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Joy Luck Club

Assignments

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A Note About Teaching The Joy Luck Club After teaching this novel many different times, in different ways, it has been my experience that it is best to teach the novel by family, rather than chronologically. In this way, students are able to remember the characters and differentiate between them. The novel already has a fairly complex structure of flashbacks, so eliminating confusion about the characters allows students to move through the book more easily. It also makes classroom discussions more meaningful because students aren’t confused about which character is being discussed. This method aids in thematic understanding and intensifies understanding of the relationships (or lack thereof) between the mothers and daughters. Begin with the first chapter and end with the final chapter as is, but for the rest of the novel, read it by family name – Hsu, Jong, Woo, and St. Claire. Start from the beginning, and move through chronologically as Tan writes about that family, alternating between mother and daughter.

JLC CALENDAR

Pre-Reading Activity Day 1

Voc. #1 Point of View Read all parables together in class – explain that they help introduce themes students should watch out for. Read “The Joy Luck Club” together in class Hand out Study Guide Homework: Read “Scar”

Discuss parable (“Feathers from a Thousand Li Away”) and “The Joy Luck Club” “ Day 2

Plot Structure – Explain that you’ll read it by family, not chronologically. Discuss “Scar” Hand out Hsuisms and Hsu Family Chart – have students begin working. Homework: Read "Half and Half" and "Without Wood"

QuickWrite: Advice Day 3

Voc. #2 Discuss “Half and Half” and “Without Wood” Have students read “Magpies” Homework: Finish “Magpies” Quiz on Hsu family stories

Hsu Quiz Day 4

Quick Write: Mothers and Daughters Discuss Hsu family stories as a whole Intro Group Work – Family Report or Family Box Project (one or the other) Begin Jong Family stories – review Jong Characters – Jong Character Chart Homework: Read “The Red Candle”

Voc. #3 Day 5:

Discuss “The Red Candle” in small groups Give time for Group Project/Box Update answers for Study Guide QW – Expectations Homework: Read “Rules of the Game” & "Four Directions"

Voc. #4 Day 6:

Discuss “Rules of the Game” & "Four Directions" in small groups Fortunes Handout Give time for Group Project/Box Intro Feng Shui Assignment Homework: Read "Double Face" and study for Jong Family quiz

Quiz – Jong Family Day 7:

Discuss "Double Face" in small groups Give time for Group Project/Box Review St. Clair Family Homework: Read "The Moon Lady"

Voc. #5 Day 8:

Discuss "The Moon Lady" in small groups Animal Year assignment Begin homework Homework: Read "The Voice from the Wall" "Rice Husband” & "Waiting Between the Trees"; Study for St. Clair Family Quiz

Quiz – St. Clair Family Day 9:

"The Voice from the Wall" "Rice Husband” & "Waiting Between the Trees" in small groups Intro JLC Essay – hand out prompt and outline Review Woo Family Homework: Read "Two Kinds” and complete Two Kinds handout

Discuss "Two Kinds” in small groups Day 10:

Work on Group Project Begin homework Homework: Read "Best Quality" and "A Pair of Tickets"

Discuss "Best Quality" and "A Pair of Tickets" in small groups Day 11:

Students work on thesis statements; pair share/edit statements Group time for Project Homework: Group Projects presented next class; begin working on outline

Group Projects Presented Day 12:

If time, students work on JLC essay outlines Homework: Study for JLC Test; Outlines due next class; Work on Rough Draft of JLC essay. Stud

JLC Test Day 13:

Teacher reviews student outlines while they take test; gives comments If students finish early, begin homework Homework: Bring 2-3 copies of Rough Draft of JLC Essay – Peer Editing next class; bring weakest paragraph for teacher to review

Peer Editing Day – Students exchange copies of rough draft, along with Peer Editing Sheets, and spend the day giving each other written feedback.

Day 14:

Teacher will read weakest paragraphs of students and give comments Homework: Use peer and teacher feedback to improve essay and write final version. Final version of JLC Essay due next class. **Depending on the level of the class, this calendar can be condensed by assigning more reading so that you can move through the stories more quickly.

What Can You Bring To Your Reading of The Joy Luck Club?

This assignment has pre-writing activities that will not only help you when it comes time to write about Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, but it will also help you get more out of reading the novel. The notes you make will be useful as you read, as well as when you have writing assignments. Directions: Write your answers on another sheet of paper, and staple it to this page. You may then refer to this assignment throughout our reading of the novel. Part 1: Look at the front and back cover of the novel. Use the headings below to jot your thoughts about ideas and attitudes you bring to your reading of The Joy Luck Club. Respond to the headings below, and write in whatever ideas you can think of. 1. Miscellaneous thoughts and first impressions. 2. Setting - time and place, including any specific settings. 3. Characters - characters you think you’ll meet in this novel, what happens to them, their relationships to one another and to the setting. 4. What do you think Amy Tan’s purpose for writing this novel is? 5. What do you expect to get from reading this novel? 6. What does the title mean? 8. Your thoughts on family heritage and traditions? 9. Your thoughts on culture differences? Part 2: One issue this novel explores is the concept of family heritage and traditions. Please answer the following questions in short-answer form. • Why do you think families like to pass down their heritages and traditions to the next

generation? • What types of traditions does your family celebrate and honor? • What responsibility does the younger generation have toward the one that came

before them with respect to preserving the family heritage and traditions?

The Joy Luck Club – Vocabulary Activity #1 (15 points possible)

Directions: Answer on a separate sheet of paper and staple this page to it. Part 1: Define each of the following words.

1. immigration 2. cerebral 3. mah jong 4. prolong 5. sulk 6. compress 7. unanimous 8. chenille 9. concubine 10. betroth 11. embroider 12. lunar 13. presumptuous 14. apparition 15. consent

Part 2: Use each of the words above in sentences. Be as creative as you can when coming up with the sentences for each word. Part 2, Extra Credit Version: (worth an extra 5 points) Write a story that incorporates ALL of the words above. Make sure to underline each of the vocabulary words used throughout your story. The story doesn’t have to be about the novel, but it should make sense. Don’t just throw 15 sentences together into a paragraph or two – use your creative side to come up with a great little story!



1. ailing 2. replica 3. diminish 4. concession 5. scurry 6. immediacy 7. jaunty 8. celestial 9. cascade 10. arpeggio 11. quiver 12. fiasco 13. etiquette 14. admonish 15. bougainvillea

Part 2: Use each of the words above in sentences. Be as creative as you can when coming up with the sentences for each word. Part 2, Extra Credit Version: (worth an extra 5 points) Write a story that incorporates ALL of the words above. Make sure to underline each of the vocabulary words used throughout your story. The story doesn’t have to be about the novel, but it should make sense. Don’t just throw sentences together into a paragraph or two – use your creative side to come up with a great little story!



