Why was Jing-mei taking part in the Joy Luck Club?
Her mother died so her father wanted her to be the fourth corner in the club.
How many Joy Luck Clubs have there been?
There have been two clubs.
Why did Jing-mei's mother form the Joy Luck Club in Kweilin?
The club was formed in Kweilin and it gave the women a way to forget about the war.
Why did the women in the club call it Joy Luck?
They hoped to be lucky and that was the only joy they had at the time.
What surprising information did Jing-mei finally learn from her mother's story about leaving Kweilin?
She realized that her mother had left two daughters behind.
How do the people at the San Francisco Joy Luck Club eat?
In the San Francisco club they ate as if they were starving
Why did "the aunties" give Jing-mei $1200 in an envelope?
The 1,200 dollars was collected so Jing-mei could travel to China and meet her half-sisters
What do "the aunties" want Jing-mei to tell her sisters in China?
The aunties want her to talk to her half-sisters about her mother.
What surprising thing does Jing-mei tell her "aunties" about her own mother?
Jing-mei told the aunties that she doesn't know anything about her mother.
What does Jing-mei promise "the aunties" at the end of the story?
Jing-mei promises to tell everything she knows about her mother.
What did An-mei's mother do to become a ghost?
Her mother became a ghost by disrespecting the family.
What did it mean in An-mei's family to become a ghost?
Everyone in the family was forbidden to talk about the person.
Why did An-mei's grandmother say bad things about her own grandchildren?
Her grandmother said bad things about her because she did not want the ghosts to take them.
What happened to the greedy girl in An-mei's grandmother's story?
The girl got fatter and killed herself before she would say the father of the child she had.
In An-mei's grandmother's story, what happened to the little girl who refused to listen to her elders?
She didn't accept her aunt's request and a ball fell from her ear then her brains came out.
Why was An-mei told never to say her mother's name?
She was told to never say her mothers name because it was like spitting on her fathers grave.
In Scar, what is the definition of shou?
Shou means having no respect with for the family.
What is An-mei's "know-nothing face"?
It is the face she uses when she does not want to show her emotions.
How did Lindo Jong become engaged to her future husband, Tyan-yu?
It was arranged when she was two years old.
How did Lindo first become a member of the Huang household?
Her family moved away when she was twelve and she moved in her the Huang family.
What gift did Lindo's mother give to Lindo as the family moved away?
She gave her a necklace that was made out of red jade.
How did Tyan-yu make Lindo cry the first night she lived in his house?
He was complaining that the soup wasn't hot, spilling the bowl; he waited until she sat down to ask for more rice, and why she was mad at him.
What did Lindo's mother-in-law instruct the servants to teach Lindo?
She was taught household routines so she would be a good wife.
What promise did Lindo make to herself on her wedding day?
She made a promise to remember what her parents wanted for her but not to forget what she wanted.
What does Ying-yin say her earliest recollection is?
Ying-Ying says her earliest recollection is getting dressed for the moon festival. He hair is done nicely and she is wearing nice clothes.
Why does the Amah tell Ying-ying that she must keep her wishes secret?
Amah tells Ying-Ying that she must keep remains from saying her "secret wish" or it will become a "selfish desire".
How did Ying-ying wind up in the water?
Ying-Ying was already running around the boat trying to catch a dragonfly and following the little boys around. She was standing at the back of the boat when fireworks went off and she fell into the water. No one notices. A fisherman catches her.
What is the ultimate fate of the Moon Lady?
The ultimate fate of the Moon Lady was to like on the moon while her husband lives on the sun.
What was the effect on Ying-ying of listening to the Moon Lady's story?
The effect of the Moon Lady on Ying-Ying was she cried and was shaking.
What does the Moon Lady represent for Ying-ying?
The Moon Lady represents an illusion that a wish can be granted but not trusted
What wish did Ying-ying ask for from the Moon Lady?
Ying-Ying asked to be found.
How does Ying-ying's story reflect her life and that of her daughter?
