Abstract

    The Joy Luck Club, written by Amy Tan, a famous Chinese American writter, dealing with the relationship between mothers and their daughters reflects the cultural clash and integration between western culture and Chinese culture. This paper begin with a brief introduction to the author and this novel, then demonstrate the conflicts between mothers and daughters and analyze the reasons contributing to these conflicts, and further demonstrate the climax of this book and the theme of this paper-- the possibility of cultural integration between two different cultures reflected by the reconciliation between two generation of Chinese American.

Key words: The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan, Cultural Clash, Cultural Integration

摘 要

《喜福会》，著名美籍华人作家谭恩美的作品，关注华人的母女关系，反印了中西文化间的冲突与融合。本文开始部分简要介绍了作者与该作品，然后展示作品中母女之间的冲突并分析冲突产生的原因，随后进一步展示作品高潮及本文主旨——两代人和解所反印出的不同文化相互融合的可能性。

关键词：《喜福会》；谭恩美；文化冲突；文化融合

1. Introduction
Amy Tan, born in Oakland, California, in 1952, is one of the most influential Chinese American writers today. Her parents, both Chinese immigrants, lived in several towns in California before eventually settling down in Santa Clara. When Tan was 15 years old, her father and one of her brothers were died of a brain tumor. During this period, Tan learned that her mother had been married before in China. Tan’s mother had divorced her first husband, who had been abusive, and had fled China just before the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949. She left behind three daughters, whom she had not seen again for almost forty years.
After Tan’ father and brother died, her family moved to Switzerland, where Tan finished high school. During these years, mother and daughter often argued about Tan’s college and career plans. At last, Tan followed her boyfriend to San Jose City College, where she earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English and linguistics, despite her mother’s wish that she study medicine.
After Tan married her boyfriend, she began to pursue a PH.D in linguistics. She later abandoned the plan in order to work for disabled children. And she eventually became a freelance business writer. Though she was successful, she found writing for corporate executives unsatisfied. She began to write fiction.