Grand Valley Review

Volume 5 | Issue 2 Article 30

1-1-1990 Book Review: The Joy Luck Club Roberta Simone Grand Valley State University

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Recommended Citation Simone, Roberta (1989) "Book Review: The Joy Luck Club," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 30. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol5/iss2/30

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These stories soar and sing-two words we told the best stories. And each week, been passed on a1 that are keys to the tone of the whole an­ we could hope to be lucky. lhat hope was Simultaneously, we thology. In fact, those words-and words our only joy. And that's how we came to desires to be free synonymous-echo throughout: Sylvia call our little parties joy Luck" (25). their mothers, to Watanabe's "Talking to the Dead" ends, But as the Japanese army approached Chinese, even thm "And she sings, she sings, she sings; and the city, Suyuan fled on foot with her baby and something uc the last words in Kingston's excerpt from twin daughters to find her Army Officer they cannot. 01ina Men are, "I have heard the land sing. husband. The babies had to be aban­ lhe book is div I have seen the bright blue streaks of doned with "hope for luck; and Suyuan of four stories, eac spirits whisking through the air." The final awoke delirious in a hospital to learn that bolic fable. In the image in Linda Ty-Casper's "Hills, Sky, and her husband was dead. After searching from a Thousand L Longing• is "a peregrine flying without unsuccessfully for the babies, she and her where things beg1 wings.· Though the stories are not univer­ new husband became refugees in San their childhoods i1 sally optimistic, most are; the gaze of the Francisco, where she began a new version mothers, tales of people renected here is upward, the mood of the club, with three women from the ranged marriages : generally joyful. It's a glorious collection. Chinese Baptist Church, which she joined and privilege, of v out of polite gratitude for the two dresses the fourth section, William Osborn given to her by the missionary ladies of Western Skies," the the refugee welcome society. Together, cape from China, 1 these transplanted Chinese, their hus­ new world, their I band<; and children would make a new ex­ because, as Ying-'Y tended family; the club would become my daughter. She Amy Tan, The joy Luck Club, New York: Americanized enough to include stock in­ same body. Ther• G. P. Putnam, 1989. vestments, which, unlike mahjong, "relied that is part of mit on luck more than skill" and allowed born, she sprang f everyone to be winners, "so everyone can fish, and has been During the bombing of Kweilin, as have some joy." (30) Mter Suyuan's sudden since. All her life, Suyuan tells her daughter Jing-Mei Qune), death, the "aunties" pool their investment though from anot she gathered together three other young earnings to send June to China to meet must tell her every women to play mah jong, for, "How long her newly found half-sisters, whom is the only way to can you see in your mind arms and legs Suyuan had relentlessly searched for by pull her to where s hanging from telephone wires and starv­ mail. Such is the bare frame for this All of the mothers, ing dogs running down the streets with remarkable novel, the first and last of the States, while ada(: half-chewed hands dangling from their sixteen stories that compose it. taking advantage jaws? (24) The only way to survive the hor­ The rest of the stories are told by the ror and the loss of family was to hold on other mothers and daughters of the "new tunities, have stru to some tradition, to seek joy wherever family": Lindo and Waverly Jong, Ying­ dignity of their cu one could find it: • ...we decided to hold Ying and Lena St. Clair, and An-Mei and and wisdom of the parties and pretend each week had be­ Rose Hsu. Throughout the entire novel, we culture that sees 1 come the new year ....Each week we could see the mothers' concern that their his­ their traditions as o forget past wrongs done to us. We ... tories be transmitted to their daughters, In the two 1 laughed, we played games, lost and won, jtL'it as their spirits and bodies had already daughters speak Malignant Gates·

