Weekly Blog Post: The Joy Luck Club

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

     I remember how I felt when I first got this book; alone, upset, afraid. But when I opened the book, the first thing I felt was comfort. I felt a soothing gentle voice that would lead me all through the book. I have some dark memories that no one would want to hear, but I want to tell you that this book is amazing. It breaks your heart and puts it back together again. And sometimes that's exactly what you need. A book with words so touching that you never really know when you'll start to cry or when you'll start to laugh. This book is so powerful and it will never leave you once you read this book. And don't get me wrong; I'm not only saying this because I'm the same race (Chinese) as the ladies in this book, but because it will really mesmerize you. So come and hear this symphony of family, adolescence, obedience and rebelling, responsibility, appreciation, honestly, forgiveness, and of course, joy.

   When you think of adolescence, you really think about growing up and getting to do what you want without someone constantly nagging on you. But even more of that, is learning to really be on your own and independent as you can be. I can tell you straight up that this is hard. I've always grown up with the pressure to do this and that without really making my own choices, but this will actually help you later on in life. You'll always know the right thing to do on your own without anyone telling you to. June, Rose, Waverly, and Lena all embark on this beautiful journey of learning to grow up. I know that growing up and really having no one to support you is hard, but it's a part of learning to be an adult. Parents are strict and I would definitely know that from my own, but later on you realize that everything they had told you to do was for your own good. Now that's definitely a part of adolescence. My parents made me take ballet, piano, and Chinese classes when I was younger. They wanted me to be talented and successful just like the parents of June, Rose, Waverly, and Lena. June's mother was obsessive when it came to June becoming famous from playing piano. Hey, she just wants June to be successful, right? Rose's parents didn't want her to succumb to American lifestyles and certainly just pressured her into it. Waverly's mother made her play chess and win every game whilst bragging to her friends. Lena, well Lena's mother had given her the best, but had scared Lena away from her and Chinese lifestyles. You can see here that those parents and mothers had only wanted their children to be the best when they're older. So maybe just act a little more mature if you have to; it'll pay off.

     I bet you that every single person had done something they weren't supposed to. It could've been an accident, it could've been done on purpose. But learning to obey and listen when you have to is respectful and it's just a part of growing up. I always have to do chores or things that I really don't want to do, and it's my choice, but I do it anyway. Although, it's not like I've never rebelled or anything. I would throw tantrums, scream, yell insults that I know that have no meaning, and then cry because life was just so unfair. Sometimes you have do have to break through and really tell that person how you feel. Control is an easy thing to be taken advantage of and maybe you'll just have talk it out. June, Rose, Waverly, and Lena are... not the type of people to say sorry; just like much of the rest of our human population.They yell, they fight, they give the cold shoulder, and they can be grouchy if they want to. But what people have to understand is that you can't just think about your own feelings. If you wanted someone to obey you and they didn't, you can't just get mad, but actually try to feel how they're feeling.

     Another branch of adolescence is responsibility. When thinking of responsibility, you have to think of others that would be affected, not just yourself. Just carrying on something like you're supposed to can make things better and day after day, you would get more responsible. No one can really just drop everything and leave. No matter how much everyone wants to do that, they can't. We all know that it's our responsibility to go on with life, even in the hardest of times. None of the girls are really that responsible, but you can always see that they're hesitating to do something. Like, when Rose was trapped in the thought of wanting to get divorced, but way too afraid to speak to her mother about it. When it comes to doing what you have to do, you really have to just get it over with; no matter how painful it is. I remember saying this once to a friend and sometimes I really think that telling people just how you feel is your responsibility. You can't rely on  everyone to just know your thoughts; even if they can try to see things from your point of view. Just speak and I'm sure that someone will listen. Someone will always be there for you and that's hard to believe, but just believe it. because your responsibility is to just. live throughout life.

   Going back to those ballet and piano classes, I still remember how much I dreaded those classes. Only older did I realize that my mom spent hard earned money just for me so I could have a shot at becoming successful. When I took those classes, I was still very young, and at that time my parents had never really taught me to care about others feelings. And so I didn't appreciate anything. It's hard to imagine a life without your parents there for you and some day they'll be gone. Forever. So really appreciate them; they house you, they feed you, they clothe you. June's mother was fanatical when it came to June playing the piano. She even promised to be the teacher's housekeeper for money so June could play the piano. I don't know about you, but I would appreciate my mother if she had done that.But June defies her mother's wishes for her own and after that, their relationship becomes loose although her mother bought her a piano to make her happy again. June realizes that she should cherish that piano since her mother did buy it for her. It comes to show you that just showing a little bit of appreciation can go a long way.

    I had always been the different one of my family; always rebelling, always lying so I could get away from the truth... But why lie when you know that the truth is the easier path? I have asked myself that question so many times that I've actually up of an answer: Because the truth hurts. Just like Rose's hated divorce, just like June's forced love for piano, just like Waverly's forced love for chess. I can still remember every single lie I've told and I still remember how hurt my mother looked when she finally found out the truth. But the truth is, honesty doesn't hurt. Lying and hiding hurts you. Just looking back now, I can see that it took me a long time to finally get that. Just admitting that you were wrong is a long way, and it means that you're not afraid to tell the truth and not afraid to grow up. My lies were drastic and deep and it really cut my relationship with my family in half. Lying is just a way of shielding yourself from the rest of the world; it doesn't really help you. But, yeah, maybe sometimes lying is the easier choice since it won't get you in trouble and what not. Although, who in this world can really stand lying for the rest of their lives? Lying is for the weak, for the ones who are afraid, But I can tell you that June, Rose, Waverly, and Lena are not weak. And neither am I.

     I had always forgave my friends when they hurt me. I just thought it was the way of life. I used to let my friends treat me like the piece of garbage that I never really was. I never really stopped to think: Why do they treat me like this? But over time, I realized that saying sorry is not enough. It's cheap and it could even be fake... But maybe just letting go of grudges can make things heal back. Just forgiving someone who's truly sorry can improve a relationship and make it stronger. Sometimes just accepting something for what it is is better. Of all the flaws June, Rose, Waverly, and Lena had made, they were still forgiven by their parents They were still accepted. So forgiving and forgetting is really important sometimes.

      Joy. What a wonderful thing to have, although it's not always that easy to obtain.My mother had always bagged about me not being happy around her or anyone in our family. She said I never smiled or acted happy, and she was right. I was bad-tempered around her since she never really understood me; she was crabby all the time from having to take care of a baby daughter and having to work long, hard hours. I never realized how much someone's smile was worth and it hurt not only my mother, but my father too. I didn't like him for an apparent reason and so I never wanted to talk to him. I was rude to him even when he was at his nicest mood. I always wanted to punch him in the face. But this book taught me that one's family is a very important and fragile thing. I saw June's happiness even when she felt uncomfortable and I saw Waverly's easiness when it came to chess and how her mother bragged and gossiped everyday about her, but Waverly still acted like she was in a comfortable position. Lena, the one who's mother was slightly crazy, acted happy around her mother no matter how much she knew that her mother would never really ask her about her feelings. And Rose. She faked that smile on her face along; throughout nights with her husband, throughout uncomfortable conversations with her mother. Every girl showed happiness even in their darkest times. So, really, a smile can mean a thousand words.

   This book taught me to enjoy life and to smile when I had to. This book really taught me how to love even when I didn't feel like it. This book was the only thing I could turn to when I had no one to talk to. Know that someday everything will fall in place. No matter how doubtful you are sometimes, you'll always have someone to lean on. So don't lose faith, hope, or joy.