1. leprosy 2. camphor 3. swoon 4. contaminate 5. manipulative 6. benevolent 7. discordant 8. shudder 9. doily 10. dimension 11. despicable 12. ironic 13. sophisticated 14. brigands 15. insidiously




1. impertinent 2. teak 3. rickshaw 4. shun 5. ravel 6. loath 7. despair 8. reckless 9. longevity 10. theology 11. insidious 12. syndrome 13. trinket 14. reverentially 15. jut 16. Essence 17. Pious


The Joy Luck Club – Vocabulary Activity Packet #5 (13 points possible)


1. embezzlement 2. lacquer 3. tactlessness 4. lapis 5. malignant 6. staccato 7. malodorous 8. saffron-colored 9. obstinate 10. palanquin 11. aneurysm 12. snifters 13. prodigy

Part 2: Use each of the words above in sentences. Be as creative as you can when coming up with the sentences for each word. Part 2, Extra Credit Version: (worth an extra 5 points) Write a story that incorporates ALL of the words above. Make sure to underline each of the vocabulary words used throughout your story. The story doesn’t have to be about the novel, but it should make sense. Don’t just throw 15 sentences together into a paragraph or two – use your creative side to come up with a great little story!

Joy Luck Club Study Guide

1. When and why and by whom was the first Joy Luck Club formed? Compare and contrast it to the second Joy Luck Club.

2. What is the significance of the parable at the beginning of each section?

3. Which one character seems to be the main protagonist of the novel and why?

4. Who or what is her antagonist? Explain if she overcomes her antagonist.

5. On a larger scale, what/who is the protagonist of the novel? What/who is the

antagonist?

6. Suyuan dies at the beginning of the book, and during the novel, Jing-Mei takes her place in several ways. Explain the ways in which she serves as her mother’s replacement.

7. Explain how the novel is autobiographical.

8. Compare Rose and Lena as examples of women who suffer from their own

weakness of character. How can they learn from their mothers’ stories? Do they?

9. Contrast Jing-Mei to Rose, Lena, and Waverly.

10. Explain how Jing-Mei’s story forms the structural arc of the novel.

11. What specific things does each daughter learn about her mother during the course of the novel?

12. Explain the sufferings of each of the mothers in China.

13. Waverly Jong sometimes comes across as unkind and/or cruel. Give examples and

explain why you think she behaves in such a way.

14. Who do you think is the most likeable mother in the novel, and why?

15. Who do you think is the most likeable daughter and why?

16. Discuss the symbolism of chess in Waverly Jong’s stories.

17. Discuss the symbolism of the garden in Rose’s stories.

18. Discuss the symbolism of jade in Jing-Mei’s stories.

19. Discuss the symbolism of architecture in Lena’s stories.

20. Explain how The Joy Luck Club is a novel of culture, identity, and family.

21. What are the key themes of the novel and how are they developed?

22. Why does the novel end in comedy?

23. Explain the use of flashback in the novel, giving at least four examples.

24. How is this book of separate stores unified into a whole?

The Joy Luck Club – Group Work – A Closer Look at each Family Directions: The class will be divided into four groups and each group will be assigned one section of the book. Each group will prepare a report on its section to present to the class. Each report should include the following: • summaries of each vignette, including the person who is telling the story. • the main characters in the vignette. • where the story takes place -- in China or California. • the conflicts that occur in each vignette. • the customs that are apparent. • the aspects of Chinese culture that are identified. • a description of the relationships between the main characters in the story. Note: As each group reports, the remainder of the class should take notes. This information will serve as background for the other sections of the book, and will help you prepare for your unit test and essay.

The Joy Luck Club Fortunes

Lindo Jong’s first job in the United States is working at a fortune cookie factory. At first, she has no idea what the little slips of paper that she places into the “pancakes” are for.

“What is this nonsense?” I asked her, putting the strips of paper in my pocket, thinking I should study these classical American sayings.

“They are fortunes,” she explained. “American people think Chinese people write these sayings.”

“But we never say such things!” I said. “These things don’t make sense. These are not fortunes, they are bad instructions” (Tan 299). What “instructions” for a meaningful life would you like to read in fortune cookies? Write at least three “fortunes” that reflect your philosophy of life, and explain in separate mini-paragraphs why each one is significant to you. Fortune #1: ____________________________________________ Fortune #2: ____________________________________________ Fortune #3: ____________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________ Date: ________ Joy Luck Club: "Two Kinds"

All of the family stories show two types of conflicts: mother versus daughter and Chinese traditions verses American practices. Think about the two conflicts in the Woo section. When and where do clashes occur? What causes them? • Mother versus daughter • China (East) versus America (West)

Mother Knows Best--Doesn't She?

Sound familiar? • "But, Mo-ther! Everybody's doing it! These are the 90s!" • "Mom, you aren't going to wear that, are you? To my graduation?" • "I know, Pop, You used to walk nine miles to school barefooted in three

feet of snow. I still want to borrow your car." • "Let's face it, the 60s/70s were a different time. Times have changed." 1. Can parental advice be valuable?

2. Are old-fashioned ideas usually outdated and invalid? Where do you find this in the text?

3. Are mothers and daughters more likely to disagree than fathers and

sons? What about fathers to daughter versus mothers to sons? 4. Does Mother - or Father - always know best? 5. How have you embarrassed your parent? How have your parents

embarrassed you? 6. At what age do children stop being "children" to parents? At what age to

children stop being "children" in their own minds? Why?

The Joy Luck Club – QuickWrite: Advice from Parents/Guardians The mothers in The Joy Luck Club communicate their values and wisdom and give advice to their daughters throughout the novel. Directions: • To begin, write down advice - both silly and profound - that you’ve gotten over the

years from your parents/guardians. • Next, write several paragraphs about the advice you have received from your

parents/guardians. This could be an autobiographical incident focusing on a particular event that dramatizes the significance of the advice.

The Joy Luck Club – QuickWrite: Mothers and Daughters The central theme that runs throughout The Joy Luck Club involves the relationships between mothers and daughters. Directions: Spend the next 30 minutes writing about the following questions. This assignment will be graded on the substance of what you write, not the quantity. Take time to formulate your responses. Spelling and neatness count, so make sure to review and edit your work before you turn in your assignment.

• Mothers and daughters have unique relationships. o If you are a daughter, describe your relationship with your mother. o If you are a son, describe your sister's relationship to your mother. o If you don't have a sister, pick a relative or a friend and describe that

daughter's relationship with her mother. • How would you like the relationship to be different? • What aspects of the relationship do you cherish? Why? • What type of relationship would you like to have with your future daughter?

The Joy Luck Club – QuickWrite: Expectations A major theme that runs throughout The Joy Luck Club is one of expectations placed on us by our parents. Directions: Spend the next 30 minutes writing about the following questions. This assignment will be graded on the substance of what you write, not the quantity. Take time to formulate your responses. Spelling and neatness count, so make sure to review and edit your work before you turn in your assignment. • Write about a time when you felt pressured to live up to the expectations of your

parents. • What was the expectation? • Why did you feel pressured? • What was the outcome? • How did you feel about the outcome? • How did your parents feel about the outcome?

