever before.
Waverly Jong is not confident that her mental strength can withstand her mother berating her fiancée’s character.
She presumes that she needs her mother to approve of her fiancée, Rich, before she can start a successful marriage. Moreover, Waverly cowers at the thought of her mother making a snide comment about Rich because “some unseen speck of truth would fly into my eye, blur what I was seeing and transform him…” (Tan 173). She believes that her mother’s opinions overpower her love for Rich; Waverly needs her mother to show her reality. Waverly only allows her mother’s approval to unlock her happiness. Likewise, in the article “Marriage and suicide among Chinese rural women”, a study takes place to see whether being married or single affects suicide rates. The data illuminates that “the controls had stronger social support than the suicides, which was true for both married and unmarried subjects” (Zhang). Having family members’ support crucially adds to the life of Chinese women by giving them confidence. The family’s support reassures the women that they deserve a life worth living. Similarly, Waverly’s marriage will happen solely because her mother approves of her fiancée. Waverly needs her mother’s reassurance as a source of unwavering mental
strength.
Amy Tan describes how three mothers’ Chinese culture affects each of their three Chinese born American daughters in their love marriages. Rose Hsu Jordan, Lena St. Clair, and Waverly Jong are the daughters of An-Mei Hsu, Ying-Ying St. Clair, and Lindo Jong. Their mothers’ heritage shapes them into weak “American” women, but Rose, Lena, and Waverly improve their persona when they stop acting submissive, and gullible. They learn that they have courage and strength within themselves when their romantic relationships teeter on the edge of destruction. Moreover, they are each affected by two distinct cultures, and it has altered their world. Culture has the power to change the world. Among the billions of people on Earth, culture, and heritage, and traditions are present in every waking moment. It affects human beings to the core their existence- just like how all of the matter in outer space has the power to tear through the universe and cause change.