Did you enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club? Did you enjoy studying and discussing The Joy Luck Club? Why/why not? Should The Joy Luck Club be read in high schools? Should it be included in the classics of American literature?
Honestly, at first I thought I was going to feel disconnected when reading this book because I was not from a Chinese or Asian background. However, as I read their stories more, the more I saw what characteristic and traits many immigrants share. It was nice to learn about other cultures and see how they view the world. Studying and discussing The Joy Luck Club forced us to engage into deeper analysis of the true meanings and ideas the author was trying to convey to the reader.The plots and conflicts were very interesting while connecting to symbols and motifs. I think that it should be included in the classics of American literature because it exposed me to a new culture and perspective which helped me widen my knowledge about the world.
Totally agree. At first I have the same thought as well because I was a “pure” Chinese instead of a Chinese American and so I believed that the novel would be full of nonsense or some stereotypes towards Chinese cultures. However, after exploring the novel, I felt connected. I could see myself growing up from the traditional environment in China.
I agree with you Bema, at first I didn't think I'll have a connection with the book, however, the more I read it the more I can relate to certain situations.
Wonderfully said Bema, the book provided insight into Chinese culture and beliefs, educating the readers on a different culture and the struggles between a mother and a daughter in an immigrant family.
I completely agree with you. This book allowed me to explore a different culture and it taught me a lot about it. Like you, it also helped me learn how to more thoroughly analyze a text.
I really enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club. It explained a lot of point of views of Chinese culture and I was able to relate to most things. Studying about my culture allowed me to learn a lot of Chinese background. I think that students should read the Joy Luck Club because with all the hate that is going around for Asians can show them the good sides of their culture and there isn't anything to hate about. It should be included in American Literature because it can give readers the understanding of born Chinese and American born Chinese.
I agree, I felt like I can relate a lot to the Chinese background from this book and studying this has expanded my knowledge on how the Chinese culture is like.
Yes! With all the hate crimes going around I think now is better than ever to read this book. People should also take the time to learn about all kinds of cultures because that is a part of being a well-rounded and informed individual.
I agree! With everything going on in the world, this novel can really help people learn and understand Chinese culture better. There’s no need for this hate and it’s disgusting with how people are treating Asians. There should be more books about other cultures so that more people won’t be as ignorant and can understand better about one’s culture.
The Joy Luck Club would be significant novel for readers that are struggling over their identity as an Chinese American and for those who are interested in the Chinese culture would have a joyful experience after reading it. While I was reading through the novel, I found so many symbols that were being mentioned and it has different meaning and purpose towards both the characters and the author. I really enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club and hope to see the novel being spread and taught by different High Schools. In addition, it really should be included in the classic American Literature because of the knowledge, culture and language that was being introduced within the book. It would be a diversify book to be read by different culture to get an understanding towards the Chinese culture.
The Joy Luck Club is a different type of novel that I have not been familiar with before. It was written by Amy Tan and was published in the year 1989. Which is recently new, however did I enjoy reading this yes I did because it was a very interesting experience. I read about 8 total characters , 4 daughters and 4 mothers. All these different experiences combing into a multiple stories. This novel should definitely be taught in high school due the the lay out of the book. It is new and isn't that difficult to read because Amy Tan has a way of writing it to where it isn't complex. Now do I believe this be included in American Classics yes because it involves both Chinese and American culture. It isn't isolated to just one thing which helps it build off as a better story.
I definitely agree with the sentiment, here, in that Amy Tan's novel ought to be included as an American Classic: it showcases a pivotal aspect of Chinese culture, Chinese-American culture, and also the general culture and struggles of immigrants which--for the time the novel was written--did break boundaries.
I enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I found it relatable. My mother is an immigrant and I always found it hard to communicate to her my feelings because there is a language barrier. It's hard for her to understand my English and I think this created a huge disconnect. I'm sure she feels the same way. Studying it was interesting because we got to see the side of the immigrant mother. It should be a classic in American Literature because mostly all Americans have parents or grandparents that are immigrants and I think it is more informative and teaches compassion. Someone who does not have the same cultural or linguistic background, you should be mindful for.
As a book I could've picked up one day it was an enjoyable read with meaning behind every chapter written in a way that allowed for the reader to correct the dots instead of holding our hand throughout the book. I somewhat enjoyed studying the book but I have never been a fan or a slight enjoyer of annotations. This book should be read in high school, it really gives us a cultural mix to the other books we read. It should be included in the classics of American Literature because it is a good representation of the Chinese culture and struggles of the immigrant and the immigrants child.
I agree with everything you have said Kris, I absolutely despise annotations and I feel like they are a waste of time (for me) and the book was an interesting read, educating us readers on the struggles of immigrant families and Chinese culture.
I did enjoy reading the Joy Luck Club because it was book full of lessons. This book was able to create some type of connection to the reader by the feelings or conflicts the characters faced. I think the Joy Luck Club was a great way to show the struggle that Chinese American Immigrants faced. The Joy Luck Club should be read in high school because it is a great book to showcase the lives of others in a foreign country. I think that this book brought many common themes such as finding ones identity and mother daughter relationships. This book should be included in the classics of American Literature because of the lessons one takes away after reading this book. There were parts in this book where I, as a reader, was able to connect with the characters.
I agree with you when you mentioned the connection to the readers. As someone with an immigrant mother, sometimes you can’t help but feel you want to please them all the time.
I agree that this book includes so many common themes and allows people to learn more about one’s identity and mother daughter relationship, and by learning about these you can actually feel connected to the stories and reflect on yourself.
