The Joy Luck Club Lesson Plan

Why did Jing-Mei’s mother start the Joy Luck Club?

Jing-mei’s mother, Suyuan, started the Joy Luck Club in Kweilin when China was at war with Japan. Initially, Suyuan is alone, the wife of an officer, and tries to make do. Over time, Suyuan makes friends with some of the other wives in Kweilin. She invites them over to play mah jong. The wives all live in fear for their lives and those of their husbands. Suyuan says, “And each week, we could hope to be lucky. That hope was our only joy” (25). Suyuan started the Joy Luck Club in order to find hope, joy, and peace in a turbulent time. Rather than waiting passively for these gifts to come to her, she creates them.

What...