Abstract

Different cultures will have conflicts when they first meet, but they also will compromise with each other gradually and finally become coexistence. The Joy Luck Club is in general considered as one of the famous Chinese and American novels that mirrors cultural conflicts and coexistences. This thesis will analyze the conflicts appearing between Chinese mothers and Americanized daughters, especially the conflicts of educational values, in The Joy Luck Club. This thesis reveals that how Chinese culture and American culture have been developing from conflicts to coexistence by analyzing the differences between Chinese and American educational values. The first part introduces the different educational values between China and America. The second part respectively introduces three pairs of mothers and daughters’ conflicts. The third part talks about the cultural conflicts between China and America. The fourth part tells the mutual understanding between mothers and daughters and analyzes the causes of cultural coexistence like social customs. We hereby can learn the essence of American education and achieve the suitable ways of family education for our own country. We can learn from it that the correct view of different cultures should be set up and respect other cultures without denying our own cultures.   

Key words: educational value, cultural conflict, cultural coexistence, The Joy Luck Club

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

Ⅰ.-Introduction-1

Ⅱ.-Cultural differences between China and America in The Joy Luck Club-1

2.1 View of friendship-1

2.2 View of marriage-2

2.3 View of face-2

2.4 View of sociality-3

Ⅲ. Conflicts between mothers and daughters in The Joy Luck Club-3

3.1 The Conflict on learning piano between Suyuan and Jing-mei-3

3.2 The Conflict on chess game between Lindo and Waverly-4

3.3 The Conflict on mother’s accent between An-mei and Rose-5

Ⅳ.-Differences between Chinese and American Educational Values in The Joy Luck Club-5

Ⅴ. Cultural Coexistence in The Joy Luck Club-7

5.1 Mutual understanding between mothers and daughters-7

5.2 Causes of cultural coexistence-9

5.2.1 Mothers’ acceptance of the American culture-9

5.2.2 Daughters’ understanding of their mothers-10

5.2.3 The rise of China-10

5.3 Coexistence of Social Customs-11

Ⅵ.-Conclusion-12

References-14