三喻文化视角下《喜福会》中两代人的代沟

ChapterOneIntroductionThenovelandthefilmhaveattractedagreatdealofattentionfromliteraryenthusiastsandcross-culturalscholars,andtodate,agreatdealofresearchhasbeendoneontheJoyLuckClub.SomescholarshaveinterpretedthetextualstructureandnarrativeappealofthenovelfromtheperspectiveofChinesemahjong;othershaveanalysedthe“foreigners”and“marginalised”intheworkfromtheperspectiveofcross-culturalcommunicationstudies,aswellastheforeignidentitiesandmarginalisedstatusofthemotheranddaughtergenerationsinAmericansociety.Somescholarshavealsostudiedtheworkfromdifferentperspectives,includingfeminism,post-colonialChineseAmericanliteratureandwomen’sliterature.Basedonthegreatcharmofthiswork,theauthorisnotonlylimitedtothestudyofthecollisionandconflictbetweenChineseandWesterncultures,butfromthegenerationgapbetweenthemotheranddaughter.ThetheoreticalguideisMargaretMead’scultureofthreemetaphors,whichexploresthegenerationgapandconflictbetweenmothersanddaughtersintheirdifferentculturalbackgrounds,lifeexperiencesandvalues,andanalysestheculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandtheUS.Inthisnovel,fourChineseimmigrantstotheUnitedStatesmeteachotherthroughthegameofmahjongandtogethertheyestablishedaclub:theJoyLuckClub,whichholdstheirhopesforabetterlife.ThefourChinesewomeneachhaveadaughter,andasChinesemotherstheyhavedifficultycommunicatingwiththeirAmerican-borndaughtersandtheirdaughters’loversandfriends.Itisclearthatthiscommunicationbarrierstemsfromthedifferentculturalbackgroundsofthemothersanddaughters.ThemothersgrewupinatraditionalChinesehigh-contextculture,whiletheirdaughtergrewupinalow-contextAmericanculture.Thestoryillustratesthecontradictionsandconfusionfacedbytwogenerationsofwomenonthemargins.Thedaughtersofthefourmothersarebroughtupinanewstyleofeducationandlifestyle,wherethereseemstobeagapbetweenmotheranddaughterthatcannotbecommunicatedandconflictsthatcannotberesolved.However,thebloodandlovethatexistbetweenthemothersanddaughterspushbothofthemtotrytoresolvetheconflictsbetweenthem,andeventuallytheymovefrommutualincomprehensiontounderstanding,fromnon-acceptancetoacceptance.ChapterTwoIntroductiontotheJoyLuckClubandtheThreeMetaphorsCultureBasedonthegreatcharmoftheJoyLuckClubnovel,theauthortakesAmericananthropologistMargaretMead’stheoryofculturaltransmission“ThreemetaphorsCulture”asthetheoreticalguidancetodeeplyexplorethegenerationgapbetweenmotheranddaughterinimmigrantfamiliesandtheculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.ThroughthedetailedintroductionoftheJoyLuckClubandtheThreeMetaphorsculturaltheory,wehaveadeeperunderstandingofthecontentoftheJoyLuckClubnovelandapreliminaryunderstandingoftheThreeMetaphorsCulturalTheory.Thisisconducivetoamorein-depthanalysisofthegenerationgapbetweenthetwogenerationsoftheJoyLuckClub.2.1IntroductiontotheJoyLuckClubTheauthoroftheJoyLuckClubFortunesSociety,AmyTanwasbornin1952inOakland,California,toaChineseimmigrantfamily.InadditiontohernoveltheJoyLuckClubFortunesSociety,AmyTanhaspublishedotherfull-lengthnovelssuchasTheWifeofVesta,TheInspiredGirl,TheBonesetter’sDaughterandTheSilentDaughter.In1993,directorWangYingadaptedthestoryintoafilm.SusanKinghasadaptedthestoryintoaplay.ChineseAmericanauthorChiuKin-saubelievesthattheJoyLuckClubportraysabrutalandrepulsivesideofChineseculture,andheattributesthenovel’spopularitytoitsamplificationoftheprevailingracistandtraditionalideasprevalentinAmerica.Theauthor’ssocialenvironmentanduniquefamilybackgroundwerethesourceofinspirationforthenovel.Thenovel’scontentthussatisfiesthecuriosityofWesternreadersaboutEasterncultureandhaswonthemawiderangeofreactionsandfavour.TheJoyLuckClubisthenameofagatheringoffourChinese-Americanmothersforagameofmahjong,andthenovelshowshowdifficultitisforseveralofthemtosurvive.Whenuprootedfromtheirhomeland,peoplearefacedwiththespiritualandsoul-crushingeffectsofdifferentsituations.ThedifferentChinesemotherssurviveinaforeigncountrywiththeirchildren.Thisinvolvesnotonlythepainofleavingtheirrootsbehind,butalsoissuessuchastheclashbetweendifferentcultures,whichareamongthedifficultiesfacedbyChinesemothersintheUnitedStates.ChinesemothersareexpectedtopassonChineseculturetotheirchildreninthehopeofholdingontotheirrootsthroughculture.GrowingupinAmerica,thedaughtersoftenlosetheirwayanddonotknowhowtofollowtheirownoutlookandvaluesinlife,nottomentionhowtoexplorethedepthsoftheirheartsandminds,allofwhicharetheresultofthedifferentregionalcultures.Attheendofthenovel,thedaughtersrealisethatonlytheir“mother”istheirspiritualhome,andthattheycansurvivewithoutbeingdiscriminatedagainst,nomatterwheretheyare,aslongastheyfollowtheirownspiritualhome.2.2TheoreticalInterpretationoftheThreeMetaphorsCultureIn1970,contemporaryAmericanculturalanthropologistMargaretMeadpublishedherbookTheGenerationGap,inwhichshecapturedandobservedwithkeeninsighttheexistenceof“anewandunprecedentedworldwidegenerationgapbetweenolderandyoungerpeople”.Shelooksatthewaysinwhichcultureistransmitted,dividingitintothreebasictypes:pre-metaphorical,parallelandpost-metaphorical.Pre-metaphoricalculturemeansthattheyoungergenerationlearnstraditionalcultureprimarilyfromtheirelders;parallelculturemeansthatthelearningofboththeyoungerandoldergenerationsoccursbetweenpeers;andpost-metaphoricalculturemeansthattheeldersinturnlearnfromtheyoungergeneration.Pre-metaphoricalculture,orolderculture,referstotheoldergenerationpassingontheirculturetothenextgenerationintact,includingbasicsurvivalskills,understandingoflife,acceptedwaysoflivingandconceptsofrightandwrong,inordertosustainthecultureasawhole.Thechoicesoftheyoungergenerationinpre-metaphoricalcultureslackquestioningandself-awareness.Parallelculturesaretransitionalinnature,beginningwiththecollapseofpre-metaphoricalcultures.Theeldersarenolongerproficientineverythingandareforcedtolearnastechnologydevelopsorinthefaceofmigrationordefeatinwar.Thecollapseofthepre-metaphoricalculturedeprivestheyoungergenerationofready-mademodelsofbehaviour,leavingthemtolearnfromtheirpeerswhohaveadaptedtotheirenvironmentfirstandacceptnewwaysofbehaving.Theoldergenerationisconfrontedwithadenialoftheirpreviouslivesandselves;thus,thereisaninevitablegenerationgapbetweentheolderandyoungergenerations.Theprocessofformingajuxtapositionculturesowstheseedsofthegenerationalgapbetweenthetwogenerations,andalsoplantstheseedsofagenerationgap.Post-metaphoricalculture,oryouthculture,isaprocessofculturaltransmissionthatistheoppositeofpre-metaphoricalculture,inwhichtheyoungergenerationtransmitsknowledgeandculturetotheirlivingpredecessors