The Joy Luck Club (SparkNotes Literature Guide)

by Tan, Amy; SparkNotes

• ISBN13: 9781586634193
• ISBN10: 1586634194
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-10
• Publisher: SparkNotes

Summary

Get your "A" in gear!

They're today's most popular study guides-with everything you need to succeed in school. Written by Harvard students for students, since its inception SparkNotes™ has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. SparkNotes'™ motto is Smarter, Better, Faster because:

· They feature the most current ideas and themes, written by experts.
· They're easier to understand, because the same people who use them have also written them.
· The clear writing style and edited content enables students to read through the material quickly, saving valuable time.

And with everything covered--context; plot overview; character lists; themes, motifs, and symbols; summary and analysis, key facts; study questions and essay topics; and reviews and resources--you don't have to go anywhere else!

Table of Contents

Context	1	(2)
Plot Overview	3	(2)
Character List	5	(7)
Woo Family	5	(1)
Jong Family	6	(2)
Hsu Family	8	(2)
St. Clair Family	10	(2)
Analysis of Major Characters	12	(5)
Jing-Mei (June) Woo	12	(1)
Suyuan Woo	13	(1)
An-Mei Hsu	13	(1)
Rose Hsu Jordan	13	(1)
Lindo Jong	14	(1)
Waverly Jong	15	(1)
Ying-Ying St. Clair	15	(1)
Lena St. Clair	16	(1)
Themes, Motifs & Symbols	17	(8)
The Challenges of Cultural Translation	17	(1)
Storytelling as a Means of Self-Assertion & Communication	17	(1)
The Inescapable Duality of Immigrant Identity	18	(2)
Control Over One's Destiny	20	(1)
Sexism	21	(1)
Sacrifices for Love	21	(1)
Suyuan's Pendant	22	(1)
Lena's Vase	23	(1)
Lindo's Red Candle	23	(2)
Summary & Analysis	25	(42)
Feathers from a Thousand Li Away: Introduction & ``The Joy Luck Club''	25	(4)
Feathers from a Thousand Li Away: ``Scar,'' ``The Red Candle,'' & ``The Moon Lady''	29	(5)
The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates: Introduction, ``Rules of the Game,'' & ``The Voice From The Wall''	34	(5)
The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates: ``Half and Half'' & ``Two Kinds''	39	(6)
American Translation: Introduction, ``Rice Husband,'' & ``Four Directions''	45	(6)
American Translation: ``Without Wood'' & ``Best Quality''	51	(3)
Queen Mother of the Western Skies: Introduction, ``Magpies,'' & ``Waiting Between the Trees''	54	(7)
Queen Mother of the Western Skies: ``Double Face'' & ``A Pair of Tickets''	61	(6)
Important Quotations Explained	67	(5)
Key Facts	72	(4)
Study Questions & Essay Topics	76	(4)
REVIEW & RESOURCES	80	(6)
Quiz	80	(6)
Suggestions for Further Reading	86