从《喜福会》看美籍华裔家庭教育

摘 要

　　中国是一个有着悠久教育传统的国家，在漫长的历史发展过中，形成了一套特有的教育模式；而美国作为一个新兴的国家，也因其自由的思想、张扬的个性，形成了自己独特的教育模式。这两种不同的教育模式所产生的冲突也一直存在着，尤其在美籍华裔第二代移民的身上有所体现。他们将教育看成是融入美国主流社会，实现“美国梦”的重要手段。然而，作为第一代的移民家长，深受中国传统教育思想的影响，与在美国教育环境下成长的女儿，不断产生碰撞。本论文将以美国华裔作家谭恩美的小说《喜福会》为研究对象，以母女间的冲突为例，描述美籍华裔家庭教育的特点，从社会背景、中美教育观这两个方面分析影响华裔家庭教育的因素。美籍华裔家庭在两种不同教育模式的影响下，应利用两种文化背景的优势，抛弃那些不合实际情况的落后观念，借鉴并运用西方民主的教育模式，让家庭教育达到最好的效果。

　　关键词：《喜福会》；美籍华裔；家庭教育

The Chinese-American Family Education from The Joy Luck Club

ABSTRACT

　　China is a country with long history of educational traditions. During the processof development, China has built a set of peculiar educational mode. Meanwhile,America, as a rising country, has also developed its own educational mode, for its freethinking and aggressive characteristics. The existing conflicts resulting from the twodifferent patterns are reflected by the second-generation Chinese immigrants. Theyregard family education as an important way to enter the mainstream of Americansociety and realize their “American Dream”. However, as the first-generationimmigrant mothers, they are deeply affected by traditional Chinese education. So,there are consistent conflicts between them and their daughters raised in America. Thethesis is based on The Joy Luck Club written by Amy Tan, a Chinese American writer,and intended to dwell on the features of Chinese-American family educations. Theanalyses of social background and educational values which are the two factors havegreatly affected Chinese-American family education. For the sake of children, insteadof holding the outdated traditional mode, the Chinese-American families, influencedby two different educations, should take the advantages of two cultural backgrounds,and apply the democratic western family educational mode for reference.

　　Keywords: The Joy Luck Club; Chinese-American; family education

TABLE OF CONTENTS

　　摘要
　　ABSTRACT
　　Chapter One Introduction
　　Chapter Two The Features of Chinese-American
　　Family Education Based on The Joy Luck Club
　　2.1 The main story of The Joy Luck Club
　　2.2 The features of Chinese-American family education
　　2.2.1 Horizontal comparison
　　2.2.2 Criticism education
　　2.2.3 Spoiled love
　　Chapter Three Main factors affecting the Chinese-American family education based on The Joy Luck Club
　　3.1 Social background
　　3.2 Educational values
　　3.2.1 Inherited education
　　3.2.2 Innovative education
　　Chapter Four Conclusion
　　REFERENCES

　　Chapter One Introduction

　　The Joy Luck Club is the first well-known book written by Amy Tan, who is oneof the most highly acclaimed writers in the contemporary American Chinese literature.

　　The novel describes the life experiences of four Chinese mothers who have differentcharacters and fates moved to the U.S. discarding the national calamity and their fourAmerican-born, American-grown daughters. Although the four mothers, the first-generation immigrants, live in the United States, they are still downright Chinesewomen. The daughters who were born in America are similar in appearance to theirmothers, but they grow up in quite different circumstances. Under this environment,the daughters have to bear the clashes of two cultures and values personally.

　　Therefore, researching family education both in Chinese-American families can notonly enrich Chinese-American culture field but also obtain great practical value.