For the teacher, although this can be handed out to students after reading the novel, for a more complete understanding of it. Taken from: http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Joy_Luck_Club_Tan/Joy_Luck_Club_Study_Guide26.html PLOT (Structure) The plot of The Joy Luck Club is both loose and complex. It is really a group of separate stories woven around the members of a ladies’ club, located in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The disparate stories are held together by the fact that all four of the women have daughters of approximately the same age and background. Although each of the daughters is Chinese by heritage, they were all born in the United States and have become very Americanized. Each of the mothers has difficulty trying to understand her modernized daughter and struggles to instill in each of them Chinese traditions and values. In addition, each of the four mothers in the novel suffered greatly in their previous life in China and feels bonded to each other by the struggles. Each, however, handles the suffering in a different way. The novel, which is about four mothers and their four daughters, is appropriately divided into four sections, each of which is divided into four parts. Each of the sections is introduced by a parable that relates to the four parts that follow it. Then each of the four parts is told by a different mother or daughter. The parts (or chapters) are always narrated in first person in the present tense; but each part is filled with flashbacks. The mothers usually look back to their experiences in China, and the daughters reflect on their childhoods. Since the book is really a series of stories, the plot is not unified by time, place, or character. Since much of the book consists of flashbacks, the time of the novel spans several decades. Although the current tale is all set in or around San Francisco, there are diverse locations, including the homes of the mothers and their adult daughters. The setting also encompasses China, for the flashbacks are often set there, and Jing-Mei and her father travel there in the last chapter of the book. Additionally, the book is not unified by character. Instead, it is a complex tale of four mothers and four daughters, most of whom narrate at least two of the chapters; therefore, even the point of view changes throughout the book. In spite of the looseness of the plot, Amy Tan does a marvelous job of weaving the separate stories into a whole. The book begins and ends with Jing-Mei telling the story of her mother, Suyuan; she also narrates two additional chapters within the novel. Jing-Mei’s story becomes related to all the others in the novel, for she takes the place of Suyuan in the Joy Luck Club and learns about the past of An-Mei, Ying-ying, and Lindo. Jing-Mei also knows the other daughters. In fact, when Jing-Mei was a young girl, Suyuan constantly held Waverly up to her as a model to emulate. The novel is further unified by theme. Each of the mothers strives to instill in her daughter their Chinese heritage and customs. Each of the daughters, who want to be Americans, resists being Chinese. By the end of the novel, however, Jing-Mei, Waverly, Lena, and Rose all have a better

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appreciation of their mothers and the tradition in which they were raised. The similarity of their experiences is the final unifying factor that holds the loose plot together into a complex whole.

The Joy Luck Club – Point of View Mark Twain said there are at least three people inside every person – who you think you are, who others think you are, and who you really are.

Who is ____(Your Name Here)______? Directions: You will write about yourself from three different points of view. Each of your answers should be in short-answer format. 1. Who I AmGive details and information as to how you think of yourself. What makes up your identity? Describe yourself using first person voice: “I am...” Give interesting details about your background, accomplishments, feelings, hopes, etc.

written by you.

2. My Daughter/My Son

Ex.: “ I love my daughter Gina, but sometimes she makes me so angry!”

as you think your parent or guardian sees you. Use a third person voice.

3. My boyfriend, girlfriend, relative, etc.) sees you. Use a third person voice.

as you think another person (sister, brother,

Ex.: “My sister Gina is the best possible sister one could hope for. She is ...”

Joy Luck Club: Characters

Daughters J ing-Mei Woo

Jing-Mei Woo is the narrator who opens and closes the novel. While she is only one of four young women whose stories constitute the novel, the positioning of her story makes her seem to be the primary character, especially since her tales strongly develop the theme and plot of the entire book. Jing-Mei’s journeys are also complete within the novel. By the end of the book, she comes to understand her mother and her Chinese heritage, and she travels to China to fulfill her deceased mother’s dream. Among all the daughters in the novel, Jing-Mei is the one who best realizes her true identity, for she retains her Chinese values along with her American character.

As a person, Jing-Mei is simple in her tastes and manners. She is happy leading the life of a middle class woman and pursuing the career of a copywriter. She neither aims high nor envies others who hold high positions in life. Like her mother, she believes in “simple living and high thinking.” She also possesses her mother’s goodness and generosity. She is courteous to everyone and respects the wishes of her elders. When her father asks her to take the place of her mother in the Joy Luck Club, she agrees to do so. Later, when An-Mei persuades her to undertake the journey to China to fulfill Suyuan’s dream, Jing-Mei consents.

Although Jing-Mei is sensible, she is also sensitive. When Waverly Jong insults her in front of every one, she is devastated and can barely hold back her tears. Later in China, when she witnesses the reunion of her father and his aunt, she bites her lips “trying not to cry.” Then when she meets her half-sisters in Shanghai, they laugh and wipe “the tears from each other’s eyes.”

During the course of the novel, Jing-Mei transforms herself from an immature young girl who tries to assert her rights by defying her mother to a responsible woman who takes the place of her mother in the Joy Luck Club. As a child Jing-Mei had rebelled against her mother, who wanted her to be a brilliant student or a concert pianist. Jing-Mei, however, just wanted to be herself. Although her mother saved to buy her daughter a piano, Jing-Mei refused to practice. After she made a miserable performance at her recital, she never played the piano again. Only as an adult does she take an interest in the piano once again.

When Jing-Mei learns that her mother had left behind two infant twin daughters in China, she was shocked. Not understanding how much Suyuan suffered over the incident, Jing-Mei treats the situation lightly. Later, after her mother’s death, Jing-Mei learns from the women at the Joy Luck Club and from her father, Tin, the whole story of her mother’s sufferings in China. The knowledge helps to appreciate all that Suyuan has done for her. It also teaches her to appreciate her Chinese heritage. As a result, when she learns that the twins have been located, she is willing to go to China and meet them in order to share Suyuan’s story with them. The journey to her native land makes Jing-Mei proud to be a Chinese.

By the end of the book, she lives up to the meaning of her name; she has become the “pure essence” of goodness and Chinese values that her mother had longed for her to be. Waver ly Jong

Unlike Jing-Mei who finds maturity and peace within the novel, Waverly constantly struggles. As a child, she became a chess prodigy and champion, who is featured in Life Magazine. She gave up the game, however, to spite her mother, who seemed overly proud of her daughter’s accomplishments. Surprising, Lindo Jong does not seem to mind that Waverly no longer wins at chess; Waverly, however, misses the game terribly and beings to play again. Once she ceases to win all the time, Waverly finally quits the game forever.

Throughout life, Waverly has been a driven woman. Intelligent, ambitious, proud, arrogant, and sometimes cruel, she commands attention. Because she is a successful tax accountant, she becomes wealthy. She wears fashionable clothes and patronizes fancy salons; but she laughs at those beneath her. She is cruel to Jing-Mei at dinner when she criticizes her hair stylist and her copywriting skills. It is like she has to put down others to lift herself up.