This story reflects Ying-Ying and her daughters lives because they are both lost
What was "the art of invisible strength" that Waverly's mother taught her?
The art of invisible strength" is a strategy for winning arguments and gaining respect from others in games
How did Waverly's mother demonstrate the art of invisible strength?
Waverly's mom demonstrates the art of invisible strength by showing self-control. She gives the daughter the kind of candy she wants instead of what the daughter wants.
How did Waverly learn to play expert chess?
Waverly learned to play complex moves from Lau Po, an old man in the park after her bothers lost interest in the game
What would Waverly's mother say when she attended Waverly's chess exhibition games outdoors?
Her mother said it was luck. She did not get it by hard work.
Why did Waverly run away?
Waverly ran away because she was embarrassed by her mothers constant bragging at the market after she was forced to go with her mother.
How did Waverly's mother treat her when she returned home after running away?`
Waverly's mother said she had no concern for the family and now the family did not have any concern for her
What was Waverly's mother's view of "rules"?
Waverly's mom did not understand the rules in the US rather than in china
At the end of the story, who is Waverly's imaginary chess opponent?
At the end of the story, Waverly pictured a game of chess where her mom was the opponent. Waverly's pieces were being pushed off by her mothers and felt like she had lost her anchor.
What does the dead beggar say when he returns?
He says the worst is on the other side.
How did the American immigration authorities categorize Lena's mother?
They said she was a "displaced person" because she is from a different background from another country.
Why does Lena want to know "the worst possible thing that can happen" to her?
If Lena knew what "the worst possible thing that could happen" to her she would try and avoid it.
Why did Lena start telling lies?
She told lies to avoid unpleasant situations in the future
What was Lena's great hope when the family moved out of Oakland?
Lena was hoping all of her old fears would be left behind
Why did the girl from next door leave her own apartment?
Her mother kicked her out.
How did the girl from next door get out of Lena's bedroom?
She went onto the fire escape and back into her own apartment
What happened later that night after the girl and her mother had argued?
The girl and her mother made up after the argument.
What hope did Lena have after watching the girl next door with her mother?
She hoped situations could have a better outcome than expected.
What did Rose's mother used to carry to church services at the First Chinese Baptist Church?
A small leather bible
What makes Rose sure that her mother knows the Bible is still under a table leg in her kitchen?
Her mother is not the best housekeeper and the bible is still clean and white after 20 years.
How did the decision making start and then change in Rose's marriage?
He husband made all the decisions in the very beginning but he lost a lawsuit and wanted her to then make all the decisions for them.
What did Rose find out "faith" was?
She found that faith is an illusion that one is in control
What was the name of Rose's mother's little Chinese book and what was in it?
The Twenty-six Malignant Gates. It showed that children are predisposed to dangers on days based on their birthdays.
What did Rose and her mother do early on the morning after Rose's brother drowned?
They tried to find him at the beach
Why did Rose's mother throw her blue sapphire ring into the water?
She thought her ring would be enough for the Coiling Dragon to release her son from the water.
Why did Rose's mother throw an inner tube attached to a fishing pole into the water?
She believed it would find her son
When Rose took the Bible out from under the table leg, what did she find written in it?
Her brothers name was written on the bible under "Deaths
What made Jing-mei's mother think that Jing-mei could be a prodigy?
She thought people could be anything they wanted in America
What did Jing-mei's mother lose in China?
She lost her mother, father, her home, first husband and her twin daughters
How did Jing-mei first envision herself as a prodigy?
She pictured herself as a ballerina, the Christ child or Cinderella.
What would perfection have meant for Jing-mei while she was waiting to become a prodigy?
Her parents would adore her, her would be beyond reproach and she would never feel the need to sulk anymore
Why did Jing-mei's mother read so many magazines?
She wanted to find stories of remarkable children
What happened to all of Jing-mei's mother's early efforts to find out what kind of prodigy Jing-mei should be?
They failed
What was wrong with Jing-mei's piano teacher and how did his defect affect her playing?
