Decoding Of The "Luck" Code In The Joy Luck Club And The Kitchen God's Wife

Amy Tan's masterpieces, The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife are very popular among critics and readers. The two novels are full of abundant traditional Chinese culture, but critics mainly interpret them from the perspective of linguistics, feminism and culture studies to discuss the culture clashes and the search for identity. The author suggests that the luck complex embodied in traditional Chinese culture is the key to Tan's artistic creation and the basis to find identity for Chinese American women.On the basis of analysis of previous studies, the author chooses the most representative and successful novels (The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife) and analyzes them from a tiny perspective---the luck complex, one traditional element in Tan's novels. The author finds its real significance in theme, developing plots and narration. The luck complex, expressed by Amy Tan and the characters in her novels, is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture. It becomes the backbone and the key to cultural acculturation for Chinese American women. Whereas, this valuable thought is never thoroughly discussed by the critics. This is the reason why the author composes the thesis. The luck complex which showed in Chinese American women is the hope or desire for good luck. Therefore, the author chooses good luck to be the research subject, although it can be classified into good luck and bad luck.In the thesis, two critical approaches are introduced. First it is Taoism, which is fully implied in Tan's novels. The author analyzes the uncontrollable fate and the luck complex of American Chinese women by the theories of fatalism and binary opposition, i.e.Yin-yang, the five elements, fengshui, etc. Secondly, feminism is also introduced because Tan's novels mainly discuss the fate of women, no matter bad luck or good luck.Then, the author analyzes the luck complex and the use of it in the body: both in developing plots and narrating. In details are: the term of luck decoding and its archetype. How the luck complex worked on the mothers in old China and its influence on their life; How the luck complex worked on the mothers after they immigrated to America and its impact on their choices; But the luck complex has not been accepted by their daughters who totally accepted American values and cultural clashes occurred. Actually the mothers and daughters both faced the crisis of identity, gender and ethic. It is the luck complex makes them reconcile and promote cultural acculturation. Not only its role in developing plots, the luck complex also plays a role in narration.The author also discusses the luck complex by referring to the thought expressed in"The Opposite of Fate". Finally, the author concludes that luck is the uncontrollable fate. The luck complex has been one part of Chinese American women's worldview, and plays a significant role in their life. The luck complex is the characteristics of their ethics. On the basis of it, they can find their Chinese American identity. Meanwhile, the luck complex as one archetype has been one part of colorful American dream, but still characterized the traditional Chinese culture.