Abstract

The Joy Luck Club is the first work written by Amy Tan, a Chinese American writer whose most of her works explore mother-daughter relationships and the Chinese American experience. The book mainly discusses the conflicts and reconciliations of the relationship between four Chinese mothers and their American daughters. The four mothers are deeply influenced by Chinese traditional culture, but their daughter are greatly influenced by American spirit of freedom and independence. Therefore, the conflicts between them are inevitable. This paper, basing on the conflicts between mothers and daughters, analyses the processes and reasons of their resolving conflicts and reaching reconciliations in educational views, marriage concept and family values. It also discusses the possibility of Sino-Us cultural infiltration and integration.

Key words: Amy Tan; conflict and reconciliation between mothers and daughters; Chinese and American culture

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction.1

2 Quarrels and Talks on the Issue of Childrens' Education2

    2.1 Aims of Education.2

    2.2 Educational Methods4

3 Bias and Tolerance Toward Different Modes of Marriage. 6

    3.1 Mate Selection6

    3.2 Roles of Women in Marriage8

4 Different and Similar Views on Family Values9

4.1 Function of a Family.9

4.2 Filial Piety.11

5 Conclusion12

References14