I really enjoyed reading the Joy Luck Club probably my favorite book from this year. I like how the author put in the different POV from the mothers and daughters so the reader could know the different perspectives. I enjoy studying and interpreting the symbols and ideas. I really like how the book have this overall message. This book should definitely be read in high schools because it would teach them to not be selfish and be open-minded. Yes it should be included in American literature because it would show that Asian American are also included and students could feel represented. Also because the book is really good.
I think so. The book is really great. However, I don’t find the change in perspective interesting because it makes me confused with other characters, especially there are four pairs of mother and daughter.
yeah i find it interesting when writers change the perspectives because them you can see everyone's emotions and how they really feel and they talk about each other.
I agree, this book is amazing and I love how they show the different POV's through the mother and daughters lives and how they communicate and share their emotions with one another.
I absolutely loved the Joy Luck Club! I think it was my favorite book in all of AP. The world problems and the fact that i can relate to it so much is scary. It makes me want to go give my mom a freaking hug! I think discussing the book made me understand more on what was going on and the symbols and what every little detail means. It help me see past the words and helped me read inbetween the lines. I totally believe it could be read in high school because this is a time where teenagers take their family for granted and don't understand the sacrifices our own parents go through to make sure we american children are happy and not suffering. I think that it should be included in american classics because it's different then the actual classics and it is diverse, it talks about the chinese americans and they aren't very represented in american literature and that's important.
I liked the Joy Luck Club very much! I think it's one of my favorite books that we've read. I did enjoy studying the book because there were many symbolisms that had a deeper meaning to it. For example, the feather, symbolizing hope that a mother has for her daughter. Throughout the book, I also feel like I learned some things about the culture. Like the jade, I've always had one but didn't really know what it was actually used for. I believe that Joy Luck Club should be read in High Schools because it's quite informative and can kind of help reflect on your relationship between you and your mother. It should be included in the classics of American Literature because it does include about the mother's moving to America for hopes for a better future. Adding on, the lost culture the daughter's had because they were born in America. Overall, I liked the book! :)
I agree because Joy Luck Club gives the perspective of the mother and the daughter. And it really will makes people think of their mother relationship.
I enjoy reading the Joy Luck Club because it gives the perspective of each daughter and the mother. Both of them give their opinion of their life and try to understand each other. It was cool to learn that the mother's actions are all for their daughter. I think that high schoolers should read this book because the book has a deeper meaning to analysis and learning and gives the reader an enjoyable time of the book. I think it should be a classic of American literature because it shows a different American instead of just white. The book shows a Asian-America side.
I agree, some of us may be experiencing situations where we don't know how to communicate with our parents. And the book gave deeper insight into both side of the parent and the child, to show that many people are going through the same problems.
I enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because it discusses topics that many people face today. For example, struggling to identify yourself with a certain ethnic group. To add on to this, my parents are immigrants so I feel like there is a communication barrier as they see things way differently from how I see things. I think this book should be read in high schools because it helps you gain perspective on how others may be dealing with the same issues you're dealing with. This book exposes you to a new culture so I think it should be considered in the classics of American literature.
I agree with you because the Joy Luck Club touched upon many common struggles that one can go through . This book is able to express and demonstrate other cultures and the struggles they go through.
I completely agree with you. There are so many struggles that cultures experience that we should be educating ourselves about and the minds of young people.
Reading The Joy Luck Club was quite enjoyable, it was particularly interesting to see how four mothers and four daughters got along throughout all the stages in their life. What was not enjoyable was the annotations that I spent lots of time on but that's done now (yay!) Reading and studying this book was definitely not boring, with lots of interesting plot lines, drama, and conflict. The fact that it is a collection of true stories adds an extra layer to the story and meaning behind it. The Joy Luck Club truly highlights and portrays issues with identity in immigrant families. Amy Tan masterfully paints how the first generation immigrants (the parents) are stuck up on their Chinese traditions, following culture and superstitions. While the second generation (their children) are a tad bit more rebellious, taking on American culture that surrounds them and viewing Chinese culture as old fashioned. This conflict in identity, not knowing whether you are truly American or Chinese, is ever so present in immigrant families. Therefore, reading and studying these different stories truly has a meaning and a purpose. For the reasons listed above and for the purposes of increasing Asian-American representation in a time with anti-Asian sentiment, it is crucial to read this book in high schools and add it to the list of American classics. America is a nation built by immigrants, we study the past generations of immigrants in history, and we should study the more modern immigrants (ones that students can relate with) in english!
I really enjoy reading “The Joy Luck Club” because it has a lot of symbols about China so it bring me more closer to the book. I enjoy studying and discussing The Joy Luck Club because it is about my culture that some knowledge I didn't really know before. It was really cool to learn all of that especially something that connects me and my Mom，also the movie has so many chinese it take me back to my chinese class，I am sorry for my classmate that they have to look at the caption hahahah. Anyway I think it is a really nice book that high schoolers should read，because it can help them to learn other culture and history，expand their knowledge on China or learn some Chinese through the book. I think it should be a classic of American literature because it shows how Asian-America grow up under Chinese culture and American culture.
I agree, this does take me back to when I was I was a little kid in China and when I was forced to take chinese classes, it brought me bit of nostalgia and it brought up memories that hadn't been brought up for a long time.
I honestly really enjoyed reading this book. I felt like I was able to relate to some parts of the stories which made me feel like I wasn't the only one going through the same situation. I do recommend this novel to other students, they will enjoy reading it as much as I did and will learn a lot as well! (Another thing that I enjoyed was watching the movie!). The Joy Luck Club should be included in American Literature because it's nice learning about new cultures around the world.