.Inthepost-metaphoricalculture,itistheyoungergenerationthatrepresentsthefuture,nottheirfathersandgrandfathers.Thefutureisnolongerasimplecontinuationoftoday,butthefruitoftoday’sdevelopment,andtheexperienceoftheoldergenerationinevitablylosesitsvalueoftransmission.Humanityleavesbehindtheworldithasknownandbeginstoliveinanewerathatiscompletelyalientoit.Thechallengesofthisnewlifehaveinspiredtheyoungergenerationasneverbefore.Thecontradictionbetweentheoldgeneration’sreluctancetoleavetheoldbehindandthenewgeneration’sfearoflosingthenewinevitablycreatesaconfrontationandagenerationgapbetweenthetwogenerations.Inshort,thethreemetaphoricalculturesarethreestatesandchoicesofattitudetowardsculturaltransmission.Thepre-metaphoricalcultureinsiststhatthecultureoftheoldergenerationisconstantandthereforeinheritingandcopyingitisallthereistolife.ThisarticlereferstotheChineseculturerepresentedbythemothers;thepost-metaphoricalculturebelievesthatsocietyisconstantlyevolvingandthatpeopleshouldfindaspecificidentityfortheirowntime.ThisarticlereferstotheAmericanculturerepresentedbythedaughters.Theconflictbetweenpre-metaphoricalcultureandpost-metaphoricalcultureisthereforeoneofculturaltransmissionandinnovation,orrejectionandpromotion.UsingthetheoreticalleverageofthethreemetaphorsofcultureandthenoveltheJoyLuckClubasasourcematerial,thispaperexploresthegenerationgapandconflictbetweenmothersanddaughtersfromdifferentculturalbackgrounds,lifeexperiencesandvaluesofimmigrantfamilies,andanalysestheculturaldifferencesbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStates.ChapterThreeManifestationsoftheGenerationGapbetweenGenerationsThegenerationgapbetweenmotheranddaughterintheJoyLuckClubismainlyreflectedintheirdifferentattitudestowardslife;differentvalues;differentexpressionsoflanguageanddifferentattitudestowardsmarriage.3.1DifferentAttitudestoLifeDifferentpeoplehavedifferentattitudestowardslife.Someareunwillingtofacethehardshipsinlife,sotheychoosetoclosethemselvesoff;somehavenoidealsorpursuits,sotheydonothingeveryday;othersarefullofhopeandhaveaclearplanforthefuture,sotheyarehighlymotivated,positiveandoptimistic,andsoon.Therefore,thetwogenerationsofmothersanddaughtersintheJoyLuckClubhavedifferentattitudestowardslifebecauseoftheirdifferentlivingenvironments,personalexperiences,educationalbackgrounds,andsoon.3.1.1TheSilenceofMothersundertheInfluenceofChineseCultureMotherscometoAmericawithadesireforabetterlife,buttheyhavetofacethehelplessnessofremainingsilent.Separatedfromtheirownpeople,theybecamepartofadisadvantagedgroupinAmerica.Theirdeep-rootedChineseculturalvaluesareincompatiblewiththoseofmainstreamAmericansociety,andtheirpoorEnglishmakesitimpossibleforthemtocommunicatewithothers,eventheirowndaughters.Sotheychosetokeepquietandhidetheirpast.AfterarrivinginAmerica,theyareleftwithoutaself,anemptyshell,asilentghostthatcannotcommunicatewithothers.Theirsilenceistheresultoftheclashbetweenadisadvantagedcultureandapowerfulone,andinthefaceoftheclashofcultures,thedisadvantagedmotherscanonlyhidetheirtrueselvesinsilence.MothersareunabletointegrateintomainstreamAmericansociety,unabletoerasethestigmaoffeudalChina,sotheyclingtotraditionalChinesecultureandwishtopassitontotheirdaughters,teachingthemtheso-calledinhibitions,asZhongLindongtellshisdaughters,tobitetheirtonguesandnottospeaktheirminds.ButtheAmerican-born,American-fast-food,Coke-drinking,American-educateddaughtersdon’tunderstandorwanttounderstandtheirmother’spast.Ifthesilenceofthemothersisaformofsilenceinthefaceofapowerfulculture,thesilenceofthedaughtersisaweaponagainsttheirmother’sotherculture,sothatSuloswouldrathertellherpsychiatristwhatisonhermindthantalktohermother.Thissilentresistancecreatesaninsurmountablespiritualandpsychologicalgapbetweenthetwogenerations,andleadstothepainfulinabilitytocommunicatebetweenthem.3.1.2Daughter’sResistanceundertheInfluenceofAmericanCultureTheJoyLuckClubdescribestheemotionalconflictbetweenfourmother-daughterpairsinabiculturalcontext.ThefourmothersinthenoveleducatetheirdaughtersinaChineseway,butthedaughtersgrowupinandareinfluencedbyAmericancultureandremaindistantandevenrebellioustowardstheirmothers.Thedaughtersfeelthattheirmothersalwaysimposedtheirwillonthemwhentheywereyoung,sotheybegintoconfronttheirmothers,whichmaximisestheconflictbetweenmotheranddaughter.Thenovel’sprotagonist,WuJingmei,hasalwaysbeengivengreatexpectationsbyhermother,butafterdisappointingherseveraltimes,shebeginstorebelagainsthermother.Whenshelooksatherownfaceinthemirror,shesuddenlyrealisesthatshehasaconsciousnessofherown,andthenshedecidesnottobeinfluencedbyhermother.Shethendecidednottobeinfluencedbyhermother.WuJingmeideliberatelyembarrassedhermotherbyplayingthewrongnotesinaperformance.WuSuyunforcesherdaughtertopractisethepianoandsays:“Onlyonekindofdaughtercanliveinthishouse,andthatisanobedientdaughter”.WuJingmeipointedlyretorts:“ThenIwishIwasn’tyourdaughter,Iwishyouweren’tmymother”.However,Waverly’sformofdefiancewasevensharper,andafternotbeingabletostandhermother’sbragging,sheshoutedathermotherinthestreet:“Whyareyoubraggingaboutme?Ifyouwanttoshowoff,thenwhydon’tyoulearnchess?”Afterthat,Waverley’schesstalentsuddenlydisappearedandshelostalmostallhermatches.Waverlyendedherchesscareerindefianceofhermother.Asfortheothermotheranddaughter,RosealwaysthoughtthatChinesepeoplehadChineseideasandAmericanshadAmericanideas,andthatforherAmericanideasweremoresuitable.So,whenhermarriagewasincrisis,shechosetoseeapsychologistratherthanseekhelpfromhermother.Herwayofrebellingagainsthermotherwastogrowdistantfromher.ThefourmothersintheJoyLuckClubwanttheirdaughterstostopexperiencingtheirownmisfortunes,sotheyputtheirhopesintheirdaughtersandusetheirownideastoplantheirfutureforthem.Butthefourdaughters,allborninAmerica,acountrywherefreedomisprized,oftenfindtheirmothers’ideasandpracticesabsurdandridiculous,andtheirmothers’upbringingdisgusting,sothefourdaughtershavealwaysrebelledagainsttheirmothersintheirownway.3.2DifferentValuesChinavaluesthepowerofthecollective,“tosharetheblessingsandthehardships”.Andthehonouroftheindividualisthehonourofthecollective,thehonourofthedaughteristhehonourofthemother.AndfromtheChinesepointofview,thereisnothingincongruousaboutthis.ButAmericansdonotseeitthatway.Theybelievethattheirsuccessistheresultoftheirownefforts,nottheirparents.Thedaughtersinthefilmarethe"individualstruggle"oftheAmericanspirit,withastrongsenseofself.3.2.1ChineseTraditionalFamilyValuesTheChinesereverefilialpietyandattachimportancetopassingonthefamilyline.Ingeneral,educationisthecultivationanddevelopmentofone’svariousabilitiesthroughdifferentlearningpaths,andhomeeducationissimplytheeducationoftheirchildrenbytheirparentsandisalearninganddevelopmentalprocessforeachfamilymember.InChinesehomeschooling,parentsoftengivetheirchildrenunlimitedloveandoverprotection,yetspoilingthemdoesnotbenefitthemandonlymakesthemvulnerableandlackasenseofautonomyandindependence.Secondly,Chinesehomeschoolingemphasisesparentalauthorityandchildren’sdecisionsaremadebytheirparents.ItisthedesireofmostChineseparentstomakeplansfortheirchildren’slivesandtoallowthemtogrowupinagoodenvironment.Chineseparentsliketocomparetheirchildrenwithothersandcomparethemselvestothemtoshowtheireducationalability.Forexample,intheJoyLuckClub,whenLindaGongdiscoversthatherdaughter,Violet,hasasuperhumantalentforchess,shedecidesnottoletherdothehousework,whileWinstonandVincent,Violet’stwoolderbrothers,areobligedtocookforthefamily.Herparentswereveryaccommodatingtotheirdaughter’schessskills.Whethershewaspractisingorplayinginatournament,hermotherwasalwaysatherside,advisingher.Wu’smother,whohaslostbothparents,herhome,herex-husbandandhertwindaughtersinChina,hasplacedallherhopesandwishesonherAmericandaughter.Toenablehertolearnthepianobeautifully,WuSuyundecidedtoworkforfreeasacleanerfortheretiredpianoteacheronthegroundfloor,andsavedhermoneytobuyanoldUlyssespianoforherdaughter.Whatisevenmorememorableisthatthesetwomothers,whoexpectedtheirdaughterstoexcelinaforeigncountry,spentalmosttheirentirelivescomparingthemselvestotheirrespectivechildren.Furthermore,whenitcomestomarriage,ChineseandAmericanviewsonmarriagearedifferent,influencedbydifferentcultures.IntraditionalChinesesociety,therearemanymaritalproblemsanddisturbances,especiallyintermsoffreedomofchoiceofspouseandcriteriaforchoosingaspouse.Freeloveandmarriagewerenotpermittedbyfeudalmorality.Asaresult,parentalauthoritywasundisputedandparentscoulddealwiththeirchildren’smarriagesastheysawfitandastheywished,andmarriedcoupleshadnoautonomy.SothechoiceofspouseinChinawassimplyamatteroffollowingtheordersofparentsandthewordsofmatchmakers.InfluencedbyConfucianism,thepurposeofmarriageinChinaismainlytopassonthefamilyline,whichmeansthattheunionisforthebenefitofthefamilyandforthecontinuationofthefamily.ThisisthepurposeoftraditionalChinesemarriage.AsinthecaseofGongLindaintheJoyLuckClub,whowasengagedattheageoftwotoaWongboyshehadnevermetbefore,shemarriedintotheWongfamilyattheageof15,butnotlongafterthemarriage,MrsWongwantedtohaveagrandchild.Monthspassedandmybellywasstillflat.Mymother-in-lawwasonceagainfurious:Mysonsaidhehadwithdrawnenoughseedstoreproduceforgenerations,buthowcomeyouhaven’tseenanymovement?Thefaultmustliewithyou.Fromthenonsheconfinedmetomybedandforbademetogetup,toensurethatherson’sseedswerenotlost.Itwasthensherealisedthatthefamilydependedonthebellyanddidnotreallywantadaughter-in-lawtoliveproperly.LaterLindalearnsthatanunderlingispregnantandwiselyusesthesuperstitiousthinkingofherhusband’sfamilytosaythatthatisMrs.Wong’sgrandson.Intheend,Mrs.Wonggetsagrandsonasshewishes,andsheherselfisreleasedfromthelovelessmarriagethatboundher.Thus,itcanbeseenthatthepurposeofGongLinda’smarriageissimplytocontinuethefamilyandpassonthefamilyline.Furthermore,traditionalChinaisatypicallypatriarchalsocialsystem