The introduction of the Joy Luck Club starts off with the symbol of a swan. It was once a duck that transformed into a goose, and eventually to a swan. This symbol represents the hard work of a mother to help her kids to be successful in the future, even before they are born. However, the mother lost all her hard work and had to start off new again in America.

This Asian parent mindset of working hard during their time of growth is very common in the Asian culture. Parents worry most about their offspring, no matter how hard it takes for them to set their child's life in a good start. However, many times things happen, which result in hard work in vain.

The nature of young Asian girls to compare their lives with others is evident in the novel. Is this comparison more similar to competition or is it a form self-improvement? 

As a member of the Asian culture, I have experienced this trend of comparison. Based on my experience, this comparison is more of a self-improvement because when I realize that I am far behind the standards of others, I try to improve myself. However, there is no form of competition present because it is difficult to continue to have a friendly environment with competition. 

In The Joy Luck Club, most of the girls compare themselves with others to put themselves down. Some of them believe that they can never be prodigies while others believe that they are better.

Welcome to the Joy Luck Blog!

I will be posting my thoughts, comments, and questions about the book, The Joy Luck Club . Feel free to comment!

-Sarah Hong

 Joy Luck Blog Writer