"The Joy Luck Club" 1
Who is the narrator?
Jing-Mei/June
Why were the women eating in small portions at the table?
In China, the women are found to eat small portions to remain thin and leave the majority for the men.
Definition of a Concubine.
A woman who lives with a man, but has a lower status than his wife or wives.
Popo referred to a ghost when telling stories. Who was the ghost representing?
An-Mei's mother.
How old was Lindo when she was arranged to marry Tyan-Su?
She was 2 years old.
What did the aunties want June to do?
What was the difference between Jewish Mahjong and Chinese Mahjong?
Jewish mahjong has no strategy and they look at their own pieces. Chinese mahjong looks at everyone else's pieces and use their head for strategy.
What are the 2 motifs in "Scar"?
Sacrifices for Love and Sexism.
Define "motif".
A repeating idea, symbol, or image that occurs in throughout the book.
What did Lindo consider right before she had to marry Tyan-Su?
She considered drowning herself in the river.
Why did June say she didn't know her mother?
She never understood what her mother was saying so it made it feel as though she never truly knew her mom.
What are the 3 themes?
The Challenges of Cultural Translation, The Challenges of Immigrant Identity, and The Power of Storytelling.
Popo labeled her daughter as being a ghost so that...
Her family does not speak about her or say her name and to "fear" her.
Why did Popo tell the story of a ghost to An-Mei and her little brother?
To embed fear in them so that they listen to Popo's advice.
What was the custom belief behind the candles during the marriage ceremony?
If the flames of both candles remained until dawn, the matchmaker would declare the marriage to be sealed.
What theme do we mainly see in the first section?
The Challenges of Cultural Translation.
What societal issue do we focus on in the first section?
The gender roles between Chinese men and women.
What does An-Mei's mother cutting her flesh into the soup to give to Popo tell us about the Asian culture within families?
No matter what position you stand with your parents, they will always sacrifice for their family.
What does "No face. Never able to lift her head” mean when Popo says this to her daughter?
The mother has no value or pride since she left her kids and became a concubine.
What poetic device did we discuss in the first section?
Symbolism; the food.
Why are the mothers frightened of their own daughters?
The mothers are concerned that their daughters will never know or appreciate the journey of being immigrants and they will never understand the stories the mothers would tell.
How does An-Mei's mother becoming a concubine challenge the normal societal roles of Chinese women?
Instead of remaining a widow with a respected face for the family, she decided to marry into wealth and status.
What societal roles do we see that both America and Chinese cultural deal with?
Gender roles.
What are the 2 symbols of the Red Candle?
1) Sign of Tradition and Culture.
2) The use of traditions in claiming one's own identity and power.