Waverly always struggles with her Chinese heritage. She tries to make herself act very American and look less oriental. She often seems embarrassed by her mother, Lindo, and refuses to adopt the traits of humility and respect Lindo has tried to teach her. Concerned about appearances, Waverly takes her mother to see Rory, her hair stylist, so that Lindo’s hair can be properly styled when she meets the family of her fiancé, Rich Shields. At the hairdresser, Waverly becomes upset when Rory says that she looks like Lindo, for she does not want to appear Chinese.

Although Waverly projects a tough exterior, it is clear that she has some insecurities. Although she constantly argues with her mother and refutes her traditional Chinese views and values, Waverly also seeks her approval. She dreads telling Lindo that she is going to marry Rich, but she desperately wants her mother’s blessing. When her mother gives her approval, Waverly is greatly relieved.

Although Waverly struggles internally through most of the novel, she is developed as one of the most powerful characters, who has a zest for living, a drive to succeed, and a commanding personality. Completely opposite in nature from her mother, Waverly does come to understand Lindo better and fear her less by the end of the novel. She even begins to appreciate some of the Chinese heritage that her mother has tried to instill in her. Lena St. Clair

Lena is a fragile character. Throughout her life she has lacked the drive to assert herself; instead, she thinks and reacts according to what she believes others will think about her, especially her mother. As a result, Lena emerges as a mere shadow of Ying-ying St. Clair and is often characterized by a word like “ghost.” In truth, Lena is a portrait of fear in control.

In her childhood, Lena was commanded, controlled, and overprotected by Ying-Ying, who told her terrible tales of the consequences of disobedience. In turn, Lena developed into a meek and humble youth and a passive adult, who still submits to the wishes of her mother and husband. Fearful of censure, Lena never states her opinion or protests a decision, even when there is a strong need to do so.

Lena worked hard to help Harold, her husband, set up his business. Now that he is a successful businessman, he gives her no credit or appreciation. In fact, he makes her pay one- half of all the bills, even though he makes many times more than she does. Lena is too weak to protest the unfair treatment. In a like manner, she allows Harold to design and decorate the house that they have purchased and are redoing. She does not criticize him, even though she knows that the house is out of proportion and the furniture is too delicate. She is content to remain in Harold’s shadow, just as she has always been in Ying-ying’s shadow.

Lena fears her mother’s visit to the new house. She knows that her mother will openly criticize everything about it. More importantly, Lena knows that Ying-ying will see the misery of her marriage to Harold and criticize it as well. Her mother’s visit, however, encourages Lena to talk to Harold. She expresses a desire to change the pattern of their dull, mechanized life. The insensitive Harold is amazed to hear his wife voicing an opinion and cannot believe that she could possibly be unhappy with him or their life together.

At the end of the novel, Lena still seems fragile. There is hope, however, that she will become less timid. Encouraged by her mother, she makes an attempt to express herself and stand up for her beliefs. She has a long way to go before she will become that pillar of strength that Ying-ying would like to see, but the mother and the reader are encouraged by Lena’s small steps towards knowing who she is and standing up for herself. Rose Hsu Jordan

Rose Jordan is an educated woman with a mind of her own, but she lacks the courage to assert her identity. Like Lena, she is taken for granted by a selfish husband, who eventually leaves her for another woman. When Ted serves her the notice for a divorce, Rose breaks down, indulging in self- pity. Feeling helpless and depressed, she can barely function. She goes to see a psychiatrist to try and relieve her distress, but she always leaves his office feeling more confused. An-Mei, Rose’s mother, knows that her daughter needs to have more inner strength and wishes she could find a way to give it to her.

An-Mei does encourage Rose to stand up against Ted. As a result, she bravely tells her husband that she will not sign the divorce papers and that she will not let him take the house from her. It is the bravest things that

Rose has ever done. As a result, at the end of the novel, An-Mei and the reader feel encouraged about Rose, just as Ying-ying and the reader felt encouraged about Lena.

MOTHERS Suyuan Woo

Suyuan is the mother of Jing-Mei and the wife of Canning Woo. By the beginning of the novel, Suyuan has passed away, but her presence throughout the book is incredibly strong and vibrant. As the founding member of both the Chinese and the San Francisco branches of the Joy Luck Club, Suyuan is the thread that connects all the characters in the novel. She is the force in San Francisco’s Chinatown that has brought all the mothers together and sought to keep their Chinese heritage alive. As a result, her spirit lives on after her death.

Suyuan represents the silent, suffering woman who rises above her circumstances to carve a niche for herself in society. As a young girl, she had been married to an army officer and burdened with twin daughters. She had the responsibility of running the house while her husband was away fighting on the battlefield. To divert her mind from the dull routine of her life and her fears about the war, she started a Joy Luck Club and invited other women to join with her. The only requirement was that they had to have experienced sufferings and/or sorrows.

While Suyuan’s husband was away fighting, the Japanese invaded her native city of Kweilin, forcing her to flee from her home with her infant twins. She walked for days, seeking shelter and security. Along the way she left behind the possessions that she carried. Finally, feverish, starving and bleeding from hands and feet, she left the twins on the side of the road in order to go and find some food. She passed out on the way and was rescued by a missionary truck; but her twins were permanently separated from her.

Suyuan came to America, where she gave birth to another daughter, Jing-Mei. She also founded a second Joy Luck Club. She shared the story of her past with the other women in the club and disclosed to them that her one wish in life was to be reunited with her lost daughters. Her faith that she would one day find the missing twins transformed her from a bitter and unhappy victim of war to a vibrant mother and friend, who was liked by everyone. Suyuan’s wisdom, hope, spirit, and belief in Chines tradition are developed throughout the novel and help to unify it into a whole. After her death, Jing-Mei takes Suyuan’s place in the Joy Luck Club. The women of the club give her the money to travel to China to meet her half-sisters, who have finally been located. In making the trip, Jing-Mei finally comes to fully understand her mother’s Chinese spirit and strength of character. An-Mei Hsu

An-Mei is the friend of Suyuan, the mother of Rose Jordan, and the wife of George Hsu. She is

intelligent, perceptive, and sensible. She has always understood her position in life and acted according to her conscience. Like Suyuan, she suffered greatly in her earlier life in China. As a child, she had been taken by her mother to the house of Wu Tsing, where her mother was a concubine. Not wanting An-Mei to experience a similar life, her mother kills herself to set An- Mei free. Her death instills courage and strength in An-Mei. She is able to assert her identity and raise her voice against exploitation.

When she comes to America, An-Mei works in a fortune cookie factory, marries George Hsu, and has seven children. Although An-Mei suffers personal loss in her life, she does not turn bitter. When her son, Bing, drowns, she loses faith in God, but not in herself. Because she believes in herself, An-Mei is always willing to reach out a helping hand to others. She helps Lindo Jong to establish herself in America and encourages Jing-Mei to undertake a journey to China to fulfil her mother’s wish. An-Mei also tries to give Rose a similar strength of character to her own. When she sees her daughter suffering because of her husband, she persuades Rose to confront Ted and assert her rights.

