Chapter 1
The Rice Husband
Lena St. Clair
This chapter is narrated by Lena St. Clair who discussed the chapter titled "The Voice From The Wall". She explains how her mother was always able to predict evils, and she was curious as to what her mother will see upon visiting her and her husband Harold at their new home. Lena thinks back to a time when her mother told her that her future husband would have one peck mark on his face for every grain of rice that she did not finish from her bowl. Lena immediately thought of her neighbor Arnold who bullied her and had a pitted face. She began to eat every single grain of rice from her bowl, determined not to marry Arnold and marry a smooth faced man. Yet, Ying-Ying continuously found grains left in Lena's bowl. Lena became terrified that Arnold was destined to be her husband and began to hope for his death. Over time, Lena thought that the relationship between eating and the possibility of marrying Arnold developed into a relationship between her eating and Arnold's well-being. She refused to eat anything, hoping that it would cause illness on Arnold. Five years later, even though she had forgotten about Arnold, Lena's fears turned into anorexia. At 17 years old, Arnold dies of an extremely rare measles related disease. Although Lena can not find a logical reason that she is the cause of his death, she blames herself. Later, she wonders if her evil intentions caused her to be with Harold as punishment for the situation with Arnold. Harold is a controlling, manipulative man. He and Lena hold seperate bank accounts and all of their own products are paid for by themselves. Even though Lena is the sole reason for his success, he is overtaken by greed. Lena works for him as a project coordinator. Even though she shows great talent and brought the company to higher places, Harold refuses to promote her because he does not want to be unfairly favoring her because she is his wife. When Ying-Ying arrives, she notices the shared expenses list on the fridge. She tells Lena that she should not pay Harold back for ice cream because she does not eat it due to a vomiting episode when she was younger. She had eaten so much strawberry ice cream that her stomach could not handle it and she got sick. Lena later brings this up to Harold and even though he agrees, she picks a fight. The fight is interrupted by the smashing of a vase upstairs in the guest bedroom. Harold built the table when he was a student, but it was wobbly. Ying-Ying said "You put something on top, everything fall down". When Lena is cleaning up the glass she tells her mother not to worry, she knew it would happen eventually. Ying-Ying then asks Lena why she hasn't done anything to prevent it.
This chapter expresses the similarities between Ying-Ying and Lena. Ying-Ying's supersititions and constant fear of impending doom have reflected onto Lena. Her supersition that something as simple as rice controlled her fate of who she would marry eventually turned into the acceptance of her unhappy marriage. She accepts her "fate" because she believes she is in a world that has forces beyond human control. Ying-Ying uses the wobby table as a symbol to show Lena how imbalanced her marriage is. Ying-Ying finally sees that to fufill your own wishes is not selfish as her Amah had told her. She does not want her daughter to remain passively silent and accept her unhappiness as she did. When she asks why Lena did nothing to prevent it, she does not mean the vase, but Lena's failed marriage.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Section 2: Twenty-Six Malignant Gates, Chapter 4: Two Kinds
Chapter 2
Two Kinds
Jing-Mei (June) Woo
This chapter is about June revisiting her childhood. It is about the pain and dissatisfaction of never becoming the prodigy that her mother tried to turn her into. After having to hear Lindo's constant bragging of her daughter Waverly, Suyuan tried to express her daughter's "inner prodigy". At first, June was open to the idea and tried a wide variety of talents. But after falling short of her mother's expectations countless times, June stood in front of the mirror and promised she wouldn't allow her mother to twist her into something she was not. Eventaully, Suyuan made June start playing the piano. She was instructed by their neighbor, Mr. Chong. June soon discovered that Mr. Chong was deaf, so she began to get away with playing the wrong notes but keeping the right rhythym. Soon, Suyuan entered June into a talent contest. Even though June was totally unprepared, she believed that her "inner talent" would make itself shown. The preformance proved to be a disaster, entire the entire Joy Luck Club and, of course, Lindo. A couple days after, Suyuan insisted that June practice piano. Being fed up, June refused and said she wished she was dead like her two sisters. Suyuan never asked June to play again. Years later, June recieved the family piano from her parent's as her thirtieth birthday gift. She had it tuned and played the song from her preformance, "Pleading Child". She then played the piece on the page next to it, "Perfectly Contented", and found each piece was complementary to eachother.