I agree with you this book was very relatable. I was able to understand that many others are going through the same family issues as I am. In addition, it helps us learn about other cultures.
I honestly enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because it was filled with so many lessons and a strong message. Its one of my favorite books we read all year and I really like how it wasn't based on just one mother and daughter but multiple, it also had so many strong symbols and a deeper meaning behind each. It made me understand how the mothers didn't want to make the same mistake, they wanted them to be strong and make sure a man doesn't control them. This book should be read throughout high schools because it has so many symbols and lessons you could learn off of and to make sure not to take your family for granted. This should also be included in American Literature because its much more diverse compared to other books.
I think it would be my favorite book for this year too, and I agree that the message of not taking your family for granted is an important message that everyone should realize, our parents, especially immigrants all worked really hard to provide us a better environment, and we need to understand them better.
I agree with you this book was filled with many lessons throughout it. It really made me understand my mom better as well and see where she is coming from. She does not want me to go through what she went through.
I agree with you it did have a lot of strong messages that changed your point of view on things now. It definitely made me understand what my family went through and where they were coming from
The Joy Luck Club was a novel that I did not expect to enjoy. Since I’m not too familiar with Chinese culture, I thought I wouldn’t understand the book or maybe I would feel lost. Instead I felt I had learn something. I had no idea Chinese culture came with such struggles, especially conflicts that occur in family. Problems with family are 10 times worse that problems with friends. Coincidently, the time we started to read The Joy Luck Club, was the time protest started to erupt protecting Asian rights. The Joy Luck Club should definitely be studied in High Schools. There are so many messages on this book that can influence someones day to day actions. For instance, this book made me start to appreciate my mother a little more, even though I should everyday. I realized that some people don’t have that connection to their parent anymore, like June. It should also be taught in high schools because you get to learn about a new culture. Before reading, I couldn’t tell you anything about Chinese traditions or history. If you were to ask me now, I would tell you that in Chinese culture, when eating, you cannot grab a lot of food before everyone else had some. I learned this from when Waverly introduced Rich to her parents over dinner. I should be considered a classic because, from my knowledge, there aren’t any Asian novel considered classics. A book that teaches not only Chinese culture, but moves people of immigrant families would be perfect classic.
I agree, reading a book that was different from what is usually taught does benefit people of learning more than one culture, having that diverse knowledge of cultures is definitely going to be helpful and if not just someothing nice to know, it doesn't limit your knowledge but rather opens a new door. Through this book I also felt more respect and appreciation to my mother, even though my parents is still separated she still takes care of me and my siblings and still keeps contact with us when she could've left us alone or something.
I enjoyed reading Joy Luck Club because it was relatable to other people born to immigrant parents since it gave us a closer look into the mother-daughter relationships and the barriers that come with growing up differently. You also don't really get to see a lot of Chinese-American representation and this book helped teach about it. I believe that this book should be taught in high schools and included in the classics of American literature because it is a more modern take on American culture. It taught us about the struggles of communication from the point of view of an Chinese immigrant mother as well as from the perspective of a Chinese-American daughter.
I did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club becuase as someone whose family also originated from China, it was nice to read and learn about the struggles, lessons and stuff told from these stories. This book showed me many different sides of a family and what they had to go through together as a family, especially as mother and daughter. Each character were different but deep. Studying and doing assignments on it wasn't fun in my opinion, having to analyze every character and keep track of every characters were annoying, also their ambiguous sayings were interesting but annoying, their chinese thinking and mind were also interesting but nonetheless annoying and a pain to analyze and stuff. Learning it was definitely insightful and interesting and I felt I learned alot but I feel like I would've enjoyed it more if it was for fun or something. I think The Joy Luck Club should be read in High School because allows people to know more about the Asian race and also lets them know the problems that a chinese family could experience, it allows a student to know more about other things and not just what is regularly taught. It should be included in the classics of American Literature becuase it teaches things about finding yourself, understanding others, immigration from a foreign country, relationships and etc. It also teaches things on chinese culture and stuff and one could definitely learn quite a lot from reading this book, and it gives an insight on the chinese and China.
The Joy Luck was not what I expected, I’ve never actually read a book in the format of it where they share their stories and it was interesting to navigate around it. I enjoyed it very much because I got the see the daughter’s point of view as well as the mother’s. I thought the relationships between the mothers and daughters were similar to my mom and I and it is probably similar to all parent immigrants and first generation kids. I also got to see more into Chinese culture which is good because it broadens how you view things just like traveling does. I would recommend this to be read in high school and be included in the classics of American literature.
I enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I feel connected to many struggles about identity and the mother-and-daughter relationship in this book. I can see the reflection of me and my mother through some stories, so studying and discussing this book actually helped me to understand my own identity better. There are also barriers between me and my mother, she often tells me how she feels disconnected from my life, and I think I need to try to communicate with her more. I think The Joy Luck Club is a great book to read in high school, because it allows people, especially the ones with immigrant backgrounds to learn more about their identity, studying about the symbols and different messages are also benefiting. I think it should be included in the classics of American literature because America is a country based on diversity and iimigration, I think it would be great to let more people learn about the Asian community.
I agree... I feel like the novel should be included in American Literature because America is full of diversity: people of different cultures and backgrounds. I also feel like more books about different cultures should be included so we can learn and understand more about one’s culture.
I definitely agree. In school classrooms I think there need to be more books that classes read from different cultures and backgrounds. I was happy to have read the Joy Luck Club .
I enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I feel like I was able to relate to the book. As a daughter of immigrants, it has always been a struggle having a good relationship with my parents. Their mentality is much more different than mine is. From the countries they are from, girls are not allowed to do many things. However, here in America girls are encouraged to fight for what they want. This book really made me understand that I need to have a better relationship with my family and communicate my feelings to them. I feel like this book should be read in high school because many people will be able to relate to it. It should also be studied in the American literature genre because people here are very diverse.
I did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club because I related to it. I only know basic sentences in my language and I’m not as connected with my own culture, so I related to some of the conflicts the girls had to go through. One of the things that got me hooked to the novel were the symbols and hidden messages. I loved analyzing them and trying to figure out the message Amy Tan is trying to convey in each chapter. I feel like The Joy Luck Club should be read in high schools because it’s a good way for students that are not as connected to their cultures to understand that it’s okay. It takes time to learn and as long as you’re trying your best, that’s fine. I also feel like it’s good for the novel to be included in American Literature because students get to learn some of Chinese culture. It’s good to read all kinds of books about different cultures because you get a better understanding of it and can learn.
I agree with you b/c the book will allow students to understand that they may not be alone and that others are going through the same thing and may even give them some insight on how to get out of the situation
To be honest I did like the book but I didn't love it. I liked the book because of the culture and message behind it. The different stories of the women immigrating to America with their daughter and each and different struggle they had to go through, I could relate to it being from an immigrant family. What I didn't like was the hidden messages behind the symbols I would get confused a lot of time and then not want to read the book. Overall I think this is a good book, I think this should be given to students to read in high school because the book is about culture and also because in high school is a time a place where they're really finding themselves so this book would encourage them to love themselves and their culture. - hazel
I enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club but did not find it relatable.My mother and father were born in this country and speak perfect english. Reading this was good gave me a view as a immgrant and just how hard it is for them and why they actually come to America. As Americans we come from all over and our stories are all different i think this book connects back to "what it means to be an American". As we see in this country how immigrants are treated but we need to be mindful that they are just like us and want the same goal "the american dream" but at the end of the day we are all immigrants. Its not about where you started but where you finished.
I agree with you b/c even though we may not know what immigrants go through the book allows us to see the pain that they go through along with understanding that they are people and go through things as well.
I did really enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club and do think it ought to be taught in high schools. At first, given the context of the characters and the story itself, I felt it was going to be rather disinteresting for me to read, however I was swiftly disproven. Many of the cultural divides between the parents and their children displayed throughout the book--particularly that of miscommunication, misinterpretation, and just having different values and a way of thinking--really resonated with me insofar as these are struggles I relate to and experience in my daily life with my parents who come from a drastically different place in a drastically different era. And as such, I do think such a book ought to be taught in schools in the event that it may be relatable to students--particularly those with immigrant families--and that it can give insight into the reality of Chinese-American struggles.
I did enjoy reading the book to here about to stories of other daughters growing up in immigrant families. I didn’t really understand all the symbols which made it hard for me to understand everything which was going on and it made me lose interest. But I loved the fact that I could relate to the characters when it came to their parents expectations. I do think this book is a good choice to read for high school students because it’s something they may resígnate with. Yes it should be included in American Literature because one it needs more diversity and it’s a great example of life in America with immigrant parents.
I did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club even though it was kind of confusing story to me with all the symbols and the way that the book is structured. I do think that the book was important and does have a major significance so I do think that it should be read and taught in high schools b/c it's a book that will make you think about a lot of other things along. Yes it should be included in American Literature b/c many people may be able to relate to the story and I feel like it's good to have a book that makes you dig in and actually think about what is going on in the book.
Honestly, I did find it confusing too because of the different stories and how they're mixed up. But, at the end I really liked reading about all of their different lives. =)
I too did find the novel to be hard to keep up with and confusing at certain points however in the end I had key takeaways from the novel from specific stories that made me like the novel.
I enjoyed reading the Joy luck club. I thought it was very relatable and interesting to read. I liked learning about Chinese and Chinese-American cultures and I loved how unique the stories were. I would recommend this book to a high schooler because they would definitely relate to it in some way.
I really enjoyed reading the Joy Luck Club I thought it was a very interesting book and its format of multiple stories with a common ground also fascinates me. I consider that to be one of the unique characteristics of the novel that makes it different. I was also intrigued to learn of Chinese-American perspectives and learn more about the Chinese culture and beliefs. The story that I am really going to take away from the overall novel is Scar and An-meis story. I would recommend this book to be taught in high schools as it is a story that would be very beneficial after investigating and breaking down its many literacy elements.
Honestly, at first I thought I was going to feel disconnected when reading this book because I was not from a Chinese or Asian background. However, as I read their stories more, the more I saw what characteristic and traits many immigrants share. It was nice to learn about other cultures and see how they view the world. Studying and discussing The Joy Luck Club forced us to engage into deeper analysis of the true meanings and ideas the author was trying to convey to the reader.The plots and conflicts were very interesting while connecting to symbols and motifs. I think that it should be included in the classics of American literature because it exposed me to a new culture and perspective which helped me widen my knowledge about the world.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. At first I have the same thought as well because I was a “pure” Chinese instead of a Chinese American and so I believed that the novel would be full of nonsense or some stereotypes towards Chinese cultures. However, after exploring the novel, I felt connected. I could see myself growing up from the traditional environment in China.
DeleteI agree with you Bema, at first I didn't think I'll have a connection with the book, however, the more I read it the more I can relate to certain situations.
DeleteI agree with you man. It really has a lots of traits many immigrants share and it also very interesting connecting to symbols as a reader.
DeleteWonderfully said Bema, the book provided insight into Chinese culture and beliefs, educating the readers on a different culture and the struggles between a mother and a daughter in an immigrant family.