.Infamilylife,fathersandhusbandshaveabsoluteauthorityandawomancanonlydoassheistoldandcannotresist.Menenjoyahigherstatusthanwomen,whichmakescouplesextremelyunequalintheirmaritalrelationship.AtypicalexampleofthisisXuAnmei’smotherinthenoveltheJoyLuckClub.AnMei’sfatherdiedwhenshewasachild,andhermotherintendedtoadheretofeudalritualsandremainawidowforherhusbandfortherestofherlife,butshewasdeceivedanddefiledbyWuQingandhadtomarryhimasaconcubine.Thefamilymisunderstoodherandconsideredherawomanwhowasunfaithful,defiledherancestorsandcorruptedcustoms.AnMei’sgrandmotheranduncleneverallowedhertoreturnhome,andevenashergrandmotherwasdying,shetaughtAnMeinottobecomelikehermother,whichledtothetragedyofhermother’ssuicide.Butmenarecapableof“notkeepingtheirhusband’sways”.YingYing’shusbandlefthiswifeathomeaftershemarriedandhadchildren,whilehewentoutandspenthistimedrinking,sometimesevenbringingwomenhomewithhim,ignoringherstatusinthefamilyandcausingYingYingtodosomethingstupidlikekillingherownchildren.WhyisitthattheonlywayforaChinesewomantoberecognisedbythepeopleistobeachasteandvirtuouswoman,whilemencanspendtheirdaysdrinkinganddisregardingmorality?ThiswastheoldChinawheremenweresuperiortowomen.3.2.2AmericanIndividualisticFamilyValues.Americanfamiliesvaluefreedomanddemocracy.Americanparentsvaluetheirchildren’sindependenceandautonomy,encouragingthemtodothingsontheirown,offeringguidanceandinspiration,alwayssayingtryorgo.Parentsencouragethemfromanearlyagetoexploretheirsurroundings,todowhattheycan,tobeawareoftheirchildren’sdevelopingsenseofselfandtoexpresstheirownwillfreely.Americanparentsseldomcomparetheirchildrenwithotherchildren.Theyfocusonchildren’sownverticaldevelopment,encouragingandrewardingthemmoreanddiscipliningthemless.Theyplacegreateremphasisondevelopingthechild’suniquepersonality.Americanparentsusuallyrespectthewishesandchoicesoftheirchildrenandfocusontheirindividualfreedomandoveralldevelopment.Parentsoftenresolveproblemsbynegotiatingwiththeirchildrenasequals.ThedemocraticandrelaxedhomeeducationintheUSAgiveschildrentheopportunitytoexpressthemselvesandtomakedecisionsabouttheirownaffairs,whichgreatlydevelopstheirabilitytothinkindependentlyandtoexperimentandinnovate,aswellasboostingtheirself-confidence.JustasViolethadlivedforalongtimeinthemiddleofmainstreamAmericancultureandmarginalChineseculture,shewasafraidtorebeltoomuchagainsthermother.ButherAmericanfriend,Marlene,thoughtotherwiseentirely.Idon’tunderstandhowyouhavethegutstotelltheNationalRevenueSurveillanceServicetofuckoff,butyouareafraidtosaynotoyourownmother.ThisthenexemplifiestheindependenceoftheAmericanchild.Americaisacountrythatseeksfreedom.Peopleseekpersonalfreedom,soindividualisticsubjectivityisfullyreflectedinthechoiceofspouse.Youngmenandwomendonotneedtobeintroducedtoeachothertofallinloveandpromotefreelove.Theybelievethatmarriageisaprivatematterandnoonecaninterferewithit.Asforthepurposeofmarriage,theyaredeeplyChristianandbelievethatpersonalinterestsareparamount.Forthem,marriageisaboutfindingasuitablelifepartnerforeachotherandthusachievingphysicalandpsychologicalsatisfaction.Intheirview,loveisthefoundationofmarriageandmarriagewithoutloveisimmoral.Therefore,thepursuitoftrueloveisthemostimportantpurposeofmarriage.Forexample,intheJoyLuckClub,RuthandTedareloverswhoaredrawntogetherbytheirmutualattraction.Theydonotthinkaboutthefuturewhentheyaretogether,aslongastheyhavelovenow.ButTed’smotherisagainstthembecauseofTed’sfutureandbecauseshethinksRuthisVietnamese.RuthisangryanddecidesnottogooutwithTed,butTedissoangrywhenhehearsthisthathesaystohismother,“ForthefirsttimetodayI’mashamedofyou”.Hefeltthatitwashisownrelationshipandthatheshouldnotbeatthemercyofhismother,sohemadehisfeelingscleartoheronthespot,andintheendtheywerebothadamantthattheirparentshadnorighttostopthemfrombeingwiththepersontheyloved,andtheymarriedwithinayear,notthinkingabouttheirfamilybusiness,theirfuture,etc.ThisistheWesternviewofmarriage:onecandoanythingforlove,aslongasonecanbewiththepersontheylove.Inaddition,intheAmericanfamilythehusbandandwifeareonanequalfootinginthemarriageandneedeachother.Liberalismisexpressedinasenseofself-awareness,self-striving,self-fulfilment,independenceandsuccess.Evenwithinthefamily,self-awarenessandindividualismarepervasive.Americanshaveastrongsenseofentitlementandequalityinthefamily,whereeveryoneisequalandshouldhavetheirrightsandwishesrespected.3.3DifferentLanguageExpressionsThenoveltheJoyLuckClubhighlightstheChineseandAmericanwaysofcommunicating,fromwhichitisclearthatthereareoftensignificantdifferencesinthewaydifferentpeoplecommunicateandinteract.3.3.1ChineseImplicitnessChinesepeoplearemoreimplicitintheirexpressionofemotions.Chinesepeopleareverymodestwitheachother,paygreatattentiontowordingandphrasing,trytomakeitaspoliteaspossible,anddisplayaveryhumblegestureintheirinterpersonalcommunication.ThisissomethingthatAmericanswillneverlearn.Asaresult,intheeyesofAmericans,Chinesepeoplealwaystalkincirclesandareconfusing.AwonderfulconversationbetweenGongLindaandWuSuyuninthenovelvividlyreflectsthischaracteristic."IwassobusywhenallWaverlydidwasplaychessallday.Everyday,justpolishingthetrophiesshebringshomeisenoughtokeepmebusy.You’resoblessed,youdon’thavethatkindofbother.Inherheart,WuSuyununderstoodGongLinda’sboast,soshealsoshruggedhershouldershighandsaidwithasmughelplessness,I’mevenmorebotheredthanyouare.OursisterJingisfullofmusic,andshecan’thearyouevenifyouaskhertowashthebasin.Whatcanwedo?Shewasbornwithalookofbeinglostinmusic.Here,theyunspokenlyuseChineseimplicitness"toexpresstheirintentiontoshowofftheirdaughter.3.3.2AmericanStraightforwardnessAmericansaremoredirectinthewaytheyexpresstheirfeelings.Thereisastrongemphasisonstraightforwardcommunicationandinteraction,bothbetweenmothersandchildrenandwiththeoutsideworld,whichisdirectlylinkedtothenation’sownhabits.Parentsplacespecialimportanceontheirrelationshipwiththeirchildren,activelyexpressingtheirloveandconcernforthemandguidingthemtoexpresstheirtruefeelingsinaboldway.Intheirdailyinteractionswiththeirchildren,theyareonanequalfootingwiththem,treatingthemwithrespectandpatienceandhelpingthemtoanalyseandsolvetheirproblems.Intheprocessofteachingchildren,theypaymoreattentiontowordingandinspiration.Intheirview,itisacrimetocriticisechildrenharshly,sotheyuseagentlerapproachtoencourageandguidechildrentomaketheirownjudgements,whichcanbothexercisechildrenandimprovetheirmoraldiscernment.Forexample,IntheJoyLuckClub,becauseoftheinfluenceofAmericanculture,thedaughtersaremorewillingtoexpresstheiremotionsandthoughtsdir