Cole Brownsberger HSLA August 12

Feathers from A Thousand Li Away A woman once had a beautiful swan that symbolized all the hopes and dreams she wanted for her daughter in America. And when that swan was taken away, the old woman had nothing to show for her hopes and dreams but a little feather. The Joy Luck Club Jing-Mei Woos parents were both Chinese. Her mother had died two months before we meet her, and we can tell that they didnt fully understand each other. Every so often, a small group of Chinese friends get together for a meeting they call The Joy Luck Club. Jing-Meis mother started this club and now Jing-Mei has to replace her deceased mom in The Club. The parable is connected to this chapter because her mom wanted to tell Jing-Mei that she had two long lost daughters in China and she discovered them right before she died. Scar An-Mei Hsu was born and raised in China. Her mother was considered a ghost to the family because her husband died and she remarried (Which is forbidden in China). Popo, An-Meis grandmother, forbids An-Mei from going to live with her mother. When An-Meis mother returns home, she wants to take An-Mei and her brother back to her village with her. This is when Popo and An-Meis mother get in a fight. Things get out of hand and a bowl of hot soup

falls and burns An-Mei. A few years later, Popo gets sick, and An-Meis mother comes home to pay her final respects. She cuts off her flesh and makes it into a soup for her mother to drink. Even though it doesnt cure Popo, the forsaken daughter honored her mother in appropriate Chinese custom. The Red Candle Lindo Jong was born and raised in China. When she was a little girl, her parents promised her into an arranged marriage with another familys son. Lindo Jong made a promise to her mother that even though she didnt want to she would marry the boy and not disgrace her family. After a flood, her family was forced to move, but Lindo remained with her husbands family. Lindo became very miserable, but she couldnt disgrace her family by letting anyone know. She convinced her husbands mother that she was not the rightful one to marry her son and her husbands mother believed her. This relates to the parable because Lindo cant tell her daughter this story because her daughter wouldnt understand the whole obedient meaning. Lindo had to respect the choice her family made for her in arranging her marriage, as Chinese women had no say in who they wanted to marry. The Moon Lady Ying-Ying St. Clair was born and raised in China. Her family was going to the Moon Festival in 1918. Ying-Ying had to wear a special dress and nice shoes that her mother made for her. Her family had a nice dinner on a boat and Ying-Ying ruined her clothes by playing with dead fish. Her Nana tried to wash out the stains and Ying-Ying accidently fell into the water. She was picked up by a fishing boat and the people couldnt tell that her family was wealthy because it

looked like she was wearing rags. The fishing boat took her to shore and left her there alone. Ying-Ying saw the moon lady in a play and when she tried to tell the moon lady her wish the moon lady turned out to be a man in a costume. Ying-Yings family did find her later that night and after all these years, she remembers what her wish was; to be found. This relates to the parable because Ying-Ying wants to tell her daughter this story. Ying-Ying wants her daughter to find herself, just as she did when she was a child.

The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates The parable is about listening to your mother, for she has more wisdom than you do. You can always learn from those close to you. Rules of the Game Waverly Jongs parents were both Chinese but Waverly grew up in America. Waverlys brother got a chess board one Christmas and Waverly was instantly hooked on chess. She began playing every day and thinking about it all the time. Her mother started watching her as she beat many grown men at chess. Waverly became a chess genius and so she was invited to many tournaments. Her mother was proud of her from the start, and would show off all of her daughters trophies. One day, Waverly told her mom she was embarrassed that her mom had to show her off all the time. This relates to the parable that a mom knows best. Her mom was just proud of her daughter, and Waverly didnt understand a mothers love.

The Voice from the Wall In this chapter, Lena St. Clair talks about how her mom can predict when bad things are going to happen. Her mother, Ying-Ying, would always frighten Lena by showing her the evils of the world. When Lenas dad got a promotion, the St. Clairs moved into a larger apartment, but Ying-Ying didnt feel right about it. She started to re-arrange the furniture and soon Lena found a crib next to her bed. Even though Lenas father was thrilled, her mother kept bumping into things. Lenas mother had a miscarriage, just as she predicted she would. This relates to the parable because Lena can trust her mothers wisdom and premonitions of things that will happen in the future. Half and Half Rose Hsu Jordan was born and raised in America, but both her parents were Chinese. Rose and her husband, Ted, were having marital problems. Rose had been hurt by her husband and she wonders who will be there to help pick her up after she has nothing. Rose goes into a story about Gods will and how her mother used to believe in it. Rose tells the sad story about how her family went to the beach and she was put in charge of watching her younger brothers and sisters. One thing leads to another and Rose becomes distracted and her brother accidently slips into the water. The whole family searches for him for a long time, but he drowns and they never find him. Roses mother tells herself that God will bring him home safely but he never does. This relates to the parable because even though Rose was never going to find her brother, she still had to try. Her mother told her to keep trying to save her marriage as well.