DeleteI completely agree with you. This book allowed me to explore a different culture and it taught me a lot about it. Like you, it also helped me learn how to more thoroughly analyze a text.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club. It explained a lot of point of views of Chinese culture and I was able to relate to most things. Studying about my culture allowed me to learn a lot of Chinese background. I think that students should read the Joy Luck Club because with all the hate that is going around for Asians can show them the good sides of their culture and there isn't anything to hate about. It should be included in American Literature because it can give readers the understanding of born Chinese and American born Chinese.
ReplyDeleteAithan , I like your view on this story it is nice and I agree with everything you have said.
DeleteI agree, I felt like I can relate a lot to the Chinese background from this book and studying this has expanded my knowledge on how the Chinese culture is like.
DeleteYes! With all the hate crimes going around I think now is better than ever to read this book. People should also take the time to learn about all kinds of cultures because that is a part of being a well-rounded and informed individual.
DeleteI agree! With everything going on in the world, this novel can really help people learn and understand Chinese culture better. There’s no need for this hate and it’s disgusting with how people are treating Asians. There should be more books about other cultures so that more people won’t be as ignorant and can understand better about one’s culture.
DeleteThe Joy Luck Club would be significant novel for readers that are struggling over their identity as an Chinese American and for those who are interested in the Chinese culture would have a joyful experience after reading it. While I was reading through the novel, I found so many symbols that were being mentioned and it has different meaning and purpose towards both the characters and the author. I really enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club and hope to see the novel being spread and taught by different High Schools. In addition, it really should be included in the classic American Literature because of the knowledge, culture and language that was being introduced within the book. It would be a diversify book to be read by different culture to get an understanding towards the Chinese culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree I also hope more books like this one are read and getting recognized.
DeleteI agree because of the novel really have an hidden meaning of having their identity as a Chinese or American.
DeleteThe Joy Luck Club is a different type of novel that I have not been familiar with before. It was written by Amy Tan and was published in the year 1989. Which is recently new, however did I enjoy reading this yes I did because it was a very interesting experience. I read about 8 total characters , 4 daughters and 4 mothers. All these different experiences combing into a multiple stories. This novel should definitely be taught in high school due the the lay out of the book. It is new and isn't that difficult to read because Amy Tan has a way of writing it to where it isn't complex. Now do I believe this be included in American Classics yes because it involves both Chinese and American culture. It isn't isolated to just one thing which helps it build off as a better story.
ReplyDeleteI agree it was a different type of novel I have never read before and hs students should definitely read this book.
DeleteI definitely agree with the sentiment, here, in that Amy Tan's novel ought to be included as an American Classic: it showcases a pivotal aspect of Chinese culture, Chinese-American culture, and also the general culture and struggles of immigrants which--for the time the novel was written--did break boundaries.
DeleteI enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I found it relatable. My mother is an immigrant and I always found it hard to communicate to her my feelings because there is a language barrier. It's hard for her to understand my English and I think this created a huge disconnect. I'm sure she feels the same way. Studying it was interesting because we got to see the side of the immigrant mother. It should be a classic in American Literature because mostly all Americans have parents or grandparents that are immigrants and I think it is more informative and teaches compassion. Someone who does not have the same cultural or linguistic background, you should be mindful for.
ReplyDeleteAgree, I also thought the book was very retable to many people backgrounds, especially if they're from an immigrant household.
DeleteI agree with you about that it was interesting to study it because we got to see the side of the immigrant mother.
DeleteAs a book I could've picked up one day it was an enjoyable read with meaning behind every chapter written in a way that allowed for the reader to correct the dots instead of holding our hand throughout the book. I somewhat enjoyed studying the book but I have never been a fan or a slight enjoyer of annotations. This book should be read in high school, it really gives us a cultural mix to the other books we read. It should be included in the classics of American Literature because it is a good representation of the Chinese culture and struggles of the immigrant and the immigrants child.
ReplyDeleteyess i really dislike doing annotations they are pretty annoying.
DeleteAgreed, the cultural mix in our books that we've read have been really informative and increases our understandings of different cultures!
DeleteI agree with everything you have said Kris, I absolutely despise annotations and I feel like they are a waste of time (for me) and the book was an interesting read, educating us readers on the struggles of immigrant families and Chinese culture.
DeleteI did enjoy reading the Joy Luck Club because it was book full of lessons. This book was able to create some type of connection to the reader by the feelings or conflicts the characters faced. I think the Joy Luck Club was a great way to show the struggle that Chinese American Immigrants faced. The Joy Luck Club should be read in high school because it is a great book to showcase the lives of others in a foreign country. I think that this book brought many common themes such as finding ones identity and mother daughter relationships. This book should be included in the classics of American Literature because of the lessons one takes away after reading this book. There were parts in this book where I, as a reader, was able to connect with the characters.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, the book was full of lesson which creates that close connection when reading the book
DeleteI agree with you when you mentioned the connection to the readers. As someone with an immigrant mother, sometimes you can’t help but feel you want to please them all the time.
DeleteI agree that this book includes so many common themes and allows people to learn more about one’s identity and mother daughter relationship, and by learning about these you can actually feel connected to the stories and reflect on yourself.
DeleteI really enjoyed reading the Joy Luck Club probably my favorite book from this year. I like how the author put in the different POV from the mothers and daughters so the reader could know the different perspectives. I enjoy studying and interpreting the symbols and ideas. I really like how the book have this overall message. This book should definitely be read in high schools because it would teach them to not be selfish and be open-minded. Yes it should be included in American literature because it would show that Asian American are also included and students could feel represented. Also because the book is really good.
