Without Wood and Best Quality Blog

I think the major themes of are having a voice and standing up for yourself and working hard to use your best qualities to the best of your ability to get what you deserve. The last one was sort of hard to put into words, especially to summarize it. What I am trying to say reminds me a lot of a certain Bible story, I’m not sure if it is from the Old Testament or the New Testament, but I think it is from the new one, but it’s the point made or the moral of the story that’s important to this theme. The basic plot line is that a man gives out a bunch of money to his servants and says he wants them to do what they think is best with the money and he will come back in a few years to collect the money. When he comes back years later he goes to the first group of servants and asks what they have done with the money and for whatever they have left or made back. The first group squandered away all of his money for their own uses and don’t have any left. He is disappointed in this group and moves on to the second group. He asks what they have done with their money and for it back. These very loyal servants of his tell him they invested the money for the better and in return have made three times as much as he originally gave them and offer to get the money, but instead he tells them not to and that he very pleased with what the have done. He tells them that his plan was only to see what they did with his money and since he knows they used it so well he tells them to keep all the money and that he is very proud of them. He then goes to the third group and asks them what they did with his money and for it back. They tell him they hid away the money and never used it for anything. They assume he will be pleased they kept his money and never squandered it away, but instead he is outraged. They ask why he so outraged at them, but not at the servants who squandered away the money and he tells him that when he left he told them to use the money to best of their ability and then return it when he returned. Instead though, they didn’t use it for anything, the first group may have not used as they should have, but at least they followed his orders to use it to the best of their ability, and second group used it as they should, to the best of their ability and for the best. Jing-Mei would be in the last group because this story was a metaphor for the talents God gives us when we are born. Waverly is right her work isn’t good enough, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be. This is what Suyan is trying to say by agreeing with Waverly, and this is how An-Mei feels about Rose letting Ted control everything. They both have the talent, but neither use their talents and are like the last group of servants who will always be servants to others. The second group were no longer servants because they used their money and became rich and were now equal to the man they used to work for because they used them correctly. These servants are now lords and are being treated as they deserve. The last group could have also become lords, but instead they just remained lowly servants. Rose and June are like this because they could be treated better and they could be “lords”. So what I think their mothers are trying to say is that it’s not too late to use their talents, to make their lives better because at the moment their lives aren’t good enough for what they deserve. Suyan is just trying to tell June this, but An-Mei is trying to tell Rose this and that she herself was like this once, as was her mother. It was too late for her mother, but she managed to give An-Mei the best she could and now An-Mei wants to give her daughter this too, but she can’t because it isn’t in her hands anymore it’s in Rose’s so the best she can do is tell Rose this and warn her before it’s too late to have the life she deserves.

First JLC Blog

I’m not really sure if I like this story yet because it was kind of interesting, but so far it’s really weird and sort of confusing. There were lots of references to the game because the joy luck club is where all these women meet up to play mah jongg. From what I can tell so far if I had to write one sentence about the theme of this story it would be After her mother’s death a young woman takes her place playing mah jongg with her mother’s friends and begins to unravel her mother’s true story. I think I would like to read more of this story because, although I’m not really that interested in it, the story of this woman’s mother has intrigued me enough to want to keep reading to learn the story even if it’s one I don’t like. Now that I’ve finished the book I think this story was a really good way to start off the book, except for the fact that I don’t think it is interesting or intriguing enough to get people to want to really continue reading. For example, when I started writing this blog I said I didn't know if I wanted to keep reading because I didn't really like it all that much yet, in fact if this wasn't a school book, I probably would have put it down and stopped reading because I didn't like it. Now that I have finished it I liked it and I would have ended up regretting it if I hadn't finished reading it. Of course when I first started it though I would have never known that I would end up liking the book and I wouldn't regret putting it down because I wouldn't know what I was missing. I guess in a way I sort of have to thank Nijole for forcing me to read this because if she hadn't I would have never read this great book.

Rules of the Game and Wall Blog

I didn’t really like either of these stories all that much, but I did recognize some similarities between the mothers and daughters. I did like how the theme of wind repeated in Waverly’s story just like her mother’s. Wind was very significant in both of their stories. In Lindo’s it was what “blew out her husband’s end of the candle” and for Waverly it was the source of her skill. She said that when playing chess it was like the winds were blowing her pieces in the right directions, and whispering secrets in her ears. As for Lena’s story I didn’t really see that much of a point to it. I understand that in the story there were connections to wanting to be found, just like her mother, but in the end I think this story wasn’t really necessary for the rest of the book. I feel as though we didn’t need this story to recognize the connection and similarities between Ying-Ying and Lena. Like I said, I did see the connections between mother and daughter in this story. The neighbors Lena always heard fighting were sort of like her. The daughter would runaway and all she really wanted was to be found and all her mother really wanted was to find her, and they always did, and I think that’s sort of a metaphor to how Lena feels about her and her mother. All she wants is to be found and for her mother to want to find her, and for her to find her. The problem is Ying-Ying was never really found, so she didn’t pay attention, she didn’t know her daughter was “lost” and she didn’t know how to or that she needed to find her own daughter.