He was deaf and he could not tell her whether she was playing well or not.
What piece did Jing-mei select for the talent show in the church hall?
She picked "Pleading Child".
Who was the only person in the church hall who thought Jing-mei's performance was good?
Her deaf piano teacher
What did Jing-mei realize after she had played both "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented" a few times?
The two pieces were two halves of the same song
What does the saying, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," mean?
One thing is always the result of another.
What does Lena's mother see?
Her mother sees the bad things that will affect the family
What are the three things that Lena's mother predicted that came true?
Her mother predicted a miscarriage, a bank failure, and her fathers death which all came true.
What does Lena think her mother will see during her visit with her and Harold?
She thinks she will see whatever is wrong
What physical aspect of Lena's house does her mother connect with a feeling?
Lena says the slant of the floor makes her feel like she is running down
What food does Harold not realize that Lena doesn't eat?
Harold does not realize that Lena does not eat the ice cream
Why does Harold hate it when Lena cries?
Harold hate when Lena cries because he thinks it is manipulative
When Lena says, "I knew it would happen," what question does her mother ask?
It collapses because it is not strong.
Why does the marble end table collapse?
Lena asked her mom "Then why you dont don't stop it?
What did Waverly want to tell her mother at lunch?
Waverly wanted to tell her mother that she was getting married soon.
What did Waverly's mother do when she found that Waverly had eloped with her first husband?
When her mother found out that she eloped, her mother threw a shoe at her husband
Why did Waverly first stop playing chess as a child?
Waverly stopped playing chess because she felt her mother was trying to take all the credit whenever she won a match.
What special thing could Waverly's mother do to change Waverly's view of a person?
Her mother could make Waverly see each persons traits in a new/ negative way
What mistake did Rich make about the wine at the dinner with Waverly's family?
Rich drank two full glasses of wine unlike everyone else that drank a half-inch.
Why was Waverly so anxious that her mother was the queen while she, Waverly, was the pawn?
Waverly could only run away while her mother could move in every direction
In what way was Waverly confused about where her mother came from?
Waverly thought her mother was born in Taiwan but she was really born in Taiyuan.
What trip is Waverly contemplating at the end of the story and with whom would she travel?
She was thinking about a trip to China by herself, her mother and Rich
When Rose was little, what did she believe?
Rose thought a mirror could only see half your face but her mother could see her inside out even when Rose was not around.
Why did Rose's mother say that Rose was "without wood"?
She told rose she was confused all the time and she listened to too many people at once.
Why did Rose stay in bed for three days?
Her husband had left her and she was unable to make decisions
Where did Rose tell Ted she was going to live?
She said she was going to live in the house they shared
When Rose says that Ted is hulihudu, what does she mean?
She means her husband is confused
What does Rose's mother plan in Rose's garden?
Rose's mother planted weeds in her garden
What is Jing-mei's "life's importance" gift from her mother?
The jade pendent on a gold chain was a gift from her mother
Why did Jing-mei's mother not want to keep the crab that had lost a leg?
A missing leg on a crab is a bad sign on a Chinese New Year.
Why did Jing-mei leave the room while the crabs were being steamed?
She left the room because she could not be in there while the crabs were dying.
How do Jing-mei and her mother disagree in regard to Waverly Jong?
Jing-Mei admires her mother while her mother says that Waverly is like a crab, moving sideways and crooked
How did Waverly insult Jing-mei professionally?
She said her firm's work is unacceptable
Who got the crab with the missing leg?
Jing-Mei's mother got the crab with the missing leg
In what way does An-mei say that all people born girls are alike?
They are like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way.
What did it mean to An-mei to be raised "the Chinese way"?
Being taught to want nothing, to swallow others problems and to eat ones bitterness
How did An-mei's mother dishonor her widowhood?
She became the third concubine to a rich man
What did the turtle in the pond do to An-mei's tears?
The turtle ate her mother's tears.
What happened to the eggs that poured out of the turtle's beak?
