Thursday Quotables: 6.16.16

//book: The Joy Luck Club // author: Amy Tan // genre: novel // goodreads

Hello my lovely friends. Today I will be presenting a selection of quotes from the Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I love the say each saying offers a unique perspective to many topics that are near and dear to all of us. I especially like the way Amy Tan is able to portray the Asian culture, and to shed light on the contrasting Asian and American culture. Furthermore, the mother daughter relationship that Tan paints, is one that anyone can relate to, although it is deeply entrenched in Asian culture.

Being able to empathize with the characters, and to explore their relationships has been genuinely exciting for me as I have been able to empathize with them and find similarities in my life.  From the child’s perspective on the pressures that are exerted on her, to the desperation each mother feels to raise their child to be successfully, is beautifully portrayed. Enjoy!

“Isn’t hate merely the result of wounded love?”

It is impossible to hate others without a sense of broken trust. To hate another race, religion or person is merely the offspring of a failed relationship that has spread to encompass others. Hatred and fear go hand in hand, and often it is the fear of being hurt that brings about hatred. I believe that this line clearly juxtaposed two opposing themes that many view as mutually exclusive. However, love and hate go hand in hand.

“Your tears do not wash away your sorrows. They feed someone else’s joy. And that is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.”

This piece of advice struck home in the competition culture that many live by. They believe that vulnerability is the greatest weakness, and to exude any sort of emotion is to be the weaker person. Thus, many times, we are taught to swallow our fears, humiliations and failures, only to find ourselves isolated and at a loss. Although I find this to be  a lyrical line that captures the culture, I believe that at times, it is essential to cry and to share that moment with someone.

“And I think now that fate is shaped half by expectation, half by inattention. But somehow, when you lose something you love, faith takes over..

As many believe, you create your own fate. Yet often, it is created by your own carelessness. If we were to intuned with our lives, we would never realize what fate could do for us. The second sentence resonates clearly, and is universally true. When something you love is taken from you, you no longer have an anchor. It is during that time, that it becomes essential to turn to faith. And to allow your hopes and dreams to carry you.

“Your life is what you see in front of you.

How you see the glass as half empty, or half full, is how you see your life. Don’t look to the past, but to the future. What you have in store for you, what is awaiting you, is your life. Furthermore, what you see in your life, becomes your life. If only bad awaits, your life is bad. This quote is a startling reminder of the simplicity of a good life that many fail to grasp.

This book was truly a great read, and I had trouble putting it down. Amy Tan never ceases to amaze me with her insight into mother-daughter relationships and her experience as an Asian in America. Read this book to gain a new perspective on how immigrants create/maintain relationships and try to succeed as a stranger in a foreign land.