Although An-Mei is a scarred woman, she is never defeated. Repeatedly through the book, she shows her strength of character.

Lindo Jong

Lindo Jong is the mother of Waverly and the wife of Tin Jong. In all aspects, she is a combination of the old and the new. Although she is a traditionalist, determined to preserve her Chinese heritage, she is also individualistic and encourages her children to be the same. Like Suyuan and An-Mei, Lindo suffered in her early life in China. At a young age, she was married off to a man she did not know or love. Although she was treated poorly by her husband and his family, she was an obedient girl and never contemplated running away from her horrid situation, for she would not want to dishonor the name of her parents. In the end, she concocts a story that allows her to honorably get out of the marriage, which was never consummated.

A natural thinker, Lindo Jong is intelligent, enterprising, and practical. When she escapes to America, she finds a husband and quickly has three children so she can insure her American citizenship. As a devoted mother, she wants her children to have the best of both the old world and the new. She encourages Waverly to be the best she can be and is pleased when she becomes a chess prodigy. Her expectations for her daughter are so high that Waverly resents Lindo and her interference, but she longs for her approval and blessing. When Waverly decides to marry Rich Shields, she fears telling Lindo about her plans, but she knows she must have her mother’s approval. To Waverly’s surprise, Lindo blesses the union and even tries to impress Waverly’s future in-laws, in order to please her daughter.

In every way, Lindo proves she is a wise and determined woman and a devoted mother. Ying-Ying St. Clair

Ying-ying is the mother of Lena Livotny and the wife of Clifford St Clair. During the course of the novel, she evolves from a wild youth to a cautious and disillusioned woman. Growing up in a wealthy Chinese family, she admits that she was a tiger in search of its prey. She married the wrong man at a young age. When she became pregnant, he deserted her for another woman, causing her to become disillusioned and bitter. She aborts her unborn child and goes to live in poverty and squalor with her cousins. Her body is alive, but her spirit is dead.

Ying-ying marries Clifford St. Clair even though she does not love him for many years. When she has a daughter, she overprotects her because she feels insecure. As a result, Lena grows up and is unable to stand up for herself. She also fears her mother’s disapproval. As an adult, she dreads her mother coming for a visit, for she knows that Ying-ying will be critical of her new home and her shallow marriage. In truth, Ying-ying is critical because she wants something better for Lena than what she has experienced herself. She knows what it is like to endure unhappiness, and she wants more for her daughter. As a result, she encourages Lena to stand up to her insensitive husband and tell him that she is not happy with their dull, mechanized marriage. In the end, Lena understands and appreciates her mother’s spirit.

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ____________ Who's Jong? The Joy Luck Club

People Identification Traits or Purpose 1. Lindo

2. Waverly

3. Rich Schields

4. Tyan-yu

5. Lindo's mother

6. Lau po

7. Shoshana

8. Marvin Chen

9. Tin Jong

10. Winston and Vincent

11. Huang Taitai

Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ____________ Who's Hsu? The Joy Luck Club

People Identification Traits or Purpose 1. Taitai

2. An-mei

3. Rose

4. Ted

5. Second Wife

6. George

7. First Wife

8. Third Wife

9. Fifth Wife

10. Popo

11. Aunt

12. Yang Chang

13. Wu Tsing

14. Old Mr. Chou

15. Luke

16. Syadi

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: ____________ Hsuisms The Joy Luck Club

Throughout the Joy Luck Club, stories, fables, and superstitions are told to teach the next generation lessons. Rose remembers all the stories her mother told her which she believed when she was a young girl.

"Popo told me about a girl who refused to listen to her elders. One day this bad girl shook her head so vigorously to refuse her auntie's simple request that a little white ball fell from her ear and outpoured all her brains, as clear as chicken broth" (34).

You will be working in pairs. Your assignment is three-fold.

(1) You need to go through the three Hsu family stories we've read so far: "Scar", "Half and Half", and "Without Wood" and select one of the childhood stories and summarize it below.

(2) Next, you need to write down a story you were told as child. (3) You need to write your own story. It's similar to the stories we wrote last time, but

this time, it's just the essence of the story: the myth. Write the myth below. (4) Finally, we'll go around sharing the myths/superstitions/folklore/old wives tales,

whatever you'd like to consider them.

The Joy Luck Club – Lunar Calendar/Animal Year (10 points possible)

The Chinese use a lunar calendar, which is divided into 12 months of either 29 or 30 days. This calendar runs on a sixty-year cycle. Each year in the zodiac is assigned an animal. Directions: Using the internet, look up the animal year in which you were born. Include a brief description of the qualities that year is told to possess. Which of these qualities do you believe to be true about yourself? Extra Credit: (worth 5 points) The Chinese and the Vietnamese both have New Year's celebrations based on the ancient lunar calendar. Find out the names of the two celebrations.

Feng Shui Feng shui is understanding the flow of chi, the hidden life breath that permeates the environment. When chi is in disarray, misfortunes rule the day. Learn to recognize the hidden energizes of chi. In basic, layman's terms feng shui guides the decoration of one's house through the sense of balance. You want an area not to be too cluttered nor too sparse. You want to have a balance between dark colors with light colors. You need to balance the technological [ie. computers, stereos, and the like] with image of nature if not nature itself [plants, flowers, LIFE]. The belief is that by surrounding yourself with a good balance, it effects your own energy or outlook on life or just situations really. If you feel relaxed and comfortable in your home and work environment, you can let the disturbances of energy, the countless obstacles and bumps in the road we encounter, flow in and right out with tide of energy. Here are a FEW key things to look for: Yin and Yang in the Cosmic Balance: All the energies of your personal space are in a constant balance that brings harmony. Yin is cool and dark and lifeless. Yang is hot and bright and full of lie. Keep these forces in harmony within your home and you will enjoy good luck. Create yin and yang balance with comfortable levels of light and shade. Regular Shapes are Better: Squares and rectangles have better feng shui than triangles or shapes with missing corners [think balance, symmetry]. Ratio of Windows: The ratio of windows to doors in your rooms should not exceed 3:1. Too many windows cause all your luck to seep away. It is also better not to have windows on the wall opposite the door. Fresh Flowers for more Yang: Fresh flowers bring yang energy into the rooms of your home but become depressingly yin when they wither and die. Never leave dying or dried flowers in your home. Detect the Killing Energy of Overhead Beams: Exposed overhead beams cause bad energy to press down on anyone sitting or sleeping below. Hang a five-rod windchime on the beam to counter this feng shui defect in the home. Do ensure that the rods are hollow rather than solid so that the chi can travel through them and transform them into good luck.