　　Some recent studies have shed light on the differences between Chinese andAmerican family education. Huang Heqing (2003)  stated the differences of familyeducation from three aspects, namely educational goals, educational contents andeducational methods in his article A Contrast of Cross-Cultural on the Chinese andAmerican Family Education. Later, based on the researches done before, otherscholars, for example, Ge Shuhui, in her article Chinese and American FamilyEducation under Different Culture Background further emphasized on the sameaspects in 2009. And the writer Xiao Guangpan stated that educational thoughts andmethods could be the differences in his book Question Education (Xiao, 2005) 

　　Regretfully, most former studies on the family education between China and Americaare relatively too general. Above all, it is necessary to deepen the study of the familyeducation of Chinese-America families. As the distinctive identities of four mothersand daughters in The Joy Luck Club, the novel has been the object of the study in thethesis. Chinese-mother and American-born-daughter families are the typical Chinese-American families, which enable the thesis more persuasive. Based on The Joy LuckClub, an appropriate way is to study the features of Chinese-American families andaffecting factors separately.

　　This thesis is aimed to analyze the features and affecting factors of the Chinese-American family education, which is based on the novel of The Joy Luck Club writtenby Amy Tan. The thesis is composed of four parts totally. The first chapter is theintroduction. And beginning with the second chapter, the features of Chinese-American family educations are stated. Through giving examples from The Joy LuckClub and other sources, the findings show that Chinese traditional family educationfocuses on horizontal comparison, criticism education and giving spoiled love, whileAmerican tends to vertical development, incentive education and independence. Thethird chapter is the core of this whole thesis, in which, affecting factors of theChinese-American family education are stated from social background andeducational values by giving relevant evidences. At last, a conclusion is given in thefourth chapter.

　　Chapter Two The Features of Chinese-American Family Education Based on The Joy Luck Club

　　Family education is a process of raising and educating a child from birth untiladulthood. Family education is not only an important component of education but thefirst lesson to a child. As Chinese immigrants, confronted with American familyeducation, the traditional parents feel confused between the two choices. Chinesepeople value flesh and blood more important, and regard their children as parts ofthemselves. The Chinese immigrant parents always adopt the traditional familyeducation to inculcate the children who grow up in America, thus causing manyconflicts.

　　2.1 The main story of The Joy Luck Club

　　The four mothers in The Joy Luck Club came to America around the year of1949. Suyuan Woo who is the mother of Jing-mei Woo went to America after shewent through all kinds of hardships and difficulties, and got away from the turmoiland chaos of the era. Suyuan began her new life at the risk of losing her parents,siblings, husband and her twin infant daughters. An-mei Hsu, the mother of Rose HsuJordan, escaped from the decayed manor which contains wives and concubines.

　　However, the freedom of herself is at the expense of her mother's death. The motherof Waverly Jong, Lindo Jong feigned madness to get rid of her unhappy marriage.

　　Like Lindo Jong, Ying-ying St. Clair who is the mother of Lena St. Clair, struggled tofree herself from the grave of marriage. Emigrating from China to America means theloss of original identity. They imitated the Americans deliberately; and they smiled inAmerican style and wore American clothes. From the viewpoint of Americans, theywere still Chinese---the Chinese who will never be understood by the Americans.

　　They could only limit the attachment of Chinese culture at home. They wanted theirdaughters to adapt to the new environment of America and preserve the Chinesequalities as well. But they found their children were quick enough to learn ofeverything of the United States. Their daughters communicated with them in Chineseimpatiently and laughed at their poor English. The daughters aspired to become truemembers who talked in American English, ate American food and made Americanfriends. But “no matter how fluently they speak English, how Americanized their lifeis, they are still Chinese from the perspective of Americans.” (Liang, 2002:161)

　　2.2 The features of Chinese-American family education

　　On the basis of The Joy Luck Club, the features will illustrate from horizontalcomparison, criticism education and spoiled love.

　　2.2.1 Horizontal comparison

　　Chinese parents are those who have tenacious personal family consciousnesslikely to compare with others. And they tend to place excessive expectations on thenext generation.