ReplyDeleteI think so. The book is really great. However, I don’t find the change in perspective interesting because it makes me confused with other characters, especially there are four pairs of mother and daughter.
Deleteyeah i find it interesting when writers change the perspectives because them you can see everyone's emotions and how they really feel and they talk about each other.
DeleteI agree, this book is amazing and I love how they show the different POV's through the mother and daughters lives and how they communicate and share their emotions with one another.
DeleteI absolutely loved the Joy Luck Club! I think it was my favorite book in all of AP. The world problems and the fact that i can relate to it so much is scary. It makes me want to go give my mom a freaking hug! I think discussing the book made me understand more on what was going on and the symbols and what every little detail means. It help me see past the words and helped me read inbetween the lines. I totally believe it could be read in high school because this is a time where teenagers take their family for granted and don't understand the sacrifices our own parents go through to make sure we american children are happy and not suffering. I think that it should be included in american classics because it's different then the actual classics and it is diverse, it talks about the chinese americans and they aren't very represented in american literature and that's important.
ReplyDeleteBrittany , I agree with most of what you said because I like this book a lot but clearly not as much as you.
DeleteI totally agree with what you're saying, this book was somewhat of a wakeup call to what the immigrant has to endure.
DeleteI agree it made me realize how harsh society could be and how sad it is that some immigrants have to go through all this.
DeleteI liked the Joy Luck Club very much! I think it's one of my favorite books that we've read. I did enjoy studying the book because there were many symbolisms that had a deeper meaning to it. For example, the feather, symbolizing hope that a mother has for her daughter. Throughout the book, I also feel like I learned some things about the culture. Like the jade, I've always had one but didn't really know what it was actually used for. I believe that Joy Luck Club should be read in High Schools because it's quite informative and can kind of help reflect on your relationship between you and your mother. It should be included in the classics of American Literature because it does include about the mother's moving to America for hopes for a better future. Adding on, the lost culture the daughter's had because they were born in America. Overall, I liked the book! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, I also learned a lot about the Chinese culture and also the relationship between mother and daughter
DeleteI agree because Joy Luck Club gives the perspective of the mother and the daughter. And it really will makes people think of their mother relationship.
DeleteI enjoy reading the Joy Luck Club because it gives the perspective of each daughter and the mother. Both of them give their opinion of their life and try to understand each other. It was cool to learn that the mother's actions are all for their daughter. I think that high schoolers should read this book because the book has a deeper meaning to analysis and learning and gives the reader an enjoyable time of the book. I think it should be a classic of American literature because it shows a different American instead of just white. The book shows a Asian-America side.
ReplyDeleteYes i think this book did a good job at looking at both perspectives of mother and daughter.
DeleteI agree, some of us may be experiencing situations where we don't know how to communicate with our parents. And the book gave deeper insight into both side of the parent and the child, to show that many people are going through the same problems.
DeleteI agree the book did portray the mother and daughter perspectives good and also it help the reader understand both sides by doing so
DeleteI enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because it discusses topics that many people face today. For example, struggling to identify yourself with a certain ethnic group. To add on to this, my parents are immigrants so I feel like there is a communication barrier as they see things way differently from how I see things. I think this book should be read in high schools because it helps you gain perspective on how others may be dealing with the same issues you're dealing with. This book exposes you to a new culture so I think it should be considered in the classics of American literature.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you because the Joy Luck Club touched upon many common struggles that one can go through . This book is able to express and demonstrate other cultures and the struggles they go through.
DeleteI completely agree with you. There are so many struggles that cultures experience that we should be educating ourselves about and the minds of young people.
DeleteI can relate to the feeling of a communication barrier when it comes to immigrant parents and seeing things differently.
DeleteReading The Joy Luck Club was quite enjoyable, it was particularly interesting to see how four mothers and four daughters got along throughout all the stages in their life. What was not enjoyable was the annotations that I spent lots of time on but that's done now (yay!) Reading and studying this book was definitely not boring, with lots of interesting plot lines, drama, and conflict. The fact that it is a collection of true stories adds an extra layer to the story and meaning behind it. The Joy Luck Club truly highlights and portrays issues with identity in immigrant families. Amy Tan masterfully paints how the first generation immigrants (the parents) are stuck up on their Chinese traditions, following culture and superstitions. While the second generation (their children) are a tad bit more rebellious, taking on American culture that surrounds them and viewing Chinese culture as old fashioned. This conflict in identity, not knowing whether you are truly American or Chinese, is ever so present in immigrant families. Therefore, reading and studying these different stories truly has a meaning and a purpose. For the reasons listed above and for the purposes of increasing Asian-American representation in a time with anti-Asian sentiment, it is crucial to read this book in high schools and add it to the list of American classics. America is a nation built by immigrants, we study the past generations of immigrants in history, and we should study the more modern immigrants (ones that students can relate with) in english!
ReplyDeleteYes I totally agree with your response the only negative I have on the book would be the annotations.
DeleteI really enjoy reading “The Joy Luck Club” because it has a lot of symbols about China so it bring me more closer to the book. I enjoy studying and discussing The Joy Luck Club because it is about my culture that some knowledge I didn't really know before. It was really cool to learn all of that especially something that connects me and my Mom，also the movie has so many chinese it take me back to my chinese class，I am sorry for my classmate that they have to look at the caption hahahah. Anyway I think it is a really nice book that high schoolers should read，because it can help them to learn other culture and history，expand their knowledge on China or learn some Chinese through the book. I think it should be a classic of American literature because it shows how Asian-America grow up under Chinese culture and American culture.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading and learning about your culture. I hope one day I can go to China, it's SO BEAUTIFUL!