Use Mirrors to Enlarge Tight Corners: Large mirrors are excellent for enhancing the stale energy of a tight or cramped space. Place the mirror on a wall that does not face the door. Let the mirror create a feeling of space but do not let it reflect the door directly since this will cause all the good fortune to dissipate. Never allow mirrors to reflect the bed. Reflections in the mirror suggest the presence of a third party. Do not sleep under an exposed beam. This cause sleepless nights. Hang a Picture of a Sunrise in the South: The south is the place of new opportunities [remember the east is the beginning]. A picture of a sunrise in this corner of your room will open up bright new avenues for growth in your life. Enhance Your Social Life: Hang a bright light and place a cluster of natural quartz crystals in the wouth west corner of your home, living room, or bedroom. The light should be turned on for at least three hours each evening. Positioning Beds for Good Luck: Always place your bed in the corner of the bedroom diagonally opposite the entrance. Never sleep with you head or feet pointing directly at the door. Always have a headboard on your bed. Push the head of your bed against the wall. Sleep at least 18" above the floor. Never sleep facing away from the door - you should always be able to see the entrance. When you sleep next to very large windows, or worse, if the bedroom is next to the window, the chi entering your room is much too powerful. Your sleep will be disturbed and your energies over-stimulated. The result will be disharmony and discord. Cover the window with heavy drapes, or at least havea second light layer of curtains to difffuse the flow of chi. If you bed is located between the entrance door and the door to the bathroom, the energies that flow across your bed are said to be afflicted. Rearrange your bed or place a screen between the bed and one of the doors Paintings in the Room: Do not hang pictures of fierce animals, abstract subjects or water in the bedroom. Elsewhere water is very good feng shui, but in the bedroom it suggests financial loss. Sleeping Under Windows of a Ceiling Fan: Avoid having your bed underneath a window since this will disturb the energies around you all through the night. Use blinds and heavy curtains to cover the window. Try not to sleep directly

under a ceiling fan or a very bright light. This also causes the energies to become too active during the night. Bedroom Doors: The door into your bedroom should not face a kitchen or toilet door. Hang a windchime between the two doors to dissolve the bad energy created. Bedroom doors should not face staircases, a mirror or another door. If they do, keep them closed or hang a light or windchime. Desk Area: If you want to have the support of your superiors and colleagues, always sit with the wall behind you and the door in front of you. The wall provides security and protection. To strengthen this support, hang a picture of a mountain range behind you. Remember, there is nothing stronger than a mountain. Never sit with your back to the door. You are more likely to be cheated and betrayed. If you sit with a window behind you, you will lack support. In any crisis or difficulty you will be among the first to suffer. Place a solid cabinet behind you to symbolize the mountain. But do not place a bookshelf there since this signifies knives cutting into your back. Open bookshelves should be closed up since they create hostile energies in the office. The ideal sittting orientation is diagonal to the door, facing it. Desks should not face the door directly since the incoming energy will be too powerful. It is a good idea to have a light directly above the door to create auspicious yang energy in the office.

Joy Luck Club Extra Credit Assignment

The following assignment will replace your lowest quiz score within the Joy Luck Club unit. I will replace the quiz grade with whatever grade you receive on this project, so it’s in your best interest to shoot for 100%!

Feng Shui

As we’ve discussed in class, Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The idea is to arrange your living space in such as way as to maintain balance, thus allowing positive spiritual energy to enter your life and bless you with its goodness. Regardless of whether or not you personally believe in Feng Shui (and who among us can come to that conclusion right now without studying it in depth?), this assignment asks you to give the practice a try. You will need to complete the following things in order to do this assignment: 1. Read the information about Feng Shui attached to this handout.

2. Draw an overhead view of your bedroom. Use graph paper to make your lines straight, or use the computer to help you. Include EVERYTHING in your room: windows, doors, furniture (bed, dresser, desk, bedside table, couch, etc.), accessories (art, posters, mirrors, bulletin boards, etc.), electronics (phone, computer, television, etc.), and clutter (piles of clothes, garbage, etc.). Make your drawing big enough so that you can clearly label what each item is. You do not have to keep it exactly to scale, but try your best. 3. On a SEPARATE sheet of paper, TYPE up the following for EACH of the items drawn in your floor plan:

a. Is this item placed correctly according to the basic principles of Feng Shui? Why or why not? b1. If the item IS correctly placed, what positive effects is the item generating? b2. If the item is NOT correctly placed, what negative effects could the item be generating? c. If the item is NOT correctly placed, how can you remedy the situation? In other words, should you move the item? get rid of it? Cover it? Keep in mind that there are some things you cannot move, so mirrors, color, art, etc. could also solve the “problem.”

4. Lastly, have a parent sign your floor plan with this simple comment: “Yes, my child’s room does look like this!” And then have him/her add his/her signature.

Grading

I will judge this assignment on two primary criteria: 1. The neatness of your presentation (yes, artistic and computer skills help here!) 2. Your ability to make ties between your room and the principles of Feng Shui.

Enjoy! I look forward to seeing your room!


Joy Luck Club

Projects and Papers

©2011


Joy Luck Club Family Poster Assignment

25 points per group member As a culminating activity for the Joy Luck Club, you will be working with four other people to create a poster for one of the families that we studied in the Joy Luck Club. Here's what you'll need to do: The poster should tell the story of the particular family that you have selected. In order to do this, four of you will take a story each, and the fifth person will be responsible for summarizing the family in general. Step One: Decide who will work on which story and who will work on the overall summary. Student Name Story Name/Family

1. Find one word or phrase that summarizes the main message of the story/family.

Summary

Step Two: Create an individual piece that contains all of the following information as it pertains to your particular assignment. BE CREATIVE IN YOUR PRESENTATION! IT COUNTS!

2. Using a Chinese/English dictionary, find and copy the Chinese symbol that is the best translation of the

English word/phrase that you selected above. 3. Create a list of AT LEAST five (5) main points for your story/family and present them in writing. 4. Select AT LEAST one (1) main object that takes on symbolic significance in your story/family.

Explain it and its significance. 5. Make connections to the family's background and central issues. This can be done separately or within

steps three and four above. Step Three: Put everyone's information together in one poster presentation. Here is where you again earn points for working together and for being creative.

1. Decorate the poster appropriately so that the overall messages and concerns of your particular family become apparent visually. (Remember that the color red is significant!)

2. Everyone's individual contribution must be presented on the poster. The presentations should be

arranged in a way that show the family's main message. Step Four: Present the poster to the class in an organized, coherent way that will enable people to review for the final!