72· es. And each week, been passed on at the children's births. own childhoods and their mothers' fears JCky. lhat hope was Simultaneously, we learn of the daughters' for and expectations of them. At age six, ,t's how we came to desires to be free and independent of Waverly jong learns from her mother the y Luck" (25). their mothers, to be American and not "art of invisible strength" (89) and be­ e army approached Chinese, even though, through fear, guilt, comes a child chess champion. june Woo n foot with her baby and something unnamed and mystical, is pushed and prodded to be anything that ad her Army Officer they cannot. will get her into Ripley's book, for Suyuan es had to be aban- The book is divided into four sections believes that you can be anything you lr luck," and Suyuan of four stories, each preceded by a sym­ want to be in America: • ... you can be hospital to learn that bolic fable. In the first section," Feathers prodigy ... • (132). But june is American ad. After searching from a Thousand Li Away," from "the East, and as strongly believes that her birthright e babies, she and her where things begin," the mothers tell of allows her to be ordinary. She works hard me refugees in San their childhoods in China and their own at not playing the piano well. Rose Hsu began a new version mothers, tales of concubinage and ar­ jordan remembers the day when her ·ee women from the ranged marriages at childhood, of wealth young brother drowned at a family beach rch, which she joined and privilege, of war and separation. In outing and her mother lost her belief that le for the two dresses the fourth section, "Queen Mother of the faith and fate were the same things. And missionary ladies of Western Skies," the mothers tell of their es­ Lena St. Clair listens to her mother's fear of :1e society. Together, cape from China, their adjustment to the the lack of balance in the crowded apart­ l Chinese, their hus­ new world, their lives up to the present, ments leaning out of the steep hills, where ;vould make a new ex­ because, as Ying-Ying explains, •... I love "A man can grab you off the streets, sell club would become my daughter. She and I have shared the you to someone else ...• (106). gh to include stock in- same body. There is a part of her mind In "American Translation" the 11like mahjong, "relied that is part of mine. But when she was daughters are grown and while still trying n skill" and allowed born, she sprang from me like a slippery to justify their Americanness to their ners, "so everyone can fish, and has been swimming away ever mothers also realize their Chineseness and ' After Suyuan's sudden since. All her life, I have watched her as the strength of their mothers' influence. pool their investment though from another shore. And now I Rose Hsu jordan talks to a psychiatrist une to China to meet must tell her everything about my past. It about her failing marriage, but her mother I half-sisters, whom is the only way to penetrate her skin and senses and communicates bcuer than he lessly searched for by pull her to where she can be saved" (242) . can, without explanations. Lena St. Clair :bare frame for this All of the mothers, refugees in the United comes to see that her marriage is not the first and last of the States, while adapting to new rules and equal, despite a strict sharing of bills, compose it. taking advantage of surprising oppor­ when her visiting mother puts a vase on a stories are told hy the tunities, have struggled to maintain the table poorly designed in his youth by l daughters of the "new dignity of their culture and the authority Harold, and both crash to the floor and d Waverly jong, Ying­ and wisdom of their parenthood in a new shatter. Waverly jong fears that her Ciair, and An-Mei and culture that sees them as outdated and mother will object to her marriage to red­ 10ut the entire novel, we their traditions as out of place. haired, freckled Rich, whose warm­ concern that their his­ In the two middle sections the hearted American manners seem rudeness tted to their daughters, daughters speak. In "The Twenty Six at her mother's Sunday dinner: when and bodies had already Malignant Gates" they remember their Lindo dispraises her best dish, he tells her

. 73 it can be fixed just fine by adding soy little kingdom from among the four sets of your son." (118) Ar sauce. June Woo, the only unmarried tiles. And thematically the families both nia, two years a daughter, still working on being a failure, cooperate with each other-come migrated there in 1 tries to take the worst crab, one without a together for companionship and joy-and experience. leg, at the New Year's dinner; but her compete with each other for success and But a novel is m mother prevents her, takes it herself and recognition. study or biographi removes it to the kitchen uneaten. But there is a great deal more to com­ an artist of high qu One reads along compelled by these mend the book than the untl'mal structure. in a mixture of tht stories despite the obliqueness of the We get a first-hand account of life for Impressionist styl overall plot, for the several plots start and women in China in the early part of this from China and frc stop, weave in and out, until, at the end, century, told to us, intimately, as if by our An-Mei remembet one is aware of a rich tapestry and wants own mothers. And we learn, almost as if from the floatin~ to read all over again from the beginning from a sister or cousin, what it is like to family, servant bo and, at the same time, to trace some of the grow up as a part of two such different raft, with a divin~ pictures. Although the sixteen stories cultures in San Francisco. June says, " ... ring arour1d its nee together make one intricately patterned my mother and I spoke two different lan­ and cannot swallc novel, you can also read the sections as guages .... I talked to her in English, she from the depths ~ four novelettes. Or you can read the four answered back in Chinese .... We trans­ again. The boy p families' stories, one at a time. For in­ lated each other's meanings and I seemed bird's throat and stance, the Jong family is chronicled in I, 3; to hear less than what was said, while my another, onto the 1 II, 1; Ill, 2; and IV, 3). So that there are four mother heard more" (34-37). In this at­ where they are r' "vertical" novelettes. You could see the mosphere of one culture slipping away gutted by an old eight stories of the mothers (two each) as and another in the process of being who then turns t1 a half-novel of the immigrant experience formed, the intensity of the mother­ head of a large tur and the eight stories of the daughters as a daughter relationship seems to increase, Beheaded with c half-novel of the experience of those since each must struggle all the more to turtle body drain~ caught between two cultures. And finally know the othe.r, for although their faces Lindo Jong desc you could read eight accounts of two are alike, their backgrounds, their expecta­ Chinatown: the "l stories each that make up the thoughts of tions, as well as their natural languages are with a big Chinese the eight characters. Reading in these diverse. The mothers are more sure of lou-'wheat,' 'east,' ways brings the full tapestry richness to who they are-transplanted Chinese. But (259). And "I saw another cover-to-cover reading. what are the daughters? Lindo tells each side of the : But in another sense, the novel's un­ Waverly, "When you go to China ... you were the entran usual structure is like an evening of mah don't even have to open your mouth. temple. But when jong, a game which, Suyuon suggests to l11ey already know you are an outsider.... the pagoda was her daughter is like life, at least as the They know just watching the way you topped with stac~ Chinese see it Each of the novel's four sec­ walk, the way you carry your face" (253). If you looked or tions of four stories represents a direction Conversely, they are spotted immediately pretend-pagodas, 1 and one of the four winds; Just as the in America as Chinese. Or at least as became narrow a players face east, south, west, and north, Orientals: Rose llsu says to her date's dirty" (260). and each other, taking turns to travel mother, "Mrs. jordan, I am not Victname.se. Tan's ear is as a, around the board and make one's own ... And I have no intention of marrying is through turns 1

