Generational Differences and Cultural Gaps Term Paper

Sadly, it takes her mother's death to bring June really close to her mother, and close to understanding her culture and beliefs. Tan writes, "I found some old Chinese silk dresses, the kind with little slits up the sides. I rubbed the old silk against my skin, then wrapped them in tissue and decided to take them home with me" (Tan 212). She finally begins to understand some of the things that were important to her mother, but it comes too late for her to share her findings with her mother, or to even tell her she understands.

In conclusion, the generational differences and cultural gaps between mothers and daughters in this novel are largely universal and represent the gaps that grow between immigrant families and their children. Often, the children do not identify with or understand their parents' ties to their homeland, and they do not appreciate their heritage and culture themselves. This helps immigrant families assimilate into American culture, but it also makes them less aware of their roots and their heritage, and that is a shame.

References

Discovering the Ethnic Name and the Genealogical Tie in Amy Tan's the 'Joy Luck Club'."

Hamilton, Patricia L. "Feng Shui, Astrology, and the Five Elements: Traditional Chinese Belief in Amy Tan's the 'Joy Luck Club'."…