The Joy Luck Club Family Box Project Together with seven other classmates, you will work to create a box of mementos for a family from the novel. This is how it will work: As an individual, you will be responsible for: 1. You and a partner will be assigned one story from a family. My partner is: My story is: 2. Based on that story, you will write either a dairy entry or a letter. It is up to you to decide who writes which one and from what perspective, but they need to compliment one another. Example: If Joey writes a diary from Waverly’s perspective, then Jessica writes a letter from Lindo’s point of view. Whichever one you write must be the equivalent of one full page typed (with standard margins and font). You may want to type it on something other than white paper (or decorate the paper) for its placement in the box (see below). 3. Each of you has to come up with a different symbol/heirloom from your story. You need to actually bring this to class in some form so that it can be placed in your group’s box (see below). Example: You and your partner were assigned “Two Kinds.” One of you decides to use the scratched piano and the other wants to use the sheet music for the two songs. Obviously, you cannot bring in a piano, so you need to design a miniature version of it. With each symbol, enclose a paragraph that explains its significance. The paragraph should be typed and cut out on a small square piece of paper. Attach it to the symbol. You will receive an individual grade for the diary/letter entry and the symbol. The one page of writing will be worth 25 points and the symbol with explanation will be worth 25 points. As a group, you will be responsible for: 1. You and your group will design a box in which all of your letters, diary entries, and symbols/heirlooms can be kept. The box needs to meet the following criteria: a. The family name needs to be clearly visible somewhere on the box. b. Your group’s names need to appear on the bottom of the box. c. The box needs to reflect your family. Some suggestions would be (but you should feel free to be as creative as possible): •Water-colored paper wrapped around the box •Paper mache •Use color, shapes, etc. to convey meaning •Montage of drawings •Dried flowers, beads, sequins, etc. •Contact paper cut-outs •Laminate your creation in clear Contact Paper •Three-dimensional attachments

d. You need some sort of filling for your box: tissue, strips of tissue, moss, tinsel, etc. e. No magazine pictures are allowed. Place all of the individual materials in the box: 4 letters, 4 diary entries, 8 symbols/heirlooms. All eight of you will present your family and box to the class on the due date

a. The family’s background should be explained.

. Everyone must speak, and you need to cover the following information:

b. The four stories should be briefly summarized. You may use the letters/dairy entries to help make this interesting. c. The eight symbols/heirlooms need to be presented and explained. d. The box’s design needs to be presented and explained. e. You need to be organized -- knowing who will speak when. Make eye-contact. The box will receive a group grade of 25 points and the presentation will receive an individual grade of 25 points.

The Joy Luck Club Family Box Project

Group Members: ________________________________________________________________

Family: ________________________________

Box Creation Grade: ___________

___ Family Name

___ Creativity

___ Applicable

___ Member's Names

___ Filling

Story: _______________________________________

Diary Entry by: __________________________________

___ Required Length

___ Grammar/mechanical errors

___ Character Consistency

Journal Entry by: _________________________________

___ Required Length



Symbols: ___________________________by _______________________________

___ Creativity ___ Applicable

___________________________by _______________________________


Story: _______________________________________

Diary Entry by: __________________________________

___ Required Length



Journal Entry by: _________________________________

___ Required Length



Symbols: ___________________________by _______________________________


___________________________by _______________________________


Story: _______________________________________

Diary Entry by: __________________________________

___ Required Length



Journal Entry by: _________________________________

___ Required Length



Symbols: ___________________________by _______________________________


___________________________by _______________________________


Story: _______________________________________

Diary Entry by: __________________________________

___ Required Length



Journal Entry by: _________________________________

___ Required Length



Symbols: ___________________________by _______________________________


___________________________by _______________________________


Grade: _____________

Total Grade: _____________

The Joy Luck Club – In-Class Essay Topics Directions: Review the essay topics listed below. Think carefully about which one you feel you could write the most about. You will be writing an in-class essay using quotations from the novel to support your claims. 1. Jing-mei fears that she cannot tell Suyuan's story to her half-sisters because she feels that she did not know her mother well enough. Considering her doubts, what is symbolically significant about her agreement to fill Suyuan's place in the Joy Luck Club? What hints do we receive over the course of the book that her fears may be unfounded? 2. Consider some of the cyclical elements in the narratives of The Joy Luck Club. What are some possible reasons for the cyclical nature of the novel? 3. When Jing-mei tells the story of her childhood conflict with Suyuan over piano lessons, how does her perspective of herself and of her relationship with Suyuan change? How does their conflict represent the conflicts between the other mothers and daughters in the book? 4. How are the daughters in The Joy Luck Club American "translations" of their mothers? 5. Over the course of The Joy Luck Club, the mothers find themselves learning as much from their daughters as their daughters are learning from them. Discuss what lessons the mothers might have to learn from their daughters. How might the very activity of narrating their stories lead them not just to the sharing of insights but the discovery of new ones? 6. Throughout The Joy Luck Club, one of the main themes is choosing between becoming “Americanized” like the rest of society or preserving the Chinese culture. Choose one of the eight main characters who feel this dilemma of being torn between two opposite societies and trace this inner struggle that forces her to decide which path to follow. Does this choice destroy the Chinese past, or does it prohibit the character’s “Americanization?” 7. The Joy Luck Club focuses on four sets of mothers and daughters – the Woos, the St. Clairs, the Jongs, and the Hsus. We follow their stories and see the similarities and differences within each family. Choose one mother-daughter pair, and describe the differences between parent and child. Then explore the ways in which the daughters (whether they want to or not) become reflections of their mothers. 8. June Woo comments, “My mother could sense that the women of these families also had unspeakable tragedies they had left behind in China”(6). Identify these “unspeakable tragedies” and discuss how the women involved are affected by these tragedies.

Outline: The Joy Luck Club

Your topic: ____________________________________________________________________

Use the format below and complete this outline as thoroughly as possible.

I. Introduction (list ideas for your introduction - remember to star t with a hook!)

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Write your thesis out (be sure to include author and title) you will under line this in your

essay: ________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

II. Body Paragraph #1

Topic Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Examples to support topic sentence (minimum two, and include quotes!)

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Concluding Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

III. Body Paragraph #2

Topic Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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IV. Body Paragraph #3

Topic Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________


_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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V. Conclusion

Ideas for conclusion - be sure to r econnect to introduction; restate thesis.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Rubric: Joy Luck Club Essay Writer: _________________________________ Content (70 points) • Introduction

_____ Moves from general to specific with a hook _____ Includes title of book and author _____ Thesis statement is clearly stated & is the last sentence of introduction

• Body Paragraph 1

_____ Topic sentence adequately support thesis _____ Each body paragraph includes at least 2 specific examples from the novel _____ Transitions from one thought to the next _____ Each body paragraph ends with a conclusion sentence

• Body Paragraph 2 _____ Topic sentence adequately support thesis _____ Each body paragraph includes at least 2 specific examples from the novel _____ Transitions from one thought to the next _____ Each body paragraph ends with a conclusion sentence

• Quotations

_____ Includes minimum of four quotes: _____ Quote 1: Introduced/Blended/Explained & Connected _____ Quote 2: Introduced/Blended/Explained & Connected _____ Quote 3: Introduced/Blended/Explained & Connected _____ Quote 4: Introduced/Blended/Explained & Connected

• Conclusion

_____ Moves from the specific to the general _____ Restates thesis statement in new/creative manner _____ Reconnects to introduction/hook

CONTENT GRADE: __________________ Grammar/MLA Format (20 points) • One point off for every grammatical/mechanics/spelling error ______ • One point off for every error in MLA format ______ GRAMMAR/MLA GRADE: ____________________ Final Grade: ___________________