Two Kinds Blog

I would have to say in a way I sympathize with June, but in a way I also sympathize with her mother. Her mother’s intentions were good, but the way she tried to show them wasn’t the best way because to June it felt and looked like she was always a failure and was never good enough for her mother. It also felt like to June that her mother never wanted her as a daughter, instead she always wanted Waverly as her daughter, but this isn’t true, that’s just the way it seems. I think June was in the wrong here, but I still sympathize with her because she didn’t know she was in the wrong because she misunderstood her mother and her mother’s intentions and wants and dreams for her. Overall I can see it from both of their points of view, and because of that I sympathize with both of them equally.

tickets

I’d say thaat this story really finishes the book off very nicely because it brings it all together in one final sort of moment. It was funny to me how somehow out of the blue Jing-Mei’s great aunt was there and talking about what her father was like as a little kid. And it seemed ironic to me that everybody in the family wanted American food while Jing-Mei was eager to try real Chinese food. Then Jing-Mei’s family recounts her mothers journey from her home to her husband’s home. The journey it seems was extremely rough, and it seems many people were also fleeing. While it does kind of confuse me as to why she left her children on the side of the road, I can also understand it at the same time. I can see that while hundreds of people were fleeing death Jing-Mei’s mother had no food and no water for days and she was carrying twins that needed things she couldn’t provide. So she had to do it. She had to leave her children alone, and it seems that her wish came true. I really liked the whole book very much.

four directions

The story "Four Directions" is about Waverly, and her struggle to tell her mother about the engagement between her and Rich. In the beginning of the story she talks about how her mother told her to take the piano with her, and that it is always her piano no matter what happens. She talks about her long period of chess-less days and how her mother says she'll never be able to instantly get her talent of chess back, and when Waverly enters the contest, she looses against a boy that she easily beat before she quit. I'm starting to pity her a little bit because her mother is still holding that argument against her, and she's acting like each failure at winning a chess game that Waverly has, it's a good thing, and she's not being a very good parent. Something that i like in this story that Waverly has great friends that encourage her to stand up to her mother, and tell her that what she's doing is really affecting Waverly, and that she needs to stop. Something i find interesting though, is that Waverly has a strong weakness towards her mother, when to anybody else on the street, she'll snap on you like it's nothing. I think that both Waverly and Lindo have some growing up to do, and I think they need to put their differences behind them.

Western Skies

With this being the last part of the book, I think everything came together and everyone finally understood each other. I think the daughters did realize what their mothers were trying to get across and they are now taking that into consideration. And I also feel that the mothers have truly learned a lot from their daughters and can appreciate them to an extent where they understand the frustration their daughters dealt with while they were raising them. I will say that I am happy for June to go to China to find her sisters and even though things with her and her mother weren’t always kosher, they finally came to a point where they actually understood each other and they know that they love each other. The same thing goes for the other mothers and daughters, I’m really glad they all became unified with each other and know that they have each other’s support. I think they also realized that they did have a voice and knew that everything happens for a reason and know they can be happy with their lives and continue to grow each day while raising their families, working their careers and still being one big family.

Two Tickets blog

I really liked this story. I think it was a great, perfect way to end the book and it was very inspirational. It was a great way to finally connect everything. All the daughters and mothers had finally connected and understood each other; except for Jing-Mei who couldn’t really because her mother was dead, but in this last story they managed to still have that understanding and connection even though she was dead. I found the last part of Suyan’s story was very cool and interesting. I also loved that we got to hear a little bit about the dad because we didn’t get to know a lot about the men in any of these women’s lives and the ones we did hear a lot about were because they had bad impacts on one of these women. Of course there were some exceptions to this like Rich and most of the mothers’ current husbands, but it was nice to sort of hear how one of them views things. Overall this was the best story because it is mostly happy unlike my other two favorites, the red candle one and the one about An-Mei’s mother as a concubine. I don’t really have a reaction to the name of this section, but it does sort of how people say that when someone you love dies that they’re always watching over you. I sort of get a picture of all the grandmothers and June’s mother watching over their daughters from the sky and west because that’s where the sun sets and people also say that when someone dies you can see them in the stars. As for the Queen Mother only one person comes to mind and seeing as I am a Catholic that person is Mary the Mother of God. The teachings are that she is the mother of all and watches over each and every one of us as if we were her only child.