This chapter is about a clash between mother and daughter. A mother's faith in perseverence, and a daughters sense of uselessness. After looking at herself through her mirror, June promises that she will not allow her mother to change her. From this, she never devoted any of her will to trying to be good at something. The pain that June felt after falling short of her mother's expectations stems not only from dissapointment in herself, but the dissapointment from her mother. The shame and pain follows her through life. Her shame could possibly stem from the guilt she feels for willing to fail.
I also looked at Suyuan's side of the story. I highly doubt that this push to find June's "inner prodigy" was just for bragging rights. I feel that after losing her two daughters, she wanted to push June to find her strengths. What June thought to be manipulation and control, I found to be something quite different. I think Suyuan truly believed in her daughter and wanted to express her abilities. June discovers this when her mother gives her the piano. Suyuan then understands what June thought the piano lessons were all about, and by giving her the piano she offers her a chance to pick up where she left off but for herself and no one else. Sadly, after Suyuan's death, June discovers that what her mother did was not just a product of cruel expectations, but of love and faith. By playing the two songs, "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented", she realizes the journey she has made from being pained and longing for her mother's approval to understanding why her mother pushed her so hard.
Two Kinds
Jing-Mei (June) Woo
This chapter is about June revisiting her childhood. It is about the pain and dissatisfaction of never becoming the prodigy that her mother tried to turn her into. After having to hear Lindo's constant bragging of her daughter Waverly, Suyuan tried to express her daughter's "inner prodigy". At first, June was open to the idea and tried a wide variety of talents. But after falling short of her mother's expectations countless times, June stood in front of the mirror and promised she wouldn't allow her mother to twist her into something she was not. Eventaully, Suyuan made June start playing the piano. She was instructed by their neighbor, Mr. Chong. June soon discovered that Mr. Chong was deaf, so she began to get away with playing the wrong notes but keeping the right rhythym. Soon, Suyuan entered June into a talent contest. Even though June was totally unprepared, she believed that her "inner talent" would make itself shown. The preformance proved to be a disaster, entire the entire Joy Luck Club and, of course, Lindo. A couple days after, Suyuan insisted that June practice piano. Being fed up, June refused and said she wished she was dead like her two sisters. Suyuan never asked June to play again. Years later, June recieved the family piano from her parent's as her thirtieth birthday gift. She had it tuned and played the song from her preformance, "Pleading Child". She then played the piece on the page next to it, "Perfectly Contented", and found each piece was complementary to eachother.
This chapter is about a clash between mother and daughter. A mother's faith in perseverence, and a daughters sense of uselessness. After looking at herself through her mirror, June promises that she will not allow her mother to change her. From this, she never devoted any of her will to trying to be good at something. The pain that June felt after falling short of her mother's expectations stems not only from dissapointment in herself, but the dissapointment from her mother. The shame and pain follows her through life. Her shame could possibly stem from the guilt she feels for willing to fail.
I also looked at Suyuan's side of the story. I highly doubt that this push to find June's "inner prodigy" was just for bragging rights. I feel that after losing her two daughters, she wanted to push June to find her strengths. What June thought to be manipulation and control, I found to be something quite different. I think Suyuan truly believed in her daughter and wanted to express her abilities. June discovers this when her mother gives her the piano. Suyuan then understands what June thought the piano lessons were all about, and by giving her the piano she offers her a chance to pick up where she left off but for herself and no one else. Sadly, after Suyuan's death, June discovers that what her mother did was not just a product of cruel expectations, but of love and faith. By playing the two songs, "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented", she realizes the journey she has made from being pained and longing for her mother's approval to understanding why her mother pushed her so hard.
