Elizabeth Gaspar Tucker Chile February 26, 2013

Mother Knows Best

If we do not plan knowledge when young, it will give us no shade when we are old (Lord Chesterfield). If a child does not start to acknowledge speaking up for themselves, they will live a life where everyone might step on them and later they will not have accomplished what they wanted. As a child is growing up, it needs the support of its parents when they find something to do that actually interests them. Children at a young age do not speak their mind but as they grow older they learn that speaking their mind is a very valuable thing that they possess. In Amy Tans, The Joy Luck Club, Waverly Jong, is impacted by her mother, Lindo Jong by teaching her all the Chinese traditions, to be proud of where she comes from and always getting her way. Waverlys mother has had a harsh background from descending from the Chinese family that she had, she has been trying to raise her daughter almost the same as she was, and that is why she has been so harsh to Waverly. Better you take it, find out yourself (Tan 95). Here Lindo tells Waverly to learn something by herself, because she knows that she is capable of doing it herself. Chinese put their children to do something harsh because they know that they will figure it out with their mind and practice. When Waverly finally wins her first tournament, her mother is not yet satisfied, and pushes her to do better. As she wiped each piece with a soft cloth, she said, Next time win more, lose less (Tan 98). As Lindo puts her trophy away, she tells Waverly that she needs to win more and lose less, Waverly says that sometimes you have to lose in order to win, but her mother does not care, she just wants her daughter to always win, and puts all this pressure on her, but she knows that its for her own good. When Lindo is harsh on

Waverly, she knows its for her best, because that is the way she was raised with her Chinese traditions her family also used. Lindo also affects Waverly by showing her to be proud of where she comes from, because for her being proud of her heritage is important. My daughter did not look pleased when I told her this, that she didnt look Chinese. She had a sour American look on her face (Tan 288). Lindo tells Waverly that she does not look Chinese, that she had a lot of American in her, but that was the time when she actually thought she looked like a true Chinese. Lindo starts to blame herself about her daughter being to American because she thinks its her fault because she raised her in the U.S. What if I blend in so well they think Im one of them?...What if they dont let me come back to the United States? (Tan 288). Even though her mother tells her that she does not look Chinese, she still feels enough Chinese that she thinks she will blend in so well when she takes her trip to China. Waverly learns that she has to have to take pride in where she come from. Lindo would always criticize how Waverly did not look Chinese; she took much pride of being Chinese and having a Chinese mother like Lindo. Linda affects Waverlys growth by passing her tricks of always getting her way. They said that Tyan-yus end of the candle had blown out! Our ancestors said Tyan-yu would die if he stayed in this marriage (Tan 60). Lindo told a lie but she said it with such confidence that everyone believed her. By saying, she did not dishonor her family because everything she said was believable and thats what Waverly has learned from her mother. You should go see m y guy, said Waverly. Mr. Rory. He does fabulous work, although he probably charges more than youre used to (Tan 229). Over the years Waverly has learned how to use her mother tricks into her own life. Waverly insults Jing-Mei in a way that she does not seem like the bad guy and

that is something that her mother has taught her over the years. Lindo has used tricks and lies in her life that she has passed on Waverly. Lindo affected Waverlys growth and development in many ways, by teaching her the Chinese traditions, to be proud of her heritage and by always getting her way. Lindo does this because she knows that Waverly will always have something of herself in her and become a wonderful and intelligent woman carrying the skills she has taught her.