Parental Control vs. Guidance in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

Parental Control vs. Guidance in Joy Luck Club The novel, Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan describes the compete between a dominate mother who tries to protect her lady friend, Ni kan, from the devastating losses that she suffered by convincing her that she might become anyone she wants to be. Ni kan resents her mothers control and wishes merely to be herself. The author clearly illustrates in this novel that parents cannot control their childrens lives they can notwithstanding guide them in the right direction and let them make their get decisions. First of all, Amy Tan shows that Ni kans mother attempted to dominate and control her daughters life. The mother does this by telling Ni kan that . . . you can be prodigy, too (Tan 491) and insisting that she drub toward this goal. Ni kan is then sent down a path of endless tests and lessons. These include tests on capitals of the states multiplying numbers in her head finding the queen of hearts in a deck of cards trying to stand on her head without using her hands predicting the daily temperatures in Los Angeles, New York, and London and feeling at a page from the Bible for three minutes and reporting everything that she remembers (Tan 492). Although Ni kan quickly loses interest of her mothers dream of being a prodigy, her mother persists. She arranges for Ni kan to believe piano lessons. Her mother does not ask her if she wants to play the piano or to explore another art form. She arranges a complete schedule of lessons and practices that take over not only her daughters physical existence but also dominate Ni kans thoughts for most of her free time. Her mother wants to control not only her actions but also her dreams and aspirations, and she will not tolerate disobedience. She clearly says that Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter (Tan 497). Amy Tan shows that Ni kan resents her mothers decisions and resists her control. After many failed tests in knowledge and skills, Ni k an asserts to herself, I wont let her change me. . . (Tan 492). This clearly shows a child resisting parental supremacy and control. The piano lessons evokes a response of ...I felt like I was being sent to hell (Tan 493).