Two Kinds Jing- Mei Woo was born and raised in America. Her parents were both from China. Jings mother thought that if she could find something her daughter was talented at and if she practiced that one thing at a young age, she would be able to do anything she wanted with this gift. After many talent tests that her mother gave her, Jing decided she was best at Piano. Her mother made her take lessons, but Jing never got any better and embarrassed her mother in front of family and friend at a recital because she played incredibly horrible. After her recital, she decided she wouldnt play piano any more. Her mother was completely devastated. This relates to the parable because her mother made a point that there were two kinds of daughters, those who are obedient and those that have their own mind. Rose never listened to her mother, as a child and as an adult, and Jing feels like she disappointed her mother.

American Translation Look into yourself and good things will come to you in the future. Rice Husband Lena St. Clair and her husband are having marital troubles. When they first started dating, they decided to keep their own money separate and split their bills evenly. After being married five years they are still keeping their money separate and splitting bills, even though Harold, her husband, makes considerably more money than her. Lena feels like hes walking all over her.

Her mother sees it, even though Lena doesnt tell her. This relates to the parable because Lena doesnt stick up for herself.

Four Directions Waverly Jong and her mothers relationship has never been the same since she quit playing chess as a child. Waverly thinks her mother poisoned her marriage, and Waverly has never liked her mom to be around. Waverlys mother has shown Waverly how to see bad things even in the good things. This relates to the parable because Waverly feels like her mother sees nothing good in her. Waverly has started to believe theres nothing good in her, rather than believe in herself. Without Wood Rose Hsu Jordan is going through a divorce with her husband Ted. Her mother is asking her why she has put up with him for so long. She says, A girl is like a young tree, you must stand tall and listen to your mother standing next to you. (Tan 191) Her mother only wants whats best for Rose, to stick up for herself and put an end to her misery. But Rose ended up fending for herself. She knew what she wanted, and what she didnt want for her husband. Rose didnt allow Ted to make her leave her mom. She stood her ground, and he ended up backing down. She would let Ted pull her out of his life and throw her away.

Best Quality Jing-Mei Woo, or June, is remembering the story of when her mother gave her a Jade necklace she had worn for a long time. She gave it to her after a Chinese New Year crab dinner. Her mother gave it to her and said, I wore this on my skin, so when you put it on your skin, then you know my meaning. This is your lifes importnce. (Tan 208) June thinks about her lifes importance and she wonders what it means. June met someone with a jade necklace like hers and she asked why his mother gave it to him. He said his mother gave it to him because she thought he was still worth something. Thats what Junes mother was trying to tell her all along.

Queen Mother of the Western Skies The grandmother wishes that there were a way to teach women how to be aware of the world's evil yet allow them to maintain their hope for future happiness. This way, they would not be hurt and they could laugh forever. Magpies An-Mei Hsus life in China was rough. When she was a little girl, her mother came to get her from her Aunts house to take An-Mei with her back to her villiage life. An-Mei discovers that her mother is a concubine wife, not out of choice, but because she was tricked by her husband. Her husband, Wu Tsing, is a very superstitious man. An-Meis mother killed herself three days before the lunar New Year,as a sacrifice for her daughter. The Chinese believe that after someone dies, three days later their soul comes back to settle scores. Fearful of that, Wu Tsing

gave An-Mei everything she wanted. This relates to the parable because An-Mei lost her innocence and she began seeing only the evils in the world. Waiting between the Trees When Ying-Ying St. Clair was young in China, she was very rich. She always got what she wanted. And she was also innocent. She felt that she was too good for any man to marry her. But after she married and got pregnant, she lost her innocence. Her husband left her, she had an abortion to kill the baby, and she became a hardened woman at age 18. Ying-Ying remarried to an American, St. Clair, and she moved to America where she had her daughter. This relates to the parable because Ying-Ying will try to teach her daughter of where she comes from, and she wants to show her she can still be happy. Double Face Lindo Jong sees the way her daughter looks at her as if her daughter is ashamed of her. Her daughter doesnt look past the outside, into her heart. After Lindo got out of her marriage, she found a way to America. She found a job, met her friend An-Mei, and got married. After her daughter Waverly was born, she wanted everything for her daughter to be better than what they already had. This relates to the parable because Lindo knows of the bad things in the world, but she is learning from her daughter to be happy. A Pair of Tickets Jing-Mei Woo, along with her father, is on her way to China to meet her mothers lost daughters. The sisters wrote a letter to Jing-Meis mother expecting her to arrive in China

because they didnt know she was dead. Jing- Mei had An-Mei write a letter explaining everything and how Jing-Mei and her father were going to China to see them instead. When they get to China, Jing-Meis fathers family is all there. Jing-Mei and her father spend time with his family andthey all stay at a hotel. Jing-Meis father finally tells her the whole story of her mother and her lost daughters and how she never stopped looking for them. The next day, the lost sisters and Jing-Mei meet and are reunited with the memory of their mother; for she is in their blood.