The eggs that came out of the turtle's beak became birds
What emotion described the magpies?
Joy is associated with magpies
What did the story of the turtles and the magpies teach An-mei's mother to do?
He said it was useless to cry.
How did An-mei learn not to listen to something meaningless calling to her?
She learned by learning to ignore the loud sound of the clock
Why did An-mei's mother send An-mei out of their bedroom at night?
Wu Tsing arrived and wanted to be with her
Why did An-mei's mother become Wu Tsing's concubine?
He raped her and that gave her no choice to stay with him as a concubine
How did An-mei's mother die?
Her mother poisoned herself
What promise did Wu Tsing make to An-mei's mother after she died?
He would raise her son and daughter as his children
What does An-mei say that her daughter's psychiatrist is?
She is just another bird drinking from Rose's misery
How did the tired Chinese peasants get rid of the birds that were drinking their tears and eating their seeds?
They clapped their hands, banged sticks on pots and pans and shouted at the birds to die.
How has Lena St. Clair unknowingly insulted her mother by giving her the guest bedroom in her home?
In Chinese tradition the guest bedroom is suppose to be the biggest and best bedroom and Lena's is tiny.
What did Lena do when she was born?
She sprang from her mother like a slippery fish.
When Ying-ying was a young girl in Wushi, she was lihai. What does that mean?
She was wild and stubborn.
When did Ying-ying begin to know things before they happened?
She began to know things the night her aunt got married when Ying-ying was 16
What sign happened to convince Ying-ying that she would marry the man who was guest at her house?
A large wind blew from the north and the flower on the table nearby split from its stem and fell at her feet
Why did Ying-ying's husband leave her?
He left her to love an opera singer
What is the difference between what Lena sees in her mother and what her mother really is?
Lena sees an old lady but Ying-Ying really is a tiger lady
Why, according to Ying-ying, is the tiger gold and black?
The gold side leaps with fierce heart while the black stands still with patience
Why does Ying-ying abort her first child?
She aborts her first child because she hates her husband (the child's father).
What did Ying-ying do for ten years at the country home of her cousin's family?
She waited by the trees.
What did Ying-ying give up when she married St. Clair?
She gave up her spirit
At the end of the story, what does Ying-ying want to do for her daughter?
She wanted to give her daughter her own spirit.
Why does Waverly Jong want to go to China?
She wanted to go to china for her second honeymoon.
Why does Waverly especially want to be Chinese?
It is fashionable to be Chinese
Why could Lindo's children not have American circumstances and Chinese character?
The two things do not mix.
Who first taught Lindo about America?
An American-raised Chinese girl in Peking taught Lindo about America.
What kind of job did Lindo get in the cookie factory?
She got a job in the cookie factory as forming Chinese fortune cookies out of hot dough
What was the fortune inside the cookie that Lindo gave to Tin?
The fortune was "A house is not home when a spouse is not at home.
Why does Waverly like the fact that she and her mother have crooked noses?
She likes their crooked noses because she thinks they make her look two faced.
At the end of the story, what is Lindo wondering about?
At the end of the story she is wondering what she has lost in coming to America and what she has gotten back in return
Why does Jing-mei feel different as her train leaves the Hong Kong border and enters Shenzhen, China?
She is becoming Chinese.
Where is Jing-mei meeting her two half-sisters?
She is meeting her half sisters in Shanghai
How did the half-sisters learn that their mother was dead?
They leaned that their mother was dead when auntie Lindo wrote a letter to them
How did Jing-mei learn the details of what happened to her half-sisters?
She learned details from her father
Why did Jing-mei's mother actually leave the babies?
She left the babies because she thought she was going to die and did not want them to die with her.
Who found the babies?
An old woman found the babies under a tree.
What are the two different Chinese meanings of Suyuan, Jing-mei's mother's name?
Long Cherished Wish" and "Long-Held Grudge
What are the meanings of Jing-mei's name?
Just pure essence" and "Younger sister