The Swan and the Swan Feather
The Joy Luck Club begins with a story about a woman, a waterfowl of dubious origin, and a dream of a better life:The old woman remembered a swan she had bought many years ago in Shanghai for a fool...
The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates
In Joy Luck Club, The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates is a Chinese book detailing all of the dangers that could befall a child. It's basically like an older version of scare tactic after school specials...
Queen Mother of the Western Skies
Part IV of The Joy Luck Club begins with—you got it—another uber-symbolic parable.In this parable, a grandmother is snuggling her baby granddaughter and talking to the kiddo about innocence (wh...
The Red Candle
When Lindo was forced to marry her bratty man-child of a hubby, the ceremony was marked with the lighting of a two-ended red candle. If the candle remained lit throughout the marriage night, the ma...
Marble End Table/Black Vase
In Lena and Harold's guest bedroom is a is a poorly designed marble end table, topped with a black vase. This monstrosity is all thanks to Harold: he designed the useless thing.The table starts to...
The Jade Pendant, Jing-mei's "Life's Importance"
Not Jade AwayWhen a novel features a necklace that gets called a "life importance," your ears should really, really prick up. Because that, guys, is a clue that some serious symbolism is about to g...