Water
What characteristics does water represent?
Wisdom, Flexibility, Stillness, Harmony, and the ability to overcome obstacles
What characteristics does fire represent?
Powerful dynamic force, high energy, potential for creation and destruction, passionate
What characteristics does metal represent?
Clarity, precision, strength, and boundaries
What characteristics does wood represent?
Growth, expansion, and flexibility
What characteristics does Earth represent?
Stability, nourishment, grounding
What season is associated with this element?
Winter
What emotions are associated with this element
Anger
What season is associated with this element?
Autumn
What color is associated with this element
Green
What color associated with this element?
Yellow
What is an example of a character in The Joy Luck Club displaying the traits of water or lack of?
Examples may vary.
Character with water must be seen exhibiting emotional depth or being able to go through obstacles smoothly
Characters without water should be seen struggling with emotions and feeling detached. (lack of opinion)
What is an example of a character demonstrating the traits of fire in the Joy Luck Club?
The traits of fire are passion and high energy. Any instance of a character demonstrating these traits is applicable
What color is associated with metal
Silver/White
Who is one character in the book that exhibits the traits of Wood? Evidence?
Waverly:
Ambition and Drive: She is highly motivated to win in chess
Assertiveness and Independence: She pushes back against her mother and makes independent choices
Other characters could be argued
What character is most associated with this element? Why?
An-mei Hsu deeply cares for her daughter and honors her mother’s pain
Emotional support: Quiet strength, absorbs pain for the sake of others
Worry/overthinking: Anxious about Rose's passivity and future
Tradition & family: Honors family bonds despite trauma and shame
Groundedness: Learns strength from grief and passes it on
Other characters could be argued
True or false: Water is associated with the colors blue and black
True
True or false: According to some tradition, the universe comes from the five elements
True
Metal symbolizes strength and clarity. Which mother shows metal characteristics by seeing through her daughter's unbalanced marriage and encouraging justice?
Ying Ying St. Clair. An-Mei Hsu could also be argued
Which character is seen lacking wood?
Rose. She lets her husband make all the decisions for her.
True or false: The number of elements an individual supposedly has does not affect how people might have viewed their personality
False
What are the 2 fundamental relationships between the elements?
Generation and support
What organ is associated with this element
Heart, small intestines
When were the elements first mentioned in the JLC
The first chapter
In what ways were the 5 elements utilized within Chinese culture? (How did individuals use these elements in their everyday life)
Herbs, acupuncture, meditation, diet, health, lunar calendar, and organ systems
What organ is associated with this element
spleen, stomach