The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a portrayal of four Chinese women and the lives of their children in the United States. The book discusses the conflicting cultures between the United States and China, and how men treat women throughout their lives. In the United States we usually take for granted their roles as a male or female. The culture of each country shapes the treatment one receives based on the sex of the individual. There are obvious differences within the different cultures.
These differences show themselves in the work force, the distinct tasks performed in the home, and the privilege one receives in society. At job sites around the US, the women hold many positions of importance. They are usually treated as equals with men and there are few jobs from which they are excluded. In China, women are expected to stay at home and are not permitted to be in a work force that is held exclusively for men. The women of America receive fair wages and have earned the right to work with men.
In China, women are assigned the role of housewives and must stay at home to clean the house and raise the children. Women in America receive education’s that will prepare them for well paying jobs in the future. The women in China are known for taking orders from their husbands. The next difference in China from America is the different roles women take in the home. The author explains that a Chinese woman is expected to be a good wife for her chosen husband. Girls are promised at an early age to a man.
The story “The Red Candle” (page 42) shows an arranged marriage where the author sacrificed her life to fulfill her parents’ promise of marriage when she was only two years old. At the wedding the candle is lit at both ends and if neither end goes out it will be a successful marriage. Of course, the woman was the one held responsible for making the marriage a successful one. In an American marriage, each sex is held accountable for the success of a marriage. There are no arranged marriages and no matchmakers as in the Chinese culture. Marriage is expected to be for love not to fulfill promises between families.