A Pair Of Tickets

The story, "A Pair Of Tickets" was basically ending the story in the beginning of this book with Jing-Mei getting money from the joy luck club, and getting a plane ticket to China so she can see her sisters that her mother left behind. I like the way this book ends, because despite everything that has happened to these women, these sisters have been able to meet, and come close, and i like that Jing-Mei had the chance to travel with her father, and they were able to form a good relationship. I like that the sisters don't blame Jing-Mei for their mother leaving them behind, and i find it interesting that the daughters don't expect their mother to still be alive when Jing-Mei tries to tell them what she thinks will be a shock to them. I think that this type of ending is getting a little bit old, but in the case of this book i find it necessary for these women to have some good int heir lives because each of the mothers and daughters are struggling with their marriage, or some kind of relationship, whether it be with their parents or their husbands. I liked this book a lot, and I'm happy i got a chance to read this story, and i might look for more books that this author has written, and maybe i could do a book report on the books. So in conclusion, i think this book was great.

Double Face and Tree blog

I feel really bad for Ying-Ying, but at the same time, I hate her and view her as a cold-blooded psycho-maniac murderer. I know I am just being stupid, biased, and prejudice, but I can’t help it. I want to feel bad for Ying-Ying, but I can’t because of how I view her. I know that I’m probably wrong about how I view her, but that’s Amy Tan’s stupid fault. I love Amy Tan and I hate her because of how she made me view Ying-Ying. I view her the way I do because she murdered her baby. In the movie, they make her love her baby and accidentally kill it after it is born, but in the book, its totally different because she says she killed the baby on purpose because of how mad she is at her husband. I suppose it could have been a mistake, but from the way it sounds, they make her like some murderer, but I don’t think that’s what Amy Tan wanted it to sound like, I think she wanted us to feel pity not hatred. I’m sure I’m wrong and my brain just interoperated what she said wrong and that Ying-Ying really is a good person, but I’m mad at Amy Tan for not making it clear what she wanted and I’m mad at myself or my brain for automatically coming up with this conclusion when I’m almost positive its wrong. As for Lindo, she has remained my favorite character, but in Gabby’s blog and other people say Lindo ended up loving her hair and how she looked, but I don’t remember reading that she liked it. Maybe I just missed that part somehow, but I definitely don’t remember it, all I remember is them looking in the mirror and the mom getting mad at the daughter because her nose is crooked and the barber said Lindo and Waverly looked alike. Either way I liked this story because Lindo and Waverly really, finally understood each other and connected. I also liked how Lindo saw herself in her mother and Waverly saw herself in Lindo and probably later in her life Waverly’s daughter will see herself in Waverly. It really reminded me of one of the other mother’s (I think it was An-Mei, but I don’t remember) when she said they were like stairs, each one slightly different, but at the same time still the same. The picture I get in my mind when I remember this story is sort of like the scene in the first Harry Potter book when he is looking in the mirror and sees his parents, only what I imagine is Lindo and Waverly at the hairdresser, looking in the mirror and you see three faces, Lindo’s mother, Lindo, and Waverly. Although, Lindo’s mother wasn’t there her sort of faded face in the mirror shows her presence and I imagine them all smiling, proud of each other and proud to be related to each other. Also, as I said before I can’t see her face, and her face isn’t in that scene, but I can imagine later Waverly in Lindo’s place seeing both Lindo and Lindo’s mother and Waverly’s daughter in Waverly’s place.

w/w and best quality

The story "Without Wood" really interested me. This story is about a woman that's having trouble standing up to her husband, and she's getting a divorce, and she is starting to feel badly about herself because she feels like she's nothing without her husband, and that she's letting her husband do whatever he wants with their divorce settlements. During this story, her mother starts telling her that she should talk to her mother instead of a psychiatrist because she says psychiatrists only make everything seem. I think that this story is about standing up for yourself, and, like the mother said "A girl is like a young tree, you must stand tall and listen to your mother standing next to you. That is the only way to grow strong and straight. But if you listen to other people you will grow crooked and weak. You will fall to the ground with the first strong wind." In the story "Best Quality" there's a woman that's having major self-esteem issues. Her and her mother go to the market to buy crabs for a dinner they're having later on that night. After they buy the crabs, Waverly, like a jerk, takes the best-looking crab and gives it to her daughter, and talks about how badly Rose is doing in life. I think this story's meaning was that Rose needs to start standing up for herself, and start trying to think she deserves the best looking crab instead of the worst looking crab. I think the whole crab thing is just a metaphor for her life. She always puts her self down and gives herself the bad things while putting other people, such as her husband, up on a pedestal and giving them the best things.

