Language barriers and cultural differences is a real issue for people. Children of immigrant families get a unique view and experience as a bilingual kid; they will become familiar with two different backgrounds. Amy Tan, Author of “Mother Tongue” uses her personal experiences with her...
Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club is about Chinese immigrant mothers and their daughters who struggle in keeping balance in their lives. Waverly, a chess prodigy, struggles to fulfill the wishes of the people around her while also trying to fulfill her own wishes. Waverly...
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat, and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan all have one thing in common…food. Each novel from within the heart of their own history magnifies the important and culturally diverse association between...
While language is used to communicate information in a direct manner, the style of language usage also provides information about the person that is speaking or writing and their relationship with the intended audience. Amy Tan discusses the different styles of English that she grew...
The Joy Luck Club is a novel first published by Amy Tan in 1989. The 4 mothers portray in the book have all shared painful and heartbroken memories back in the days in China during the Japanese occupation. All 4 of them fled to America...
Mother Tongue: response essay My belief is that Amy’s goal in the article was to present to the public that just because an individual does not have or speak “perfect” English, it does not mean that the person is not intellectual. Being that her mother...
Imagine moving to a foreign country overseas and not knowing your way around. You’re in need of guidance with directions, but you don’t speak the language of the country. Wouldn’t you feel lost? Clueless? Perhaps, excluded? This is what the author, Amy Tan, in “Mother...
People should find their own cultural identities and feel proud of and empowered by their origin and identity. However, It is important to acknowledge that once people immigrate and immerse in a new culture, it is more challenging for them to have a clear definition...
Everyone should have pride in their origins and should not be embarrassed of their nationality. Many people today do not embrace their background because they believe they do not fit in. These people must realize that self-confidence is only present after you understand your own...
In the essay “Mother Tongue” published in the American literacy journal, Amy Tan goes on to emphasize the struggles of identity, and expectations of the American and Asian society, through her two worlds of language. She demonstrates her point through her mother’s perspectives, as well...
In the short story “Without Wood” by Amy Tan, Rose Hsu Jordan feels like she listened to other people more than her mom, and ended up with a mind full of other peoples’ English thoughts, leaving her confused and unreadable to her own mother. Rose...
In the story entitled “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, she explains about the knowledge and awareness of the social and cultural differences in “broken English” linked to Standard English. She loves writing and she wants to share about how language can influence her life until...
The American and Chinese cultures have major differences. Most of these differences are highlighted or presented in the movie. While analyzing the movie, it was important to identify some of the differences as the basis to understand the underlying message that Amy Tan wanted to...
In the essay “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, Tan claims the concept that we tend to speak totally different languages to speak with one another which our intelligence is judged by the approach we tend to speak. As a fictional author, Tan is astonished by...
It is an undeniable fact that, character triats, attitude, upbringing, and education will shape an individual perception and mindset towards life. Lennie, Suyuan and Amir each has their own idea of what The American Dream should entail. Happiness as a concept is as ambiguous as...
Not all people whose English as a second language speak it in the same way. This argument is made by Amy Tan throughout in the story “Mother Tongue”. In the essay, she successfully expresses all three of rhetorical styles such as logos, ethos, and pathos....
Not all people who speak the English language speak it the same way. It is very uncommon to find two people that speak the exact same English because there are so many different forms of the language. This is the argument that Amy Tan makes...
The story “A Pair of Tickets” written by Amy Tan was written in the first person, through the perspective of Jing-Mei (June May). This story is about how Jing-Mei develops a connection to her Chinese roots and her deceased mother. Because the story is told...
‘Rules of the Game’: Art of Strength In “Rules of the Game,” Amy Tan reveals the importance of staying strong even when one may not be expected to succeed. Meimei’s mother teaches her daughter the “art of invisible strength” (497), instilling in her the value...
Introduction A short reading written by Amy Tan’s, ‘Rule of the Game’ stated about the art that the mother of Weaver Region teaches invisible power at the age of six, which is a strategy to win controversy and respect. The story is about Waverly J.,...
Chess is boring, right? Most students my age wouldn’t think it could be used in making life decisions, but not for main character Waverly in the Amy Tan short story, “Rules Of The Game”. In this story, the author uses the imagery and symbolism of...
Waverly Jong is a complex and multifaceted character in Amy Tan’s novel, “The Joy Luck Club.” Throughout the story, Waverly’s character undergoes significant growth and development, ultimately revealing her inner struggles and desires. In this essay, I will analyze Waverly Jong’s character, focusing on her...
Introduction Amy Tan’s essay “Mother Tongue” delves into the ways in which language can shape and influence our lives, using personal anecdotes and reflections. Tan begins by recounting instances in which her mother’s limited English proficiency caused misunderstandings and miscommunications. She recalls how her mother’s...
Do you ever stop to think about the power and beauty of language? In her essay “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan explores the intricate relationship between language and identity, delving into the complexities of communication within families and the wider society. Through personal anecdotes and reflections,...
Amy Tan’s short story “Fish Cheeks” explores the complexities of cultural identity and the challenges of adolescence through the eyes of a young Chinese-American girl. The story is set during a Christmas Eve dinner at the protagonist’s home, where she feels embarrassed by her family’s...
Introduction Amy Tan’s essay “Mother Tongue” explores the complexities of language and its impact on one’s identity and relationships. Tan reflects on her experiences as a bilingual and bicultural individual, shedding light on the challenges and misunderstandings that arise from her mother’s limited English proficiency....
“If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.”
“Writing what you wished was the most dangerous form of wishful thinking.”
“Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.”
Born
February 19, 1952 (age 70)
Activity
Amy Ruth Tan is an American author known for the novel The Joy Luck Club, which was adapted into a film of the same name, as well as multiple other novels, short story collections, and children’s books.
Works
"Two Kinds", "Mother Tongue", “Saving Fish from Drowning”, “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”, “The Hundred Secret Senses”, “The Joy Luck Club”, “The Kitchen God’s Wife”, “The Valley of Amazement”
Themes
Along with common relationships that parallel her own life, Amy Tan also uses common literary themes that are universal in all of her works. Her main themes are sexism, identity, and fate. The sexism in her stories relates to readers as all females and males are aware of the "gender gap" between them.
Legacy
As Amy Tan became a literary celebrity, the success of her debut “The Joy Luck Club” ignited a defining legacy for Asian American representation. To this day, it is the most commercially praised and book-clubbed novel written by an Asian American writer.
Quotes
“If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.”
“Writing what you wished was the most dangerous form of wishful thinking.”
“Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.”
“Isn't hate merely the result of wounded love?”