74· mong the four sets of your son." (118) Amy Tan, born in Califor­ aware of irony and sense of humor, par­ .lly the families both nia, two years after her parents im­ ticularly in the adaptive English of the !ach other-come migrated there in 1952, clearly writes from mothers. Ying-Ying says of her daughter's ionship and joy-and experience. not wanting babies: "She and her husband >thee for success and But a novel is more than a sociological are too busy drawing places that someone study or biographical account; and Tan is else will build and someone else will live !l deal more to com­ an artist of high quality, perhaps brushing in. I cannot say the American word that the unusual structure. in a mixture of the Chinese and Western she and her husband are. It is an ugly l account of life for Impressionist styles of painting. Scenes word .... Arty-techy.' • And she is not ap­ the early part of this from China and from San Francisco linger. peased by their American style of provi­ 1timately, as if by our An-Mei remembers at age four watching sion for her old age: "money to add to my ~e learn, almost as if from the floating pavilion of her rich so-so security" (243). To An-Mei, her sin, what it is like to family, servant boys catching fish from a daughter's counselor is a "psyche-atricks" f two such different raft, with a diving bird, a rope tied to a (188). Suyuon calls her daughter a "college cisco. June says, " ... ring around its neck so that it must return drop-off" (37) and Auntie Ying not "hard •ke two different lan­ and cannot swallow the fish it brings up of hearing• but "hard of listening" (35). A o her in English, she from the depths of the river again and cookie fortune reads "Money is the root of ninese .... We trans­ again. The boy pulls the fish out of the all evil. look around you and dig deep" in ~anings and I seemed bird's throat and tosses them, one after English, and "Money is a bad influence. it was said, while my another, onto the deck of the family boat, You become restless and rob graves· in :" (34-37). In this at­ where they are robotically scaled and Chinese. Says Lindo, "lhese are not for­ Jiture slipping away gutted by an old bent servant woman, tunes, they are bad instructions· (262). e process of being who then turns to lure with a stick the Suyuan is unabashed about her ;ity of the mother­ head of a large turtle from out of its shell. Chauvinism, telling of a family table made ip seems to increase, Beheaded with one sudden blow, the of "a very fragrant red wood ... hon mu, •ggle all the more to turtle body drains its blood into a bowl. which is so fine there's no English word although their faces Lindo jong describes San Francisco's for it" (24). rounds, their expccta­ Chinatown: the "McDonald's restaurant Because there is very little physical naturallanguages are with a big Chinese sign that says mai dong description of the characters, they may, in :rs are more sure of lou-'wheat,' 'east,' 'building.' All nonsense• one way, be meant to be representative. ;:>!anted Chinese. But (259). And "I saw two pagodas, one on But there is no question that each main­ :hters? Lindo tells each side of the street, as though they tains an inner distinction, as we follow 1 go to China ... you were the entrance to a great Buddha them from childhood to marriage and 'open your mouth. temple. But when I looked carefully, I saw motherhood, distinctions that cannot be ou are an outsider.... the pagoda was really just a building encapsulated, though we may want to say tching the way you topped with stacks of tile roofs, no walls. .. wistful Rose Hsu, subtly domineering my your face· (253). If you looked on either side of these Lindo, self-apologetic June. 111e master spotted immediately pretend-pagodas, you could see the streets artist selects details carefully, and yet a 1ese. Or at least as became narrow and crowded, dark, and painting can only hint at the depth of its u says to her date's dirty" (260). subjects. I feel as if I know the characters I am not Vietname~'iC. Tan's ear is as acute as is her eye, and it intimately yet could well hear the charac­ 1tention of marrying is through turns of phrases that we are ters objecting as Suyuan docs to her