waiting between the tree's/double face

In these two stories, we learn of all the hardships both Ying-Ying and Lindo went through before their children were born. In Ying-Ying’s story, she had an arranged marriage when she was young to a drunk man. She never liked the man but knew he was destined to be her husband. And eventully fell in “love” with the man. A few months after becoming pregnant with a boy, her husband left her after having cheated on her several times. Out of shame, she chose to abort her baby, never telling anyone she was pregnant. I think this is a very big deal and if her daughter had known even about the bogus marriage, it would have changed the way she viewed her mother. In Lindo’s story, she is worried about her daughters upcoming marriage and doesn’t think its going to work out. Her daughter Waverly wants to spend her honeymoon in China, but thinks they will mistake her as a Chinese citizen and not let her back into America. Her mother promptly tells her that they will know she is American before she even opens her mouth. Waverly is disappointed by this notion and blows her mother off. To Lindo’s surprise, she also visited China wearing her “Chinese face” and thought she blended in, but they knew that she too was from America.

Magpies

I found this story to be very interesting. This story is about the early life of An-Mei and the mystery behind her mother. We learn that she left with her mother after Popo dies to live in Tiensten and as soon as An-Mei leaves, she becomes dead to her family. She is told that once she leaves she will never be able to hold her head up again. She doesn’t believe him but when she looks back to see her little brother's sad face she realizes that this is true. And that she won’t be able to hold her head up any more. This relates a lot to Scar, involving the drama surrounding her mother, personal sacrifice, and the suppression of emotion. An-Mei’s mother was miserable being a concubine for that old man, but she didn’t have another choice. It turns out that her baby she had with Wu Tsing was taken from her at birth and disguised as one of his other wives children. I cannot imagine the heartbreak she felt at this and it is obvious that it hurt her deeply. I also feel that her mother was ashamed in a way for bringing her daughter there to witness the degrading life she lives. Both Scar and Magpies bring about the aspect of hiding one’s sadness because it only feeds upon other’s happiness. And that is what her mother tells her. It was told to her mother by the little turtle that lives in the pond.

waiting behind the trees/Double face blog

The story "Waiting being the trees" was about Ying-Ying and her personal struggles with marriage as a young woman. She married a drunken man that obviously didn't give a care about her, but even so she fell in-love with him. She really revolved her entire life around being with her husband, and she even got pregnant by him. Later on in the marriage, she found out that he was cheating on her, and she was bot mentally and emotionally crushed. After she found out he was cheating on her, she killed her newborn baby, and moved to America to marry an American man and have a whole new family. The story "Double Face" is about how Lindo's daughter Waverly is getting married, and she wants to go to a beauty salon-type thing and get "touched" up so that she looks beautiful for her new marriage. Also, this story really brings out the mother-daughter relationship between Lindo and Waverly. I'm starting to understand a lot of why problems in each of the families are so dramatic and harsh. For example, now i know why Ying-Ying had that hallucination of the baby floating in the air and pointing at her like it's mad at her, it's because when she was younger, she was so mad at her old husband that cheated on her, that she killed her new-born baby.

A Pair of Tickets

I think this was a satisfying way to end the story, with Jing-Mei telling of her journey to China to meet her long lost half-sisters. Seeing as her mother was absent throughout the book, I think it is nice to wrap it up with her one wish being fulfilled. Jing-Mei goes through a lot of drawn out anticipation and anxiety in this story, not knowing what to say or do when she sees her sisters. She is afraid they will be angry with her for not bringing her mother whom they think is still living. As soon as she meets them, however, something clicks inside them and they just know that she is gone. It was also an interesting experience for her to travel that long distance with her father and have the ability to grow closer to him. I think the parable in the beginning of the section relates to the mothers experiencing raising their children, learning through hard times that you need to let a person live and experience things, but to make sure that as they shed their innocence they must keep happiness in their hearts and never stop laughing. Throughout the book, the mothers have shed their sometimes hidden wisdom to their daughters and watched patiently as they learned. This was an incredible book and I am very glad to have had the opportunity to read it.