　　Lindo Jong and Sunyuan Woo were both best friends and arch enemies whospent a lifetime comparing their children with each other. The daughter of Sunyuan,Jing-mei remembered that “From the time we were babies, our mothers compared thecreases in our bell buttons, how shapely our earlobes were, how fast we healed whenwe scraped our knees, how thick and dark our hair, how many shoes we wore out inone year.” ( Amy, 1989:37)  And after Jing-mei learned to play the piano for one year,Lindo praised her own daughter to Suyuan Woo “She bring home too many trophy.  All day she play chess. All day I have no time do nothing but dust off her winnings.”

　　“You lucky you don't have this problem.” (Amy, 1989:138)  For this, Suyuan Woosquared her shoulders and bragged “Our problem worser than yours. If we ask Jing-mei wash dish, she hear nothing but music. It's like you can't stop this natural talent.” (Amy, 1989:138)

　　Both of their behaviors of comparison are actually the expression of theireducational philosophy. In their minds, only a daughter who gets ahead is a successfulone.

　　However, in America, how many trophies and honorary credential a child cangain is not as important as whether a child has the sense of community, the spirit ofinnovation. The American parents focus on whether their children can be usefulpeople in society or not. Therefore, in two kinds of completely different mentality,children are the private wealth for Chinese immigrant parents, while, children belongto the whole society, even the universe for American parents.

　　2.2.2 Criticism education

　　Under the urgent mentality of comparison in an unrealistic way, the Chineseimmigrant parents adopt the criticism as the main form of education to their childrento a large extent. They believe severe form of education will benefit the growth oftheir children. The traditional concept “spare the road, spoil the child” is deeply-rooted in the minds of parents. The Chinese mothers think that excessiveencouragement to the children not only makes the children too arrogant to stepforward, but also loses the dignity of the mothers. On the contrary, moderate criticismworks as catalyst to inspire people, thus meeting the expectations of others. In The JoyLuck Club, when Rose thought about the divorce with Ted, An-mei Hsu usually saidto her daughter.

　　A girl is like a young tree, you must stand tall and listen to your motherstanding next to you. That is the only way to grow strong and straight. But ifyou bend to listen to other people, you will grow crooked and weak. You willfall to the ground with the first strong wind. And then you will be like a weed,growing wild in any direction, running along the ground until someone pullsyou out and throws you away (Amy, 1989: 191)

　　Similarly, Lin-do Jong was particular about everything of her daughter Waverlyin daily life. She criticized Waverly for her hair style, laughed at the Christmaspresent from Waverly's fiancé Rich, and disparaged Rich's addiction to alcohol.

　　Actually, it is a special way of love to the daughter. But to Waverly who isaffected by American thoughts, all of which are the expression of dislike and rejection.

　　Consequently, the misunderstanding exists between Lin-do and Waverly for a longtime. The second generation immigrant daughters feel repugnant from the criticism oftheir mothers. “American society always pursues recognition education; praising thechildren in good time will improve their confidence” (Cai Zhenni, 01/27/2011) .

　　American parents usually enlighten their children in positive and encouraging words.

　　And it is the practical method to build the children's confidence.

　　2.2.3 Spoiled love

　　“During the education of children, Chinese parents usually hold the ‘control'attitude; they consider teaching children to be their bounden duty. Under the conceptof ‘to feed without teaching, is the parents' fault', Chinese parents take over allmatters of their children” (Xiao, 2005:57) . They think they are guardians of children,and they should interfere with their children's academic career, marriage and prospect.

　　So Waverly felt tormented to her mother's intervention and complaint to herAmerican friend Marlene who responded straightforwardly “Why don't you tell her tostop torturing you. Tell her to stop ruining your life. Tell her to shut up.” (Amy, 1989:173)  As the second generation immigrant, Waverly could only reply with a bitter-smile, “Well, I don't know if it's explicitly stated in the law, but you can't ever tell aChinese mother to shut up. You could be charged as an accessory to your ownmurderer.” (Amy, 1989: 173)  It is obvious that many times Waverly can only remainsilent facing her mother's dissatisfactions.

