Bridging Two Worlds:
Mother–Daughter Dynamics and Cultural Conflict in Amy Tan’s
The Joy Luck Club
Dr. Anjana Thampi K. S¹, Dr. Richard
Jegadeesan P²
ABSTRACT
The paper discusses Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club,
examining the complex mother-daughter relations shaped by
generational and cultural tensions between Chinese immigrant mothers
and their American-born daughters. The novel develops questions of
identity, communication gaps, and cultural displacement and shows
how divergent worldviews create friction and misunderstanding. While
the mothers cling to traditional Chinese values and hardship
narratives, their daughters are unable to reconcile them with their
own American experiences. The text shows how these conflicts
establish emotional distance but at the same time allow for
reconciliation and understanding. Through experience and narrative,
the characters construct their cultural identities and negotiate the
past with the present.
Titled "Mother-Daughter Relationships in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck
Club: A Study of Generational and Cultural Conflicts," this paper
looks at Tan's work regarding intergenerational tensions and the
ultimate recognition of maternal sacrifice and love. By examining
the core relationships throughout this novel, the essay facilitates
broader concerns regarding heritage, assimilation, and the
respective intricacies endemic to mother-daughter dynamics.
Keywords: Generational conflict, Cultural identity, Assimilation,
Communication barriers, Chinese-American.