Section 2: The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates, Chapter 3: Half And Half
Chapter 3
Half And Half
Rose Hsu Jordan
Rose begins this chapter with speaking of how important her mother's bible was to her. She brought it everywhere and trusted in its every word. Watching her clean her bible, she contemplates how she is going to break the news of her divorce with her husband Ted to her mother. Rose reflects on when she first started dating Ted, without the consent of either of their mothers. Rose expresses how she loved being Ted's "damsel in distress" and let him make all of the descisions. However, when Ted, whom is a dermatologist, loses a malpractice suit, their relationship falls apart. He believes since Rose has no voice and will not make any decisions that she is avoiding responsibility and blame. He then asked her for a divorce. This sends Rose further into her mind, flashing back to a terrible and scarring time in her childhood. She recalls a day when her family went to the beach, all of her brothers and sisters ran off and Rose became in charge of her four year old brother Bing. As her father fishes off some rocks further out in the water, Bing asks Rose if he can go to him. Rose, both watching her sisters down the beach and Bing, tells him yes but to be careful. Bing slowly walks acorss the rocks, and with Rose watching, falls into the water without leaving a trace. Rose stands in shock and the family, realizing Bing's absence, runs to the water. Authorities searched for Bing's body for hours with no success.Refusing to accept this, An-Mei drives to the beach with Rose early in the morning to search for Bing. She reads prayers from the bible on the beach and makes offerings to appease the Coiling Dragon who lives in the sea. She also believed that her ability to do anything she put her mind to (her nengkan) would find Bing. Eventually, An-Mei gives up on her search for bing. After this, Rose thought her mother had finally accepted the idea that faith cannot change fate. An-Mei instead tells Rose that fate is shaped "half by expectation, half by inattention" (hence the title, "Half and Half"). Just as her inattention caused Bing to drown, her inattention to her marriage caused Ted to request a divorce.
This chapter is about guilt and blame. Rose, after losing her brother while he was under her responsibility, now fears to take on any responsibility. When she asks An-Mei why she should save her marraige if there is no hope, An-Mei replies with "Because you must...this is not hope. Not reason. This is your fate...what you must do" (pg 130).
I learned that Rose is a very fearful person. She is similar to her mother. An-Mei was quiet as a child, she just took whatever was given to her and was scared to tell the world what she wanted. An-Mei does not want her daughter to be this way, so she basically tells her to change her fate. Take on the responsibility for her failing marriage and make it work. As I read the daughter's tales, I am starting to see that (though the daughters don't agree) each mother-daughter pair are very much alike in their own ways.
Half And Half
Rose Hsu Jordan
Rose begins this chapter with speaking of how important her mother's bible was to her. She brought it everywhere and trusted in its every word. Watching her clean her bible, she contemplates how she is going to break the news of her divorce with her husband Ted to her mother. Rose reflects on when she first started dating Ted, without the consent of either of their mothers. Rose expresses how she loved being Ted's "damsel in distress" and let him make all of the descisions. However, when Ted, whom is a dermatologist, loses a malpractice suit, their relationship falls apart. He believes since Rose has no voice and will not make any decisions that she is avoiding responsibility and blame. He then asked her for a divorce. This sends Rose further into her mind, flashing back to a terrible and scarring time in her childhood. She recalls a day when her family went to the beach, all of her brothers and sisters ran off and Rose became in charge of her four year old brother Bing. As her father fishes off some rocks further out in the water, Bing asks Rose if he can go to him. Rose, both watching her sisters down the beach and Bing, tells him yes but to be careful. Bing slowly walks acorss the rocks, and with Rose watching, falls into the water without leaving a trace. Rose stands in shock and the family, realizing Bing's absence, runs to the water. Authorities searched for Bing's body for hours with no success.Refusing to accept this, An-Mei drives to the beach with Rose early in the morning to search for Bing. She reads prayers from the bible on the beach and makes offerings to appease the Coiling Dragon who lives in the sea. She also believed that her ability to do anything she put her mind to (her nengkan) would find Bing. Eventually, An-Mei gives up on her search for bing. After this, Rose thought her mother had finally accepted the idea that faith cannot change fate. An-Mei instead tells Rose that fate is shaped "half by expectation, half by inattention" (hence the title, "Half and Half"). Just as her inattention caused Bing to drown, her inattention to her marriage caused Ted to request a divorce.
This chapter is about guilt and blame. Rose, after losing her brother while he was under her responsibility, now fears to take on any responsibility. When she asks An-Mei why she should save her marraige if there is no hope, An-Mei replies with "Because you must...this is not hope. Not reason. This is your fate...what you must do" (pg 130).
I learned that Rose is a very fearful person. She is similar to her mother. An-Mei was quiet as a child, she just took whatever was given to her and was scared to tell the world what she wanted. An-Mei does not want her daughter to be this way, so she basically tells her to change her fate. Take on the responsibility for her failing marriage and make it work. As I read the daughter's tales, I am starting to see that (though the daughters don't agree) each mother-daughter pair are very much alike in their own ways.
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