　　However, in America, parents believe that the children came into the world withtheir independent personality. “As parents, they should respect the children's behavior;give them help in accordance with its natural tendency instead of pulling up theseedlings to help them grow blindly” (Xiao, 2005:57)  “Compared with Chineseparents, American parents emphasize more on independence” (Liu, 2002:14)  He alsopointed out that “being independent and self-reliance” was a slogan that Chinesespeak more while Americans do more. (Liu, 2002:15)  American parents neithertransform their children to follow their own plans nor force the children to accept theirwill. In addition, the parents only make great effort to provide a proper environmentfor the children. What their children will be in the future is the children's ownresponsibilities. (Huang, 2010:48)  It is true that mothers adopt the Chinese traditionaleducation unknowingly to their children in the Chinese-American families, ignoringthe surroundings. As a result, so many kinds of differences form the features ofChinese-American family education.

　　Chapter Three Main factors affecting the Chinese-American family education based on The Joy Luck Club

　　Education is a kind of cultural phenomena. Different social culture is reflectedby different educations. In consideration of these features of Chinese-Americanfamily education, the American scholar Amy Ling indicated that “No matter whetherthey were recent immigrants or American born; Chinese Americans in the US are stillencountered with an assumption that because of their facial features and their Asianethnicity, they must be foreign. Being neither Chinese nor American.”(Ling, 1990:20) .

　　In The Joy Luck Club，social background and educational value are the main factorsaffecting the Chinese-American family education.

　　3.1 Social background

　　The lives of Chinese immigrants in the United States were strongly affected bythe changing attitudes of Americans towards China, which, throughout the Americanhistory, had been lingered between admiration and contempt. Investigating throughChinese images in America, Harold Issac designated the eighteenth century as “Ageof Respect”, when things Chinese were esteemed by Europeans because “the highlyrationalistic philosophy of Confucius accorded well with the principle of the Age ofReason” （Ling, 1990: 18）. At that time, Chinese were carried over by Europeansto their American colonies. But from 1840 to1905, which indicates a reversal ofattitude from the previous period. After the Opium War, Western powerscontinuously invaded China and took advantage of her in both political and economicterms. Intensive domestic turmoil forced more and more Chinese to seek for a betterlife at the remote America. In 1882, the U.S. Congress passed the Chinese ExclusionAct, which prohibited not only the entry of new Chinese and their families, but alsoreturn to US of those who had been back to China to visit their families. Chinesewomen, “ because of cultural restrictions at home, lack of traveling fund, and anti-Chinese violence in the West of U.S., were further discouraged to immigrate to theUS” (Mankiller, 1998:96) . During the World War II, China was regarded as ally tothe US. “The Chinese were after all, charming and intelligent people. China offered atremendous market for American manufacturers.” (Ling, 1990:19) . Therefore, theChinese Exclusion Act was abolished by the president Roosevelt in 1943. However,up to 61-year of anti-Chinese Act has brought disastrous consequences. In The JoyLuck Club, when Rose attended a family party with Ted, Ted' mother met her andtalked a lot.

　　She assured me she had nothing whatsoever against minorities; she andher hunsband, who owned a chain of office-supply stores, personally knewmany fine peolple who were Oriental, Spanish, and even black. But Ted wasgoing to be in one of those professions where he would be judged by adifferent standard, by patients and other doctors who might not be asunderstanding as the Jordans were. She said it was so unfortunate the waythe rest of the world was, how unpopular the Vietnam War was (Amy, 1989:118)

　　From the words of Ted' mother, it is clear that American still have a attitude ofcontempt to Asian people even though the Chinese Exclusion Act was abolished.

　　Living abroad for many years has changed and affected inevitably some ofChinese concepts of Chinese Americans. The traditional Chinese culture do not havegreat effect on the Chinese immigrants and their own descendants as before. Theyscattered in every corner of American society; and gradually lost their own characters.

　　The Chinese Americans have been assimilated voluntarily or involuntarily byAmerican culture.

