Feathers From A Thousand Li Away
On pages 19 and 20, Jing-mei states that her mother once explained to her that if a person “flowed” in too many directions, then they would end up not being great at anything. Jing-mei recognizes this information from her mother as one of her flaws, because she tried to get an number of degrees in different skills, but ended up not being good in any of them. Likewise, I recognize this as a connection to myself, as I learn many things. When I look at the real world, the people who are the best at something will mostly not have many other talents, as they only concentrate on that particular activity or skill. As I try to do many activities and learn many other skills, I am unable to be the best in many of them. Although I may be decent at one or two of those skills, there will be many people who are better than me who concentrate mostly on that particular skill.
Throughout the first part of the book about Jing-mei’s life, i noticed that her mother and other members of her families often insulted her, criticized and looked down on her. For instance, on page 20, Jing-mei states that her mother always criticized her, and she used to always just dismiss her criticisms as a Chinese superstition. However, when she brings the criticism issue up to her mother, her mother then says that Jing-mei is always too lazy to rise to expectations. I think that this has connections with real life, where parents criticize their children to make them work harder, by dishing out constructive criticism. Although Suyuan’s criticisms seem harsher, I believe that it has is similar to the way some strict parents in the present-day world treat their children.
On page 26, Auntie Lin asked Jing-mei if she was going back to school, because Suyuan probably told her that Jing-mei was going back to school to finish her degree, although she was evidently not planning to. This tells me that the understanding that Jing-mei believes she and her mother has is not as good. This is also particularly due to the fact that her mother exaggerated. Jing-mei told her that she would look into it, but did not give any confirmation that she would actually be taking a class. This connects with me, because sometimes when I tell my parents about something, and she wants to tell her friends the same thing, she would twist the words and exaggerate them so that they would sound more appealing to her friends. For example, I would say I got an “A” on my test, and my parents would translate the “A” into a hundred percent, therefore exaggerating like Suyuan did when she told her friends that her daughter was going back to school to finish her degree.
On page 27 on the book, it states that Jing-mei and Waverly’s parents, Suyuan and An-mei, have spent a long time comparing their children. Their mothers compared every little detail of each of their daughters, although Suyuan had not much to brag of. An-mei’s daughter, Waverly, was a chess champion, which allowed An-mei to brag about her. Suyuan, on the other hand, had nothing to brag about Jing-mei, because Jing-mei did not have much talent. I think that this connects to our modern society, where we see parents everyday comparing their kids to someone else’s. For example, when a parent sees his child’s report card that contains low marks, he asks him what another child got, and then demands an explanation why he did not do as well as another child in his class.
On page 31 of the book, Jing-mei realizes that the aunties that want her to pass on messages criticizes her for not knowing her mother well because they were just as afraid that their children were just as ignorant as Jing-mei wauys. They were frightened of their daughters who thought that their parents were stupid when they talked in fractured English, and when the Aunties talk in Chinese, their daughters’ “American-born” minds would become impatient with them. I think that this connects to the real world, where children who had immigrated from an Asian country with their parents had done so when they were young, and when they grew up, their parents would still talk as if they were in that Asian country, in Chinese and fractured English. The children, now with different mindsets, would be annoyed at their parents for speaking fractured English. I feel like this also applies to me. Although it is not as bad for me as I speak Chinese, once in a while I would feel slightly annoyed when correcting their grammar mistakes.
On page 34 of the book, it was stated that An-mei’s grandmother made up stories to teach her to stop doing certain things. For example, she told her not to be greedy and used a story about a greedy girl who ate too much and whose belly grew bigger and bigger, and in the end poisoned herself. When others cut open her body, they found a large white winter melon. Although these stories are not true, they scare children so that they would know what not to do. I think that this connects to the real world, where parents make up scary stories for their children so that their children would not do those things that the parent warned them about, by using urban myths or legends to scare their children.
The chapter "The Red Candle" is a text to world connection. Lindo Jong was to be married to a spoiled husband. He came from a family that was well off, and Lindo Jong was married into his family by her parents, who saw no other choice but to do so. Her new family confined her to typical “girl activities” (sewing, cooking). All in all, her new family treated her pretty badly. However, in the end, she gets to be free again after she convinces her mother that one of the servants should marry her husband instead of her. I think that some components of her life connect to the book and film, Cinderella (1950). I think it connects to the story because, like Linda, Cinderella abused and mistreated by her family, but remained kind. She was basically a servant, and her only jobs around the house were to cook and sew, just like Linda. In the end, Cinderella got a happy ending by marrying the prince at the King’s ball. Just like Cinderella, Linda eventually became free from her abusive family and was free in the end.
The Twenty-Six Malignant Glass
The first communication I will be talking about is a text to self relation. Which is based on the chapter which Ying Ying St-Clair losing the rest of her family. While lost, she thinks her family is on another floating pavilion she sees, which they aren’t. She is lost and scared, which I can relate to the times I lose my mom at Costco, because I wander off to look at more interesting things than apples. The part where she thinks another floating pavilion is hers I can relate to me thinking other ladies at Costco are my mom. Even though they are actually just look-a-likes.On page 83, I made a text to text connection. Ying-Ying wants to return home to her family and her wish is granted by the Moon Lady. This reminded me of the WIzard of Oz. In the book, Dorothy’s wish is also to return home to her family, because there’s no place like home. Dorothy’s wish is later granted by Glinda the good witch.
Waverly talks about her alley which contains a medicinal herb shop her brothers and her love going to. The man who owns it was said to have cured a woman dying of a curse even the best doctors weren’t able to cure. This reminds me of the movie The Princess and the Frog. The frog is also put under a curse that no one other than the Princess was able to cure. On page 90, I made a text to world link Waverly’s brother gets a chess set at a Christmas party. The whole Christmas event, with greedy children who got bad presents and good children who got good presents. It all reminded me of the movie The Grinch, who never got anything from Santa because he was bad but the Whos did because they were nice.
