Cyclical Blog

There are many ways how the Joy Luck Club stories are cyclical. First, the stories connect at the end and go to the different type of character. It continues to do that but there is always a big step of development. Many of the items that are portrayed in the book at the end were from earlier parts such as the photograph and other items. Other things that are cyclical are the issues they go through such as the trouble of marriage, strict mothers, and trying to find their identity whether it remains Chinese or American. An example of marriage would be both The Red Candle and Magpies which are both chapters talking about marriages of hell. Both Magpies and Red Candle's marriages are arranged and the husband does not seem loyal to the wife.

Some other cyclical examples would be how many mothers are strict or really want to influence their daughters  in the story. Each mother acts differently but they all see the mother as superior. There are many stories where the mothers are very strict towards their daughter so that they can teach them a lesson. An example of that would be Waverly Jong and her mother Lindo who deserts her at the end to teach her a lesson that she should  think about her family. In the last two chapters, the mothers are more looking forward to the future and hope their daughters become independent and wise women. Even if that means put them in marriages which cause chaos for the whole family. However, the attitude of the mother brings everything together at the end and a new step or a generation begins.

Together we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long cherished wish (288)

This shows that the mother can cause happiness and another journey for her daughters and her granddaughters.

The purpose of cyclical elements in the novel is to show how the main idea or character is the purpose of the story. An example of that would be the mother daughter relationships and how they became the strength of the Joy luck Club.