　　The dual cultural background makes the Chinese Americans have biculturalidentity and awareness. When they encounter problems, they will consciously orunconsciously deal them with in both cultural ways.

　　However, they will be confronted with difficulties in the real world with theChinese methods; when they apply the American way to solve the problems,they will be affected by the Chinese culture insensibly, but also interfered byfamily and the Chinese community. Therefore, the collision of two culturesoften makes them confused (Cheng & Zhang, 2001: 87)

　　Therefore, dual cultural backgrounds make the mothers confused encounteringthe family education. The lack of understanding caused the conflicts between mothersand daughters on family education which represent Chinese and American familyeducation separately.

　　3.2 Educational values

　　The main factors which affect the Chinese-American family education are notonly the social background, but the educational values. Traditional Chineseeducational value is considered to be inherited education. Nevertheless, Americaneducational value focuses on innovative education.

　　3.2.1 Inherited education

　　To the philosophy of Chinese education, the most important is to develop thespirit of rigorous scholarship. Chinese are learned and knowledgeable people, andthus they always fully accept and inherit the knowledgeable presented by well-knownscholars. However, American pay more attention to cultivating the creative spirit. Thephilosophy of American education is to foster the students who dare to query theprofessional scholars and expects and challenge the authority of knowledge. TheAmerican students employ developed and creative learning methods instead ofpassive acceptance to obtain knowledge. In short, Chinese education pays moreattention to observing all rules and regulations. In the meantime, American educationattaches importance to innovation and rebellion. For this reason, two differentepistemology and view of talent lead to various pursuit to parents both in China and inAmerica. The Chinese first-generation immigrants (four mothers)  who were born inthe mainland of China are deeply affected by Chinese traditional education concept.

　　Normally, they believe that “a book holds a house of gold”, and also influence thenext generation (four daughters)  who grow up in America with the idea. In The JoyLuck Club, the typical Chinese educational concept is presented by the Chinese-American mothers. Jing-mei assumed that her failure of talented-show meant shenever had to play the piano again. But her mother asked her to practice.

　　“I'm not going to play it anymore,” Jing-mei said nonchalantly.Jing-mei walked over and stood in front of the TV. She saw her mother'schest was heaving up and down in an angry way.

　　“Yon want me to be someone that I'm not!” Jing-mei sobbed. “I'll never bethe kind of daughter you want me to be”“Only two kinds of daughters,” mother shouted in Chinese. “Those who areobedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughtercan live in this house. Obedient daughter!” (Amy, 1989: 141)

　　It can be seen from the above conversation; the first-generation immigrants ofChinese usually regard the American individualized education with rebellion as greatscourges. They think the western creative education does great damage to all theestablished order and makes the society chaos. However, in American society, thespirit of rebellion is welcomed and praised by most people. As well as the people whoaims to overturn the old rules and set up the new principles. It is the basic distinctionthat determines so many scientific miracles happening in America.

　　3.2.2 Innovative education

　　Chinese people not only adore knowledge and books, but also pay more attentionto the pursuit of the specialization of knowledge. As the ancient scholar, Hanyu, says“One might have learned the doctrine earlier than the other, or might be a master inhis own special field.” Chinese people believe that each person can only obtainknowledge and be successful in a certain field. On the contrary, American educationpursues the broad and rich knowledge. Under the guidance of innovative ideas,American people seek for the infiltration of all disciplines and areas continuously. InThe Joy Luck Club, the differences between Chinese profession and Americanerudition are expressed by the fierce conflicts between the first-generation immigrantmothers and second-generation immigrant daughters. When Waverly were talented inplaying chess, her life were very decent.

　　I attend more tournaments, each one farther away from home. I won allgames, in all divisions. That's when my mother decided I no longer had to dothe dishes. Winston and Vincent had to do my chores. By my ninth birthday,I was a national chess champion. I was touted as the Great American Hope,a child prodigy and a girl to boot (Amy, 1989 :97) 

　　All these brought Waverly a lot of honor and glory, and met her mother's vanity.

