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The Joy Luck Club Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Joy Luck Club


The Joy Luck Club was a club between four women during World War II in China; to escape the daily struggles and perils of living in this difficult time period, four ordinary women met to play mah-johng, talk, and strive to believe that good times would soon arrive. Later, as the women moved on with their lives to America, they realized that many of their intentions--their hopes for their children--could not be realized for a variety of reasons. They struggle to grasp the differences between the lives of their daughters and the lives they lead.
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The review of this Book prepared by Laura Fong




The Joy Luck Club is a creative and unique novel that describes the lives of four Chinese mothers and their daughters. Although it is an engaging book, it is often times easy to become confused on which mother goes with which daughter. Aside from that, each story is interesting and true to life with all types of real life struggles mothers and daugthers face now and have faced in the past. Although many of these stories deal with the Chinese customs, many of the other stories are experienced by all women at one time or another. The mothers and daughters experience hate, happiness, and despair. Amy Tan introduces all of the characters in the present here. She takes them back to their childhood through their memories.


The review of this Book prepared by Boppy




This is a story about four Asian women who formed a club for themselves called The Joy Luck Club. This is their means of escape from the harsh realities of the real world. They party among themselves, play mahjong, and share secrets and gossips about their lives and other things. ...
The review of this Book prepared by the_querent




It is about one character finding out about her ethnicity and background through short stories about her mother and her mother's best friends and club, The Joy Luck Club. She learns about her mother's friends and daughters and realizes what her mother stood for.
The review of this Book prepared by peaches



Chapter Analysis of The Joy Luck Club

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   thoughtful Time/era of story    -   1980's-1999 Ethnic/Regional/Religion    -   Chinese Other aspects:    -   immigrant story Family, loving relations    -   Yes Special relationship with    -   mother Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Ethnic/regional/gender life    -   Yes Woman's story?    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Female Profession/status:    -   business executive Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   Chinese

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   2 () United States    -   Yes The US:    -   California Asia/Pacific    -   Yes City?    -   Yes City:    -   New York

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only Amount of dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Amy Tan Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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