Ask any typical-looking Asian students around campus whether they are Chinese or Japanese and the reply will probably be universal: "Neither, I'm Chinese-American." In reality, developing a clear concept of exactly how they define themselves as a "race" has become a difficult thing to do in this day and age for most Chinese-Americans. Many have become so well adjusted to the American way of life, that the only thing still tying them to their ancestral roots is physical appearance and the answer to the SAT questionnaire about ethnicity background. This is the basis for the overall theme of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. The Joy Luck Club is a group of varied stories rooted in the culture clash between four women whom adamantly follow Chinese refinement and their respective daughters, who are Americanized. Throughout the story, it becomes obvious that the daughters have become Americanized and are veering away from the sacred culture with which the mothers have come to appreciate as the basis for what keeps them stable throughout the endless trails and hardships they face. The differences in the upbringing of those women born during the first quarter of this century in China, and their daughters, born in the American atmosphere of California, are differences that form a metaphorical brick wall between the two generations' lives. Faced with this wall, both sides have a hard time relating to one another. From the beginning of the novel, Suyuan Woo tells the story of "The Joy Luck Club," a group started by the four Chinese mothers during World War II, where "we feasted, we laughed, we played games, lost and won, we told the best stories. And each week, we could hope to be lucky. That hope was our only joy." (p. 12). It is obvious that over the years this weekly event has become more than just a game of Mah Jong and an extra helping of dinner for these women. It is the tie that binds them together; it is what keeps them grounded in ...
