《喜福会》英文论文

TheJoyLuckClub:CollisionandCompatibilityBetweenChineseandAmericanCultureAbstract:BasiconthestudyofTheJoyLuckClub,thisthesisdiscussesthemother-daughtercollisionandcompatibilitybetweenChineseandAmericanculture,whichiscausedbythetwogenerationsofChineseAmericaninthenovel.Thepaperisentirelysepertatedbyfourmajorparts:Introduction,ConflictbetweenChinese&Americanculture,CompatibilitybetweenChinese&Americanculture,andConclusion.Itarguesbasicallyonthedifferenlivingenvironment,differentheritageanddifferentvalueetc.Keywords:TheJoyLuckClub,mother-daughtercollisionandcompatibilityOutlines:ChapterlIntroduction1.1BriefintrodutionaboutTheJoyLuckClub1.2IntroductionaboutaboutthethesisChapter2ConflictbetweenChinese&Americanculture2.1ThecultureofChinesemahjong2.2Differentlivingenvironment,differentvalueChapter3CompatibilitybetweenChinese&AmericancultureChapter4ConclusionChapter5ReferencesChapter1Chapter1Introduction1.11.1BriefintrodutionaboutTheJoyLuckClubTheJoyLuckClub'isawell-knownAmerican-ChinesewriterAmyTan'srepresentativeworks.Inthenovel,shepresentedtothereaderfourChineseimmigrantmothersandtheirdaughters.AlthoughlivinginAmerica,theimmigrantmothersclingtoChinesetraditionalculture.TheyorganizetheJoyLuckClubregularly,aweeklymeetingofbestChinesefriends.Fourmotherswiththeirownviewoftheworld,theirworldviewisbasedontheirexperiencesoflifeinChina.However,thegirlsfromtheirmotherscannotunderstandtheChineseculturebecausetheareAmerica-born.Sothereareconflictsthathavebeenvividlydescribedinthisbook.Astimegoesby,aftteraseriesofmisunderstandingsandconflicts,theybegintounderstandeachother.Thetwogenerationsgointoharmonywiththeirefforsoflove..1.2IntroductionaboutaboutthethesisThethesisisthediscussionaboutthemother-daughtercollisionandcompatibilitybetweenChineseandAmericanculture,entirelysepertatedbyfourmajorparts:Introduction,ConflictbetweenChinese&Americanculture,CompatibilitybetweenChinese&Americanculture,andConclusion.Inaddition,thepaperarguesthedifferentlivingenvironment,differentcultureheritageaswellasdifferentvaluewhicharethemaincausesofmother-daughterconflictinthenovel.Moreimportantly,afteraseriesofmisunderstandings,thetwogenerationsareinharmonywhichmeansculturalcompatibilitybetweenChinaandAmerica.Itbringshopethatcontradictionoroppositionsinourlivesbetweenpastandpresent,betweengenerationandbetweenculturecanbepossiblyevenwellreconciled.Chapter2ConflictbetweenChinese&Amerianculture2.1ThecultureofChinesemahjongInthenovel,wecanseethatthefourmother-immigrantsholdTheJoyLuckClubeveryweek.Alltheirbestfriendsandrelatedpeoplewillattend.TheycookChinesefood,wearChinesetraditionalclothes.Especially,theyprefertoplayingmahjong.Itundoubtedlyprovidesaplacefortheotherstogetinretrospect.However,thegirlslookdownuponsuchgathering.Chinesecusineandclothesarenottheirtaste.Theyevendistainthemahjong.Intheireyes,thatisboringandstupid.Inmyoppinion,Ithinkthatplayingmahjongreflectsthecharacterofapersonandthecultuerofanation.InthemovieTheJoyLuckClub,wecanseefourvividcharactersonthemahjongtable.Jingmei(theleadingactor)playsmahjongwiththreeeldlywomen,theexpressionandbehaviourofAuntieLindo,sheisaggressiveandmightyasweseeafterhemovietellingthestoriesbetweensheandherdaughter.AnalysingthecharacterofAuntieLindo,cultureofthemahjongcanpresent.Whenplayingmahjong,everypersonpreferstosuppresstheothers,makingeveryendeavortowin.Ifsomethingindicateshewilllose,hewilldestroyallthegamestomakeeverylose.Butpeopleareenjoyingstrifingopenlyandsecretly.SuchgamemirrorsmostofChinesecharacters:passive,defended,selfish.Instead,asweknow,pokeraremorepopularinAmerica.SoitishardtobeacceptedbytheAmerica-borngirls.2.2Differentlivingenvironment,differentvalueItisuniversallyacknowledgedthatlanguagesandculturesareinseparable.Languages,thecarriersofcultures,playsanimportantroleinunderstandingandcommunication.Ifpeopledonotcommunicateinthesamelanguage,misunderstandingmayappear.Becauseofthedifferentlivingenvironment,themothersinTheJoyLuckClubspeakChineseforseveralyearsandtheyarereluctanttospeakbrokenEnglishwhentheyhaveto.Onthecontrary,theirdaughtersareborninAmerica.TheyknowslittleaboutChinese,butspeakidiomaticandfluentEnglish,whichtheyarepoudof.Becausethelanguagebarrier,mothersanddaughterscannotunderstandeachother,evenmisinterpreteachother.Amother,Lindo,speakingpoudlyofTaiyuan,herhometown,onlyfindthatherdaughtermistakesittoTaiwan.Althoughsometimsthegirlscanguesstheexactmeaningfrommother’sbrokenabrokenEnglish,theyonlystrengthentheirpiontofviewsthattheirmothersareunlearnedandinthelowsocialstatus.Differentlivingenvironment,differentlanguagescausemisunderstandings,estrangements,eventhecollisions.TheChinese-bornmothers,inspiteoflivinginAmerica,cannotgetridofthetraditionalChinesecultuer,especiallythewaytheybringuptheirchildren.InChinesesculture,childrenaresupposedtobepartsofparents,andtheymustobeyeverythingtheyparentsarrange.Theimmigrantmothersfollowsthis.Theyinterfereintheirdaughters5affair,likethemonarch,runthingsallbythemselveswithoutaskinggirlsopinions,hopingtheirdaughterscanunderstandtheirheritage.Daughters,ontheotherhand,donotunderstandthemonarchrelationship.Theyaresad,angryandfightingthatmothersfailtounderstandAmericanculturewhichmothershavetoknowbecausetheyareraisedinAmerica.Totheirdisappiontmentthatisuseless.Whattheydojustbringsmoreembarrassmentandcontradition.Theytrytofindthebalancebetweenindependenceandloyalty.However,itisthedifferentlivingenvironmentthatleadstomanyunaviodableconflicts,difficulttoconcile.Chapter3CompatibilitybetweenChinese&AmericancultureInthebook,conlictsbetweenmothersanddaughters,betweenChineseandAmericancultureareeverywhere.Atfirst,mothersanddaughterdonotknowhowtohandletheproblems.Noefficientmesuresaretaken.Evenonedaughtersay,"IwishIamnotyourdaughter.”toexpressherdissatisfaction.However,astimegoesby,whenthegirlsgouwup,theygradualyunderstandtheirmother.Withmutualefforts,mothersanddaughtersovercomingthemisunderstandingandachieveharmony.TakeJingmeiforanexample.WhenJingmeiisachild,sheisaskedtoplaypiano.But,ridiculously,theteacherisalittlebitdeaf,andJingmeiisregardedasagenius,likeMozart.Inthetalentshow,shefailes,whichloseshermother’sface.Afterthat,hermotherbecomemorestrictaboutJingmei’spiano.ButJingmeidosenotplaypianoanymore,whichdissapiontshermother.Afteringhermothers5deathandkowningabouthermothershardexpeirenceinChina,sheunderstandswhyhermotherissorifourabouther,whytheycannotcommunicateandexpresswellbeforeandsheissurethathermotherdolovesher.ShedecidestofindtheothertwosistersinChina.WhenJingmeifinallyreachesChina,shetellsthesistersthatthemothertheydonotknow,andforgestwoothermother-daughterbondsaswell.Herjourneyrepresentstheconcilationbetweenthemotheranddaughters,betweentwocultuers.Inaddition,thetraveltoChinachangesJingmei’sprejudiceabouttheChinesetraditionalcultureandfinallyacceptsChineseculture.Mostimportantly,theotherthreemothersreexamethewayofcommunicantionwithherdaughtersbecauseofthedeathofJingmei’smother.Allthecollisionscomeintohamony,allthedifferentculturecomeintocompalibility.Chapter4ConclusionAccordingtoTheJoyLuckClub,AmyTanshowstwodifferentbutcharmingcultureswhichrunintoseriesconflicts,buttheyeliminatescollisionsanda