DeleteI agree, this does take me back to when I was I was a little kid in China and when I was forced to take chinese classes, it brought me bit of nostalgia and it brought up memories that hadn't been brought up for a long time.
DeleteI honestly really enjoyed reading this book. I felt like I was able to relate to some parts of the stories which made me feel like I wasn't the only one going through the same situation. I do recommend this novel to other students, they will enjoy reading it as much as I did and will learn a lot as well! (Another thing that I enjoyed was watching the movie!). The Joy Luck Club should be included in American Literature because it's nice learning about new cultures around the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you this book was very relatable. I was able to understand that many others are going through the same family issues as I am. In addition, it helps us learn about other cultures.
DeleteI honestly enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because it was filled with so many lessons and a strong message. Its one of my favorite books we read all year and I really like how it wasn't based on just one mother and daughter but multiple, it also had so many strong symbols and a deeper meaning behind each. It made me understand how the mothers didn't want to make the same mistake, they wanted them to be strong and make sure a man doesn't control them. This book should be read throughout high schools because it has so many symbols and lessons you could learn off of and to make sure not to take your family for granted. This should also be included in American Literature because its much more diverse compared to other books.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be my favorite book for this year too, and I agree that the message of not taking your family for granted is an important message that everyone should realize, our parents, especially immigrants all worked really hard to provide us a better environment, and we need to understand them better.
DeleteI agree with you this book was filled with many lessons throughout it. It really made me understand my mom better as well and see where she is coming from. She does not want me to go through what she went through.
DeleteI agree with you it did have a lot of strong messages that changed your point of view on things now. It definitely made me understand what my family went through and where they were coming from
DeleteThe Joy Luck Club was a novel that I did not expect to enjoy. Since I’m not too familiar with Chinese culture, I thought I wouldn’t understand the book or maybe I would feel lost. Instead I felt I had learn something. I had no idea Chinese culture came with such struggles, especially conflicts that occur in family. Problems with family are 10 times worse that problems with friends. Coincidently, the time we started to read The Joy Luck Club, was the time protest started to erupt protecting Asian rights. The Joy Luck Club should definitely be studied in High Schools. There are so many messages on this book that can influence someones day to day actions. For instance, this book made me start to appreciate my mother a little more, even though I should everyday. I realized that some people don’t have that connection to their parent anymore, like June. It should also be taught in high schools because you get to learn about a new culture. Before reading, I couldn’t tell you anything about Chinese traditions or history. If you were to ask me now, I would tell you that in Chinese culture, when eating, you cannot grab a lot of food before everyone else had some. I learned this from when Waverly introduced Rich to her parents over dinner. I should be considered a classic because, from my knowledge, there aren’t any Asian novel considered classics. A book that teaches not only Chinese culture, but moves people of immigrant families would be perfect classic.
ReplyDeleteI agree, reading a book that was different from what is usually taught does benefit people of learning more than one culture, having that diverse knowledge of cultures is definitely going to be helpful and if not just someothing nice to know, it doesn't limit your knowledge but rather opens a new door. Through this book I also felt more respect and appreciation to my mother, even though my parents is still separated she still takes care of me and my siblings and still keeps contact with us when she could've left us alone or something.
DeleteI enjoyed reading Joy Luck Club because it was relatable to other people born to immigrant parents since it gave us a closer look into the mother-daughter relationships and the barriers that come with growing up differently. You also don't really get to see a lot of Chinese-American representation and this book helped teach about it. I believe that this book should be taught in high schools and included in the classics of American literature because it is a more modern take on American culture. It taught us about the struggles of communication from the point of view of an Chinese immigrant mother as well as from the perspective of a Chinese-American daughter.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it gives a give representation of kids born to immigrant parents.
DeleteI did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club becuase as someone whose family also originated from China, it was nice to read and learn about the struggles, lessons and stuff told from these stories. This book showed me many different sides of a family and what they had to go through together as a family, especially as mother and daughter. Each character were different but deep. Studying and doing assignments on it wasn't fun in my opinion, having to analyze every character and keep track of every characters were annoying, also their ambiguous sayings were interesting but annoying, their chinese thinking and mind were also interesting but nonetheless annoying and a pain to analyze and stuff. Learning it was definitely insightful and interesting and I felt I learned alot but I feel like I would've enjoyed it more if it was for fun or something. I think The Joy Luck Club should be read in High School because allows people to know more about the Asian race and also lets them know the problems that a chinese family could experience, it allows a student to know more about other things and not just what is regularly taught. It should be included in the classics of American Literature becuase it teaches things about finding yourself, understanding others, immigration from a foreign country, relationships and etc. It also teaches things on chinese culture and stuff and one could definitely learn quite a lot from reading this book, and it gives an insight on the chinese and China.
ReplyDeleteI agree this book should be read by hs students so we can understand the chinese culture and just what it is like to be a immigrant.
DeleteThe Joy Luck was not what I expected, I’ve never actually read a book in the format of it where they share their stories and it was interesting to navigate around it. I enjoyed it very much because I got the see the daughter’s point of view as well as the mother’s. I thought the relationships between the mothers and daughters were similar to my mom and I and it is probably similar to all parent immigrants and first generation kids. I also got to see more into Chinese culture which is good because it broadens how you view things just like traveling does. I would recommend this to be read in high school and be included in the classics of American literature.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I feel connected to many struggles about identity and the mother-and-daughter relationship in this book. I can see the reflection of me and my mother through some stories, so studying and discussing this book actually helped me to understand my own identity better. There are also barriers between me and my mother, she often tells me how she feels disconnected from my life, and I think I need to try to communicate with her more. I think The Joy Luck Club is a great book to read in high school, because it allows people, especially the ones with immigrant backgrounds to learn more about their identity, studying about the symbols and different messages are also benefiting. I think it should be included in the classics of American literature because America is a country based on diversity and iimigration, I think it would be great to let more people learn about the Asian community.