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nobody will say her worth is measured by daughter: "You don't even know little per­ cepts the money the loudnes..c; of her husband's belch" (17). cent of me!" (27) Amy Tan's China and San their daughters ; An-Mel describes the matrilineal de­ Francisco may be picturable, but the truths and hope scent (and ascent?) in a metaphor: "... she characters are never predictable. America .... The was In this novel the matrilineal is stressed. born to me and she was born a girl. bear grandchildn Suyuan tells June, "They are all dead, your And I was born to my mother and I was necting hope pa grandparents, your uncles, and their wives born a girl. All of us are like stairs, one step generation; wh and children, all killed in the war, when a after another, going up and down, but all mother is in your bomb fell on their house. So many going the same way• (215). But there is them, June Woo, 1 also a spiritually physical connection. generations in one instant. ... Our whole both cultures an Young An-Mei,separated from her mother family is gone. It is just you and I" (272). out of the trail shortly after her birth, had immediately In doing so, she ignores the very much spiritual connec known her mother though she had never alive husband and father. And why? Per­ the past: "I also h: seen her in "all my memory." When her haps to right the imbalance of the cen­ seen this a long, (, mother returned, • she looked up ... and I turies of patriarchy and patrilinealism in most forgotten• saw my own face looking back at me" ( 45). China For instance, after Lindo's betrothal her half-sisters v at the age of two, her mother no longer Similarly the metaphor in fable three shot of them de1 called her daughter. She was henceforth describes the female line as endlessly see their mothe the daughter of her mother-in-law: "My reflective. A mother hangs a mirror at the them mother did not treat me this way because headboard of her daughter's marital hed Amy Tan dedi to balance the mirror at the foot of the she did not love me. She would say this to "my mother ~ biting back her tongue, so she wouldn't bed: "In this mirror is my future mother." wish for something that was no longer grandchild. . . . And the daughter hers." When she was twelve, Lindo would looked-and.... There it was: her own Roberta Simon live with her husband's family, would be reflection looking back at her" (147). In expected to "raise proper sons, care for the fable four the metaphor is cyclical: the old people, and faithfully sweep the family laughing baby sitting on her burial grounds ... • (51). There could be grandmother's lap has "lived forever, over no divorce or remarriage, and any and over again" and has come back to daughter she had would be similarly given teach her mother "How to lose [her] in­ away. An-Mei says, "I was raised the nocence but not [her] hope. How to laugh Chinese way: I was taught to desire noth­ forever." ing .. ." (215). The Amah scolds little Ying­ In America the cycle seems only super­ Ying: "Haven't I taught you-that it is ficial. Instead of"funny Chinese dresses wrong to think of your own needs? A girl with stiff stand-up collars and blooming can never ask, only listen· (71). But in branches of embroidered silk sewn over America, they believed, it could be dif­ their breasts," the mothers wear "slacks, ferent. In the fable that precedes Section bright print blouses, and different versions One a woman sails to America, carrying of sturdy walking shoes" (28); and the with her a swan's feather, symbol of ambi­ daughters find it • fashionable to use their tion. There, she thinks, • I will have a Chinese names· (37). In reality, the daughter just like me. But over there mothers fear, as June senses when she ac-

76· orth is measured by cepts the money for her trip to China, that sband's belch. (17). their daughters are "unmindful of all the the matrilineal de­ truths and hopes they have brought to ... she a metaphor: • America .... They see daughters who will ihe was born a girl. bear grandchildren born without any con­ y mother and I was necting hope passed from generation to e like stairs, one step generation," who will forget that "your 1p and down, but all mother is in your bones" ( 4()-41). For all of • (215). But there is them, June Woo, in China, is able to bridge ysical connection. both cultures and generations. Looking ted from her mother out of the train window, she feels a h, had immediately spiritual connection with the place and ,ough she had never the past: "I also have misty eyes, as if I had temory: When her seen this a long, long time ago, and had al­ e looked up ... and I most forgotten" (268). And as June and :ing back at me· ( 45). her half-sisters watch the Polaroid snap­ 1hor in fable three shot of them developing, they suddenly e line as endlessly see their mother's face looking back at 1angs a mirror at the them ughter's marital hed Amy Tan dedicates The joy Luck Club >r at the foot of the to "my mother and the memory of her ·ror is my future mother: \nd the daughter ere it was: her own Roberta Simone 1ck at her· (147). In >hor is cyclical: the sitting on her s "lived forever, over :1 has come back to low to lose[her) in-

1 hope. How to laugh

:le seems only super­ nny Chinese dresses ollars and blooming jered silk sewn over tothers wear "slacks, md different versions ;hoes· (28); and the ;hionable to use their 37). In reality, the : senses when she ac-

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