On page I made a text to world link. The whole chapter "the Voice from the Wall" is like the horror movie Carrie. First of all, Lena's mom is crazy just like Carrie's mom. Lena's dad doesn't really do anything about Ying-ying's condition, which is just like the movie Carrie. Carrie doesn't have a dad who cares for her mother's mental condition either. Last but not least, both stories are very scary and the families in both are sad to read and watch.
American Translation / Queen Mother Of Western Skies
On page 161, which is text to self. Lena’s mother is similar to a psychic, she predicts things. Once, Ying-ying predicted that her husband would be a bad man. This like the one time I looked up psychics and the Google search results showed a psychic that predicted the super bowl winner. She is a psychic just like Lena’s mother.
I made a text to self connection in the chapter "Double Face". Waverly thinks she will blend in with people in China. Although in reality she didn't, people still noticed her as an American. This is like how when I came to high school, I thought I would blend in because I look dress similar and look like others. I thought it there wasn't a big difference but in reality there is. I don't resemble anyone, everyone is different in their own way.
On page 206 in The Joy Luck Club, I made a text to self connection. When Rose stated that she used to believe in everything her mother told her, although she was incapable of understanding what she meant. I was able to relate to that, when I was little my mother would always tell me these old Chinese superstitions and up to this day I would still believe in them. One of them is if a baby is crying for no apparent reason it means there are ghosts around that are disturbing the child. Therefore, whenever I’m around a sobbing baby it’d make me slightly uncomfortable and terrified. To Rose the power of her mother's words was strong, I was also able to strongly relate to her. I was always too petrified to go against my mother’s words, for example, she would tell me to clean my room and I would get to on right away. It wasn't like there were some extreme consequences if I went against her words, but for some odd reason I was too afraid to rebel against her.
On page 229, I made a text to self connection. When Waverly judged Jing-Mei for going to get her hair cut by a gay hairdresser. I was able to relate to this passage, many Asian parents are quite judgemental and not open to new, “unusual” things and my parents are one of these types of people. They would tell me not to associate with certain people or races because they’re a bad influence. This is somewhat similar to Jing-Mei’s situation, Waverly brings up that her hairdresser may have Aids and she should be worried since he’s cutting her hair which is like cutting living tissue according to Waverly. But unlike Waverly who’s only saying that as an insult, my parents are actually telling me because they’re worried about my safety.
On page 330-332, I made a text to self connection. Jing Mei got fed up with Waverly insulting her hair and her job, so she decided to get revenge by embarrassing her by telling everybody how Waverly’s firm is late to pay her. I used to always get compared to with my cousin and she would diss me every chance she got. My parents would always compare me to her and ask me questions like “I heard your cousin got straight As, why don’t you have straight As?” “Your cousin plays basketball and volleyball, why don’t you play sports?”. Whenever my cousin mocks me, I would try to retaliate and try to defend myself, but I’d always end up embarrassing myself. Jing Mei was the same, she tried to argue with Waverly but in the end outsmarted by her, even her mother betrayed her. The results always remained the same I would lose the argument and feel foolish and humiliated like Jing Mei.
In chapter 11, I made a text to text connection. The Joy Luck club is somewhat similar to A Free Life by Ha Jin. A Free Life is about a young man struggling to adapt to the American way of life and to hold his family together, he gives up on his dream. Just like Rose’s mother, Nan the protagonist in A Free Like flees to America in search for financial stability and success. An Mei continues to teach her daughter through Chinese traditions and ways. Also, her English is not quite perfect yet, as she continues to correct herself, Nan’s parents were not good at speaking English, they had thick accents and horrible grammar.
On page 256-262, I made a text to world connection. An Mei was the fourth wife and had no say in anything and had no respect from the other wives. In the family, the wife with the male child had the most respect and attention from Wu Tsing. Some places in China worship sons more than daughters because the sons carry the family name and are suppose to be the head of the household. Also, back then when your daughter gets married, she is considered to be someone else's daughter. And in the unprivileged regions of China boys can work harder than girl since they are stronger. Being the fourth wife was the worst position because four is an unlucky number and even the fifth wife gets more attention from Wu Tsing. Fortunately polygamy was banned after the fall of the Imperial China.
On page 213-214, I made a text to self connection. Rose stated that there are two opinions, an American opinion and, a Chinese opinion. She has always prefered the American one but it has a flaw which is too many choices. I have always followed the Chinese opinion because I did not want to go against my family’s words, although i have always wanted to follow the American opinion because it seemed much more carefree and effortless. But it led to confusion, too many choices, and easier to choose the wrong path. An Mei said Rose is constantly confused and it was because she listened to people way too often. But it was too late for both Rose and I.
On page 213-214, I made a text to self connection. Rose stated that there are two opinions, an American opinion and, a Chinese opinion. She has always prefered the American one but it has a flaw which is too many choices. I have always followed the Chinese opinion because I did not want to go against my family’s words, although i have always wanted to follow the American opinion because it seemed much more carefree and effortless. But it led to confusion, too many choices, and easier to choose the wrong path. An Mei said Rose is constantly confused and it was because she listened to people way too often. But it was too late for both Rose and I.
In chapter 13, I created a text to text connection. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, is about a thirteen year old girl who’s forced to marry her forty year old uncle who already has six wives. In both novels the female protagonist is being forced to marry someone who already has wives and includes polygamy. Although The chosen One is more extreme, both stories include people the protagonist loved and did not want to leave. In The chosen One it’s a boy named Joshua and in The Joy Luck Club it’s her family. Both protagonists were treated immorally in their new families and suffered tremendously.
