Joy Luck Club

St. Clair
By: Ariana M., Annie J.,
Clarissa C., Ivan C.,
Julian A., Priscilla A.,
and Oscar C.
Mother and Daughter Chapters
01 02
Ying-Ying St. Clair: Lena St. Clair:
The Moon Lady The Voice from the Wall

03 04
Lena St. Clair: Ying-Ying St. Clair:
Rice Husband Waiting Between the
Trees
Ying-Ying The Moon
Lady
Theme Statement
In Ying-Ying St. Clair’s introductory chapter The
Moon Lady, Amy Tan depicts how the Chinese
culture’s gender conventions suppress women’s
desires and deprive a woman of her individualism,
consequently eliciting a communicative barrier
amid her close relations.
Important Quotes

Amah criticizes Ying-ying’s When explaining the differing After watching the Moon Lady,
tendency to ask “too many gender expectations, Ying-ying describes her has
questions”, emphasizing that she Ying-ying´s mother having “a face so tired that she
shouldn’t worry about “[needing] emphasizes that “‘ boy can run wearily pulled off her hair, her
to understand”. Amah additionally and chase dragonflies, long gown fell from her shoulder.
instructs Ying-ying to “follow [her because that is his nature”, but And as the secret wish fell from
mother’s] example” in order to [Ying-ying´s ] lips, the Moon
“a girl should stand still’” after
avoid shaming her with performing Lady looked at [her] and became
her mother and Amah seen her
actions prohibited by Amah (66). a man” (83).
running around (70).
Symbolization of Ying-Ying’s Shadow

Since this culture reinforces a young girl’s

Ying-Ying declares that “all [the] years [she ran] compliancy to authoritative figures, she
along like a small shadow so nobody could catch continues to carry this behavior throughout
[her]” which led to her daughter not being able to the rest of her life and passes them to Lena.
to see her true characteristics” (64).

The shadow symbolizes the gradual loss

of identity through a required obedient
After being chastised by Amah, Ying-Ying “[runs] to the manner. Her shadow’s jovial nature poses
shade under the tree, watching [her] shadow chase [her]
as a mode of escapism that allows her to
and realizes that [she] loved [her] shadow, this dark side
be her authentic self.
of [her] that had the same restless nature” (71).
Lena The Voice from
the Wall
Theme Statement

In Lena St. Clair’s insightful chapter, The Voice From the Wall,
the author emphasizes how the absence of communication in
addition to a language barrier, unfortunately leads to the
destruction of healthy relations as well as the decay of one’s
identity.
Important Quotes

Ying-ying’s husband Lena intentionally distorts When Lena has a Lena realizes the
suggests that Ying-ying’s words, saying conversation with importance of
“[Lena’s] mother learn that “[they] must all her mom, “[she] communication
English” and he think very hard about could understand when she hears
continues to “put having another baby” and the words “[Sorci family]
words in [Ying-ying’s] that “[Ying-ying] hopes perfectly, but not laughing and
mouth” (109). [her] baby is very happy the meanings” crying, crying and
on the other side’” (117). (109). laughing, shouting
with love” (120).
Symbolism of Ghost

Due to the lack of an outlet to communicate Due to the language alienation from her
her misery after her harrowing stillbirth, family and the feeling of being unheard,
Ying-ying “gradually [loses] her identity” she hides in her own shell and soon
“until she [disappears] and [becomes] a becomes engulfed in a ghost-like state.
ghost” (105).

While observing her distressed mother in a Ying-Ying continues to feel estranged from
lethargic state, Lena notes that her mother her family because her words are always
“was now always ‘resting’ and it was as if filtered or incorrectly distorted when she
she had died and become a living ghost” attempts to speak English.
(118).
Lena Rice
Husband
Theme Statement
In Lena’s St. Clair’s fascinating chapter, Rice Husband,
Amy Tan illustrates the main protagonist’s failing
marriage due to her conditioned passivity in order to
portray how Chinese American women are often
suppressed by their domineering husbands.
Significant Quotes

As Lena reflects on her When describing her initial

self-deprecating behavior, she infatuation for Harold, Lena
reveals that she “thought it was explains that “seeing all these
because [she] was raised with all little domestic signs of familiarity,
[their] daily ritual, made [Lena]
this Chinese humility”, or “ because
swoon inside” and how she once
when you’re Chinese you’re adored “this feeling of
supposed to accept everything, surrendering to [Harold], with
flow with the Tao and not make abandon, without caring what
waves” (170). [she] got in return” (174).
Symbolization of the Broken Table and Vase
While guiding her mother around her home, Lena
points out that “ an odd looking piece” that is “an ● The table represents Lena’s marriage since it is does
end table made out of a slab of unevenly cut marble
not have balance and despite having a detrimental
thin crisscross of black lacquer wood for the legs”
that causes “ the cylindrical black vase on top starts problem, she lacks the initiation needed to fix it and
to wobble” when her mother applies pressure onto it restore balance.
(178).