　　However, it was the beginning of the pain for Waverly. Her life became monotonous.

　　She went to school, then directly home to learn new chess secrets. Finally, one day,her world collapsed, and trapped into darkness.

　　And in my memory I can still feel the hope that beat in me that night. I clungto this hope, day after day, night after night, year after year (Amy, 1989: 115)

　　When I won, I was grateful, relieved. And when I lost, I was filled withgrowing dread, and then terror that I was no longer a prodigy, that I had lostthe gift and had turned into someone quite ordinary. When I lost twice to theboy whom I had defeated so easily a few years before, I stopped playingchess altogether. And nobody protested. I was fourteen (Amy, 1989: 173)

　　Enormous pressure forced Waverly to have antagonistic tendency. However, hermother said nothing about the failures of the games. The indifferent attitude of mothermade Waverly lose confidence, and finally, gave up playing chess. The relationshipbetween Waverly and her mother became more strained.

　　American students are independent and the ability to adapt to the society veryquickly so that they have more opportunities for further education and professions. InChinese opinion, formal education is more important in the developing process ofchildren. The majority of Chinese parents are proud of their children who have highereducation. For American parents, the process of growing up is relatively significant.

　　They do not believe that only the person who accepts higher education can succeed inthe future. The key evaluation depends on whether he has sense of innovation or notand whether he can make contributions to the development of society. Therefore,deeply influenced by American education concept, the second-generation Chineseimmigrants are disgusted with their Chinese parents' thinking of regular education.

　　Consequently, their behaviors which break the mould make their parents disappointed.

　　Jing-mei Woo expressed her independence through dropping out from university.

　　It was not the only disappointment my mother felt in me. In the years thatfollowed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, myright to fall short of expectations. I didn't get straight As. I didn't becomeclass president. I didn't get into Stanford. I dropped out of college. For unlikemy mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could onlybe me (Amy, 1989 : 142)

　　Jing-mei dropped out from a university, which is the revenge on her mother. Sheactually knew what a famous university meant in her mother's mind. So the behaviorof dropping out finally enrages her mother.

　　The above examples obviously show that mothers and daughters have deepattachment of family bond, while mixing with unavoidable estrangement. Theyconcern about each other and hurt each other. In the conversations between mothersand daughters, the poor English of mothers is one of the fuses of the conflicts. Theawful English of the mothers shames their daughters, thus the daughters are evenunwilling to talk with them, which caused the worse intensive relationship.

　　Chapter Four Conclusion

　　Family education is the impact on children from parents during the education ina family. And family education also plays the most important role for all education.

　　Frequently, family education determines the life of a child. In The Joy Luck Club,both first-generation and second-generation immigrants always feel dissociated abouttheir social identities between Chinese culture and American one which includes thefamily education. With the special social background and different educational values,the mothers feel at a loss dealing with their daughters who were born in America.

　　Chinese parents usually apply inherited education while American parents chooseinnovative education. American daughters are inclined to accept contact with westerneducational concepts when referring to educational values, instead of understandingChinese traditional ideas. Under the effect of the two factors, the features of Chinese-American family education can be summarized as horizontal comparison, criticismeducation and spoiled love. The Chinese family education makes the children feelexcessive pressurized. In The Joy Luck Club, the first-generation mothers hope theirdaughters achieve the “American Dream”. However, more expectation, moredepression. The conflicts between them are always intense. (Wang&Wu, 2009:257)

　　It should be noted that this study has examined only the first-generation Chineseimmigrant family education, and the results are lack of completeness. However, theseproblems could be solved if the study considers Chinese-American family at a largerrange and to have more time and data. Despite its preliminary character, this studyclearly indicates the factors of affecting the Chinese-American family education thatcan not enrich the family education field but offers help to Chinese-American familiesto have a better appreciation of Chinese and American culture. Moreover, well-understanding enables the Chinese-American families integrate into American societybetter.

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