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"The immigration officials took her swan away", ""This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar and carries with it all my good intentions"" (17). The swan represents hopes and dreams that were held by the woman, but almost destroyed because of her heritage.The remainder of these dreams, is a single feather, a reminder that she has accomplished what she intended- making a great life for her daughter.

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Thematic Patterns #2- Happiness and despair

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Thematic Patterns #2- Happiness and despair

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"But I know what really happened, becuase I stayed up all night crying about my marriage" (59). "And even though I know it's hopeless- there's absolutely nothing left to save" (117).
"None of our friends could ever believe we fight over something as stupid as fleas, but they would also never believe that our problems are much, much deeper than that, so deep I don't even know where bottom is" (150). These three quotes were all derived from tales of unhappy marriages. Happiness is something everyone searches for, but many of the characters in the novel experience the opposite. Happiness is a key component to a marriage, yet it is something many of the women lack. Additionally, happiness is not always present in their childhoods.

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"Off to the side is the black vase, the smooth cylinder broken in half, the freesias strewn in a puddle of water." ""I knew it would happen.""Then why you don't stop it?"" (165) . The vase symbolizes Lena St. Clair's marriage. She knew it was rocky, just like the vase of the wobbly table. She knew it was destined to break, but didn't put a great effort into stopping it, just as she brushed off the matter of the broken vase.

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"My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America". "America was where all my mother's hopes lay"(132). "I never really listened to what I was playing. I daydreamed about being somewhere else, about being someone else." (139). "I felt the shame of my mother and father as they sat stiffly throughout the rest of teh show." (140). The piano symbolized the prized and sought after American Dream to Suyuan Woo. It represented the better life that she never had. Suyuan wanted this better life for June, as a sort of compensation for the abandonment of her twins. The piano also symbolizes rebellion and dissapointment. She rebelled against her mother's wishes and embarrassed herself in the talent show. The dissapointment stems from the ever lasting knowledge that she wasn't able to make her mother proud.

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"And I remember wondering why it was that eating something good could make me feel so terrible, while vomiting something terrible could make me feel so good." (154) "I could never stand the stuff after that. And then I am startled once again to realize that Harold has never noticed that I don't eat any of the ice cream he brings home every Friday morning" (162). Ice cream is a symbol of the time that Lena St. Clair experienced an eating disorder. It was one of the lowest points of her life and a time that she confomred to societal beauty ideals. It is significant because this disorder was a great part of herself, yet her husband brought it home every Friday, not knowing that she hated it. This showcases that their marriage isn't as open and all knowing as she wished.

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"It fluttered a little and the flame bent down low, but still both ends burned strong. My throat filled with so much hope that it finally burst and blew out my husband's end of candle" (60). Lindo is decisive because she was determined to end her arranged marriage. Knowingly going against old tradition, Lindo blew out her husband's candle, symbolically ending a prosperous, long marriage, despite any consequences. She was determined to take charge of her own fate and went against her tradition in order to do so.

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"Auntie Lin and my mother were both best friends and arch enemies who spent a lifetime comparing their children" (37). Jing- Mei Hsu and Waverly Jong were constantly compared throughout their childhood by their mothers. Their mothers wanted to prove that one was better, smarter, or more successful than the other, thus bringing more honor to their family. Honor is a major idea in Chinese tradition, naturally sparking competition to uncover the the best characteristics in an individual.

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""What happened to the babies?" She didn't even pause to think. She simply said in a way that made it clear there was no more to the story: "Your father is not my first husband. You are not those babies."" (26). "And then my mother cut a piece of meat from her arm. Tears poured from her face and blood spilled to the floor" (48). Suyuan decision to abandon her babies during her escape from Kweilin is an obvious sacrifice. In order to ensure their safety, she sacrificed her happiness of being there to watch them grow up. Another motherly sacrifice is from An-Mei Hsu's. She cuts off skin from her arm in order to put into her dying mother's soup, as a last resort. She honors her mother by sacrificing her skin and removing the skin of her own, her mother's, and every mother before her own

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"So I was relieved we had caught the Five Evils and were burning their corpses. I didn'tinow the green coil was merely incense used to chase away mosquitoes and small flies."(68). "A face so tired that she wearily pulled off her hair, her long gown fell from her shoulders. And as the secret wish fell from my lips, the Moon Lady looked at me and became a man." (82). "Someone was killing. Someone was being killed. Screams and shouts, a mother had a sword high above a girl's head and was starting to slice her life away, first a braid, then her scalp, an eyebrow, a toe, a thunmb, the point of her cheeck, the slant of her nose, until there was nothing left, no sounds" (110). Children are innocent until they are corrupted with reality. The mothers in this novel use this innocence to their advantage and tell their children tales, in order to ensure good behavior. The examples chosen showcase how imaginative the children are in situations that they don't completely understand. This innocence is a shield against the harsh reality that is life.

