Teaching Amy Tan from the Perspective of Comparative Cultural Studies

Abstract

I have taught Chinese American culture to college students at Dongguk University by focusing on Amy Tan’s two novels, The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God’s Wife, and a film Raise the Red Lantern directed by Yimou Zhang. We’ve intended to make cultural distinctions in Chinese, American, and Chinese American at first, which naturally extended to the discourses about Korean culture later. By the Chinese culture it means Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Each Chinese cultural discipline, however, is applied partially in the texts. For example, even though Confucianism was originally an idea defining Chinese ethical life from various relations, the texts deal with only a single discipline of three obediences and four virtues among others. Taoism is discussed from the perspective of either Yin-Yang or Feng Shui. Likewise, American culture is portrayed exclusively from individualism. Because of their oversimplified and westernized attitude towards Chinese and American culture, Amy Tan and Yimou Zhang are frequently criticized as Orientalists, sexists, and cultural traitors who sold out Chinese cultural heritage to American white readers. Besides cultural comparisons, the theories of immigration in America have been discussed. A simple question of melting pot theory vs salad bowl theory was raised, based on a Chinese mother’s advice to her American born daughter in The Joy Luck Club －to have a double face of “American circumstances and Chinese character”－as a best strategy to survive in America. Which theory is more persuasive in explaining Chinese American culture? Most students agree that the melting pot theory is more effective to white Americans, while the salad bowl theory to minorities like Chinese Americans.