Very Different but All the Same
Anna Beecherl
Laughing forever
"Queen Mother of the Western Skies" is the parable I consider to have the most meaning and depth making it my favorite tale out of the four stories. In the allegory, the grandmother is teasing her grandchild for laughing for no reason. But, all of sudden, she feels "a deep wish stirring in her heart" and realizes her grandchild is teaching her "how to lose your innocence but not your hope" and how to laugh forever (Tan 213). The grandmother seems foolish to criticize her grandchild and shows us that wisdom comes with age but also can be found in youth.
St. Clair
If I was given the option to read a different mother-duaghter pair from the book, I would choose St. Clair. This family dynamic interests me because Ying-ying is repeatedly chastising Lena and telling her how to live her life. I could associate with Lena because my mother is similar to Ying-ying. My mom and Ying-ying have high expectations for their daughters but always have their best interest at heart.
Meaningful Quotation
The quote that is poignant to me is "the power of my words was that strong" (Tan 196). This quotation is significant because it is when Rose Hsu realizes the strength that's deep inside her. She protects herself and finally finds her voice against Ted. She is no longer cowardly and confused which showed me that we all have the capacity to defend ourselves whether we accept it or not.
Sacrifice
In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan presents the idea that sacrifice is a component of a mother's unceasing love, even though the hardships and process may not be desired. All of the mothers in the story relinquish a part of their life for the benefit of their daughters. For example, An-mei's Hsu's mother takes her own life for the prosperity of daughter's. Her mother tells An-mei that "she would rather kill her own weak spirit so she could give [her] a stronger one" (Tan 240). This sacrifice stems from An-mei's mother's eternal love for her daughter. By surrendering her own life, her daughter was raised as an "honored child" and had aspirations for her future (Tan 240).