After compliantly watching the vase plummet ● Importantly, it is only when her mother voices her
to the floor, Lena “start[s] to pick up the annoyance for her daughter’s apathy that Lena finally
broken glass shards” since “‘she knew it comes to the realization that her inaction has caused
would happen’”, to which her mother asks the vase to shatter and the dismal ruination of her
“then why didn’t [she]stop it?’” (181). marriage with Harold.
 Waiting
Ying-ying Between
the Trees
Theme Statement
In the St. Clairs’ culminating chapter, Waiting Between
the Trees, Amy Tan delineates how one’s traumatic loss
of identity causes a generational cultural and emotional
disconnection, in order to encourage others to gracefully
confront their predicaments.
Important Quotes

Ying-Ying passionately
The resolute mother After growing tired of her
expounds that “[Lena] and
determinedly proclaims that lack of an obstinate spirit,
[her] have shared the same Ying-Ying resolves that she
body” and that “there is a “now [she] must tell her
“must tell [her] daughter
everything about [her] past”
part of [Lena’s] mind that is everything” because
since “it is the only way to
part of [her’s]” in order to “[Lena] is the daughter of a
penetrate [Lena’s] skin and pull
highlight the undeniable ghost” and “has no chi”
her to where she can be saved” (286).
connection the two women
(274).
share (274).
 Symbolism of Tiger
Shortly after marrying her arrogant husband, he endearingly comments that she possesses “‘tiger eyes’”, which is “how it is
when a person joins your body and there is a part of your mind that swims to join that person against your will” (280).
● Normally, one would expect that being called a tiger would unleash a new sense of strength and bravery; ironically, this
sentiment causes Ying-Ying to fall in love with him. As a result she becomes submissive and loses her powerful attributes.

Nonetheless, after choosing to marry Clifford St. Clair, she explains that she “let the hunter come to [her] and turn [her] into a
tiger ghost” (285).
● Likewise to her first marriage, she loses her ferocity and powerful nature, which brings her a great deal of distraught and helplessness.
Due to this drastic change in character, she once again, feebly complies to her husband’s wishes and immigrates to America, where she
feels a sense of displacement; in effect, she gradually loses her identity as she feels as if she only exists in the union.

After coming to her climactic revelation, Ying-Ying resolutes to “use this sharp pain to penetrate [her] daughter’s tough skin and
cut her tiger spirit loose” which will cause a dispute between the two “ because this is the nature of two tigers” (286).
●Having lived a reserved life and raised a daughter as a tiger’s ghost, Ying-ying finally feels the urgency to reclaim her strength
and face her past faults in order to help her daughter break away from their lost identities that hinder them.
 Holistic
Connection

Throughout the St. Clair’s mother and daughter

chapters, the author incorporates a recurrent
element of inheritance and the mother’s ability to
pass on her fundamental qualities that ultimately
shape her daughter’s identity.
 Holistic Connection
The Voice from the Waiting between the
The Moon Lady Rice Husband
Wall Trees

Societal standards force Ying-Ying to Ying-ying’s unintentionally Lena inherits a similar acquiescence Ying-ying aspires to regain her original
adopt a self-effacing compliancy. teaches Lena her passive from her mother. tiger attributes, which will
As demonstrated in, The Moon qualities consequently allow her to pass them to
➢ ➢ In Rice Husband, Lena exhibits the
Lena; as a result, she will be
Lady, Ying-ying is taught the ➢ As depicted in The Voice passivity she learned from her
relinquished of her passiveness.
importance of subservience from the Wall, mother by allowing Harold to
control their marriage without ➢ In Waiting Between the Trees,
to authoritative male figures Ying-ying’s possession Ying-Ying manifests how the
protest. She does not voice her
➢ This relays throughout the of a passive demeanor, deprivation of one’s
opinions and only recognizes the
rest of her life and future causes Lena to naturally problem after her mother individualistic nature results in
relationships with loved adopt this quality and relinquishes her reticence and the inability to demonstrate their
ones, forcing her to display a apply it in her marriage intervenes. intrinsic cultural and sentiments,
in order to encourage others to
false version of herself.
their distressing hindrances.
Thank you for listening!
THE
S T. C L A I R
FAMILY