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"Can you see how the Huangs almost washed their thinking into my skin? I came to think of Tyan-yu as a god, someone whose opinions were worth much more than my own life. I came to think of Huang Taitai as my real mother, someone I wanted to please, someone I should follow and obey without question." (56) This setting is important because it showcases how Lindo Jong almost lost her self and her values while catering to her husband and family. She became almost robotic and it wasn't until she escaped the marriage that she felt light again and reveled in the fact that she could think a "geniuine though and follow where it went".

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"He was scared and turned his face. He had no desire for me, but it was his fear that made me think he had no desire for any woman." ""My son says he's planted enough seeds for thousands of grandchildren." (62). Tyan-yu is a misunderstood man. His overbearing mother expects grandchildren from him and his wife, Lindo Jong. This is a conflict because multiple signs are given that Tyan-yu is a homosexual. He is selfless because he puts his desires and true self aside in order to please his mother and her Chinese traditions.

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"Over the years, Ted decided where we went on vacation. He decided what new furniture we should buy. He decided we should wait until we moved into a better neighborhood before having children." "After a while, there were no more discussions. Ted simply decided. And I never thought of objecting." (119) Rose Hsu Jordan is very passive in her relationship. She let Ted decide how the marriage worked, where they went, and what they did. Rose let Ted "wear the pants" in the relationship and she didn't object to it. Her Chinese heritage plays a part in her passiveness.

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"I don't think Huang Taitai ever soiled her hands, but she was very good at calling out orders and criticism" (56). ""Bad wife!" she cried. "If you refuse to sleep with my son, I refuse to feed you or clothe you"." (61). "After more months had passed and my stomach and breasts remained small and flat, Huang Taitai flew into another kind of rage. "My son says he's planted enough seeds for thousands of grandchildren. Where are they? It must be you are doing something wrong.""(62). Huang Taitai is the stereotypical Monster-In-Law. She was an overbearing and strict mother in law that believed her way was right. Despite the circumstances surrounding the marriage, Huang Taitai believes Lindo Jong is her son's fated love. This character is important because she unknowingly pushes Lindo to attempt and succeed in escaping the unwanted marriage.

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"I was just saying, If there is a choice, dear God or whatever you are, here's where the odds should be placed". "It was the day my mother lost her faith in God" (121). "I knew it was my fault. I hadn't watched him closely enough, and yet I saw him." ( 127). This setting is important because it shows the moment when An-Mei Hsu lost her faith in God as well as revealing the moment Rose Hsu Jordan witnessed her brother die. This scene explains why An-mei tries to express a sense of nonchalantness with the bible as a table leg supporter, yet her deeply embedded faith prompts her to keep the bible in good condition.

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""But I didn't come to Kweilin to see how beautiful it was. The man who was my husband brought me and our two babies to Kweilin because he thought we would be safe.""(21) "And each week, we could hope to be lucky. That hope was our only joy.And that's how we came to call our little parties Joy Luck" (25). Kweilin is a significant setting because it highlights the hardships experienced by Suyuan Woo, including the abandonment of her daughters. It also explains how the Joy Luck Club came to be and why June is next in line to join the club. Kweilin is the city in which June's mother's legacy was created.

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"My mother named me after the street that we lived on: Waverly Place Jong, my official name for important American documents." (91) "I loved the secrets I found within the sixty-four black and white squares" (95). "I went to school , then directly home to learn new chess secrets, cleverly concealed advantages, more escape routes". (98). Chinatown is especially significant for Waverly because this it the place that she discovered her incredible talent in chess. This is also where readers get a glimpse of Lindo Jong's behavior and attitude toward her daughter- overbearing yet prideful. Waverly gains confidence in herself and finds a sense of identity in the game of knights and pawns.