ReplyDeleteI agree... I feel like the novel should be included in American Literature because America is full of diversity: people of different cultures and backgrounds. I also feel like more books about different cultures should be included so we can learn and understand more about one’s culture.
DeleteI definitely agree. In school classrooms I think there need to be more books that classes read from different cultures and backgrounds. I was happy to have read the Joy Luck Club .
DeleteI enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club because I feel like I was able to relate to the book. As a daughter of immigrants, it has always been a struggle having a good relationship with my parents. Their mentality is much more different than mine is. From the countries they are from, girls are not allowed to do many things. However, here in America girls are encouraged to fight for what they want. This book really made me understand that I need to have a better relationship with my family and communicate my feelings to them. I feel like this book should be read in high school because many people will be able to relate to it. It should also be studied in the American literature genre because people here are very diverse.
ReplyDeleteSame! After reading the book, I really want to know more about my father's childhood before America.
DeleteI did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club because I related to it. I only know basic sentences in my language and I’m not as connected with my own culture, so I related to some of the conflicts the girls had to go through. One of the things that got me hooked to the novel were the symbols and hidden messages. I loved analyzing them and trying to figure out the message Amy Tan is trying to convey in each chapter. I feel like The Joy Luck Club should be read in high schools because it’s a good way for students that are not as connected to their cultures to understand that it’s okay. It takes time to learn and as long as you’re trying your best, that’s fine. I also feel like it’s good for the novel to be included in American Literature because students get to learn some of Chinese culture. It’s good to read all kinds of books about different cultures because you get a better understanding of it and can learn.
ReplyDeleteI thought this is good to read in high school because how you said it makes kids understand that its not abnormal to have a hard time connecting.
DeleteI agree with you b/c the book will allow students to understand that they may not be alone and that others are going through the same thing and may even give them some insight on how to get out of the situation
DeleteTo be honest I did like the book but I didn't love it. I liked the book because of the culture and message behind it. The different stories of the women immigrating to America with their daughter and each and different struggle they had to go through, I could relate to it being from an immigrant family. What I didn't like was the hidden messages behind the symbols I would get confused a lot of time and then not want to read the book. Overall I think this is a good book, I think this should be given to students to read in high school because the book is about culture and also because in high school is a time a place where they're really finding themselves so this book would encourage them to love themselves and their culture. - hazel
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading The Joy Luck Club but did not find it relatable.My mother and father were born in this country and speak perfect english. Reading this was good gave me a view as a immgrant and just how hard it is for them and why they actually come to America. As Americans we come from all over and our stories are all different i think this book connects back to "what it means to be an American". As we see in this country how immigrants are treated but we need to be mindful that they are just like us and want the same goal "the american dream" but at the end of the day we are all immigrants. Its not about where you started but where you finished.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you b/c even though we may not know what immigrants go through the book allows us to see the pain that they go through along with understanding that they are people and go through things as well.
DeleteI did really enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club and do think it ought to be taught in high schools. At first, given the context of the characters and the story itself, I felt it was going to be rather disinteresting for me to read, however I was swiftly disproven. Many of the cultural divides between the parents and their children displayed throughout the book--particularly that of miscommunication, misinterpretation, and just having different values and a way of thinking--really resonated with me insofar as these are struggles I relate to and experience in my daily life with my parents who come from a drastically different place in a drastically different era. And as such, I do think such a book ought to be taught in schools in the event that it may be relatable to students--particularly those with immigrant families--and that it can give insight into the reality of Chinese-American struggles.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading the book to here about to stories of other daughters growing up in immigrant families. I didn’t really understand all the symbols which made it hard for me to understand everything which was going on and it made me lose interest. But I loved the fact that I could relate to the characters when it came to their parents expectations. I do think this book is a good choice to read for high school students because it’s something they may resígnate with. Yes it should be included in American Literature because one it needs more diversity and it’s a great example of life in America with immigrant parents.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy reading The Joy Luck Club even though it was kind of confusing story to me with all the symbols and the way that the book is structured. I do think that the book was important and does have a major significance so I do think that it should be read and taught in high schools b/c it's a book that will make you think about a lot of other things along. Yes it should be included in American Literature b/c many people may be able to relate to the story and I feel like it's good to have a book that makes you dig in and actually think about what is going on in the book.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I did find it confusing too because of the different stories and how they're mixed up. But, at the end I really liked reading about all of their different lives. =)
DeleteI too did find the novel to be hard to keep up with and confusing at certain points however in the end I had key takeaways from the novel from specific stories that made me like the novel.
DeleteI enjoyed reading the Joy luck club. I thought it was very relatable and interesting to read. I liked learning about Chinese and Chinese-American cultures and I loved how unique the stories were. I would recommend this book to a high schooler because they would definitely relate to it in some way.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading the Joy Luck Club I thought it was a very interesting book and its format of multiple stories with a common ground also fascinates me. I consider that to be one of the unique characteristics of the novel that makes it different. I was also intrigued to learn of Chinese-American perspectives and learn more about the Chinese culture and beliefs. The story that I am really going to take away from the overall novel is Scar and An-meis story. I would recommend this book to be taught in high schools as it is a story that would be very beneficial after investigating and breaking down its many literacy elements.
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