Sociological Analysis for the Joy Luck Club Nathan Lannholm, Race & Ethnicity SOC-2630-002, 7-13-10 The

Joy Luck Club shows life in American society from the point of view of Chinese immigrants and their American born children. We are shown the perspective of a dual minority group by ethnicity and gender. The 4 mothers and 4 daughters are living in America as a dual minority group representing female Asian Americans. We are shown the subordination of the female, how a group becomes the minority through immigration to a new land, the struggle ethnic children have between two cultures, the life and family of ethnically mixed couples all mixing into American society. The four mothers in China show us the subordination of the female and how she has little power over herself being subordinate with almost total control by her man. The Chinese husband is portrayed in a stereotypical way of the controller of the wifes destiny, deciding the happiness or suffering of his wife. Examples of this are: We see part of Chinese culture when Lindo is entered in an arranged marriage since four years old and married off at age 15. Her 15 year old husband makes her sleep on the floor because he can make her do anything he wants. Lindo is only wanted by her mother in law to give grand babies, and slapped around. Ying Ying marries a womanizer who is gone 3 days, comes back and she watches him go to bed w/ another woman, showing his power over her. An Mei mom is raped, her family disowns her and she becomes the fourth wife of the rich man who raped her. These are all examples of the lowly status women have in Chinese society who are not of much use than for sex and bearing children.

The subordinate Chinese woman is contrasted by their children in America. Lena is married to Harold both Asian Americans who try being equal in their spending. Its symbolic for extreme sexual equality but portrays that its not really possible to have complete sexual equality and male and female should recognize, accept and respect each others differences and work together in harmony. We see this gender equality and then a slip back to feminine subservience with Ted and Rose. Ted falls in love w/ Rose because she is an opinionated woman at first. When they get married she slips into the role of subservient Chinese wife only trying to please her husband and not being as opinionated as she was before. Ted wants Rose to be opinionated like before they married and their marriage falls apart and heads for divorce. Rose ends up acting as Teds equal and their marriage is saved. The 4 mothers already a subordinate group to male dominated Chinese society become a minority group when they emigrate from China becoming Asian American immigrants. Junes mother Suyuan is seen leaving China w/ her two twin girls along w/ a hoard of other Chinese all escaping the city in what looks like some sort of Expulsion during time of war, somehow she ends up in America. Suyuan portrays the stereotypical immigrant w/ the American dream full of hope and optimism for her American born daughter to have a better life. We are shown some things about Chinese and Asian American culture. We see group solidarity and the strong Chinese culture by how they stick together in America. They eat Chinese food together w/ their family and friends who are like family. They live in a community primarily w/ other Asian Americans. We also are shown the superstitious religious beliefs the Chinese have around dead ancestors. The moms

portrays some cultural differences like her competition of daughters by complaining in a way that is a hidden form of bragging w/ Suyuan her best friend and arch enemy contrasted against Americans who openly brag the Chinese way seems more humble. The four daughters are caught between this Chinese East and American West cultures. The 4 mothers from China all want their daughters to perfectly fit into American culture yet still hold onto their Chinese culture. There is a great struggle between assimilating into American society completely forgetting their Chinese culture and holding onto their Chinese culture and approaching life in America in a more pluralistic way. The Mothers each hold onto their Chinese culture strongly and speak English as a second language w/ heavy accent. This is contrasted by their 4 American born daughters who are Americanized speaking perfect English and are American in every way yet keep some form of symbolic ethnicity. There is definitely a communication barrier between mothers and daughters at times. Lindo is always criticizing her daughter which may be the Chinese way of showing you care but her daughter takes it as her not being good enough. Waverly shows her Americanization being a chess champion when she was young. Waverly later tries to fit into affluent White society such as her big firm having lots of style that June cant understand, because of the class stratification difference. Yet the four American daughters also keep much of their Chinese culture in particular their mannerisms, courtesies, and shown in their mothers Chinese food. Waverly mentions she went over some mannerisms w/ her white boyfriend Rich but forgot to teach him some things like: not to drink a full glass when everyone else only has a bit to taste, and especially not to have a second glass. Also Rich shows his ignorance to Chinese culture by Lindo criticizing

her special dish which is custom, he then insults Lindo unknowingly by dumping soy sauce on it. We also see here how Rich in a way is now the minority as the only white person at a table of Asian Americans. Relationships are an important part of American ethnic groups. Waverly always tries to please her mother Lindo such as her marrying a Chinese guy only to divorce and be blamed for it by her mother. She worries about her mother not accepting Rich her white boyfriend who is portrayed very stereotypical as being culturally blind to Chinese customs and courtesies. Its interesting to note her the name of her White boyfriend is Rich and how Waverly tries showing off to her mom all the materialistic things she has living w/ Rich such as a fur coat that comes off as being something an affluent White male might buy for his girl. Rose the daughter of An Mei meets the mother of her wealthy white boyfriend Ted. The stereotypical rich white mother who portrays a bit of ethnocentrism toward whites and fears what a non white woman might cause for her son due to social pressure. She comes off as a mix reluctant liberal and a timid bigot toward her son being with a non white woman. She mentions Vietnam was bad for us and Rose has to tell her she is not Vietnamese she is American an example of stereotyping all Asians are Vietnamese. Rose and Ted show multiculturalism by falling in love and the marriage of and Asian and White. We are shown the amalgamation of Americans in the children of Rose and Ted who are a mix of Chinese and White. These children symbolize the world divided between East and West becoming amalgamated. This film shows many differences between Eastern and Western cultures. Yet it is an example of what we as humans have in common more than what is different.

Even w/ all the cultural differences between Chinese and Americans we are all just human and share more things in common than things that are different. Kids from all cultures want to make their parents proud and be accepted by them for being themselves. I picked the Joy Luck Club because I can relate to a mixed race family as my wife is from the Philippines and our children are in between two cultures like the daughters in this movie.