Essay Prompt: The Joy Luck Club For this essay, you will be writing a multi-paragraph essay on one of the following prompts related to The Joy Luck Club. The essay is worth 100 points and is due on ___________________. Requirements: • A sophisticated introduction that begins with a hook that clearly engages the reader. • The introduction must state the author and title of the novel. • The thesis statement must clearly state what the essay will be about. • Each body paragraph must have a minimum of two quotes, in proper MLA format. • A minimum of four quotes total in the essay must consist of: one long quote, one short quote, and two quotes of choice. • The structure of the body paragraphs should be as follows: • Topic sentence • Introduction to the support • Textual support • Interpretation of the textual support • Relation of significance of the textual support to the topic sentence • Transition into second example • Repeat same process as above with the second example • Concluding statement • The essay must end with a conclusion paragraph that wraps up what has been stated in the essay. The final sentence of this paragraph must reconnect with the hook in the introduction. This is known as a universal statement, and when you connect the hook with the universal, you have created “bookends” which hold your paper together. • The essay must be 2-3 pages, but no longer than 3 pages. Remember it's all about quality not quantity. • The essay must be typed, in MLA format Prompts: 1. Book reviewer Carolyn See stated: "[The mothers'] deepest wish is to pass their knowledge, their

tales, on to their children, especially to their daughters, but those young women are undergoing a slow death of their own, drowning in American culture at the same time they starve for a past they can never fully understand." Select one of the mother/daughter pairings and prove or disprove this statement.

2. Using any two of the women, show how their strength helped them overcome adversity. 3. The ancient Chinese poet Fu Hsuan says, "How sad it is to be a woman!" Show how the lives of two

of the women from the book prove or disprove this statement. 4. Critic Calerie Miner commented: "The mothers remain loyal to their often-disappointing daughters.

The women in each family are held together by pride, embarrassment, and longing. They are indeed, the loves of one another's lives." Prove this in the lives of two of the mothers from the novel.


Joy Luck Club

Tests and Quizzes

©2011


Name: ____________________________________________________ Period: ___________________

Reading Quiz: The Hsu Family in

The Joy Luck Club

Part I: Matching Match the correct description to the correct character. Each answer will only be used once. A. Taitai AB. Wu Tsing BD. Fifth Wife B. An-mei AC. First Wife BE. Yan Chang C. Rose AD. Second Wife CD. Bing D. Ted AE. Third Wife CE. Syaudi E. Popo BC. Fourth Wife DE. Luke 1. Taitai's friend and servant 2. Wu Tsing's prized son 3. A young girl who lacks social skills and is of a lower class 4. Becomes obsessed with Buddhism and the use of opium 5. An-mei's brother who drowns 6. Puts a piece of her flesh into her dying mother's soup as a sign of respect 7. An-mei's grandmother 8. Has a scar on her chin from soup being spilled 9. Considered "ugly" and gives Wu Tsing three daughters 10. Desperately desires a son and seems to keep marrying until he gets one 11. An-mei's brother who is an obvious Biblical allusion 12. An-mei believes that she is “without wood” 13. Unable to have children and is a master manipulator 14. Loses a malpractice suit and loses faith in himself 15. Syuadi's birth mother Part II: Multiple Choice Choose the answer that BEST completes each question. 16. An-mei received her scar from:

a. a burn b. a knife wound c. an operation d. a branding iron

17. An-mei’s mother, Taitai, was scarred by: a. a burn b. a knife wound c. an operation d. a branding iron

18. Popo told An-mei that An-mei’s mother: a. had moved to America b. had moved to Japan c. had eloped d. was a ghost

19. An-mei keeps her small leatherette Bible: a. in her bookcase b. on her bureau c. under the table d. on the front seat of her car

20. As a married adult, the word that best describes Rose Hsu Jordan is: a. sarcastic b. belligerent c. assertive d. passive

21. Ted Jordan’s attitude towards his wife began to change after: a. he fell in love with his nurse b. he lost a malpractice suit c. Rose had a miscarriage d. Rose decided she didn’t want children

22. When she saw Bing fall into the water, Rose: a. did nothing b. screamed for her father c. ran into the ocean fully clothed d. ran to her mother

23. Within twenty-four hours of Bing’s death, which of the following does An-mei NOT do?

a. slap Rose b. drive a car for the first time c. throw her ring in the ocean d. lose her faith

24. Old Mr. Chou is: a. a retired trainman b. the neighborhood piano teacher c. sleeping/dreaming d. the tenant who lives above the Hsus

25. An-mei seems to resent Rose’s: a. financial understanding b. popularity c. boyfriends d. psychiatrist

26. An-mei tells Rose that Rose lacks: a. financial understanding b. good morals c. wood d. compassion

27. Ted’s garden, when he comes for the divorce papers, is full of: a. roses b. weeds c. exotic plants d. trash from the neighbor’s yard

28. An-mei’s mother told her that: a. turtles ate tears b. turtles made a health-giving soup c. turtles could no longer live in their family’s pond d. An-mei had been born in the year of the turtle

29. An-mei’s mother married Wu Tsing because: a. she was lonely b. he was wealthy c. she was raped d. she needed a home

30. Second Wife gives An-mei: a. a pet turtle b. a necklace c. a shawl d. a sapphire ring

31. An-mei’s family believes that after a person dies, on the third day: a. his soul rises to heaven b. his soul returns to settle scores c. his body should be cremated d. the family should gather to honor the dead person

Part III: True/False Mark “A” if the statement is true and “B” if the statement is false. 32. An-mei and her brother live with Popo, their grandfather. 33. An-mei’s mother is referred to as a “ghost” because she is dead. 34. An-mei’s scar is the result of a car accident. 35. An-mei loses her faith when her daughter marries an Irish-American 36. Rose’s mother is pleased that she is filing for divorce. 37. An-mei’s son is killed in the war. 38. An-mei characterizes those “without wood” as people who are afraid to act. 39. Rose receives divorce papers and a check for $10,000 from her husband, Harold. 40. An-mei encourages Rose to stand up to her husband. 41. When An-mei was a child, her aunt and uncle raised her. 42. When Popo dies, An-mei is reunited with her mother. 43. Her mother is the fourth wife to Wu-Tsing, a wealthy merchant. 44. An-mei’s mother is elated when her husband brings home a fifth wife. 45. An-mei’s mother commits suicide after her husband leaves her. Part IV: Short Answer (5 points each) Answer the question briefly on the reverse of your scantron under the section titled “name.” You must use complete sentences

.

At the end of “Magpies,” An-mei tells of a newspaper story about peasants and birds. Explain the reason for including this story and how it ties with An-mei’s tale.

The Joy Luck Club Reading Quiz: The Jong Family

18 points – 3 points each

Multiple choice: Choose the answer that BEST completes each statement. 1. Lindo Jong was betrothed to her husband when she was:

a. two years old b. four years old c. eight years old d. sixteen years old

2. The matchmaker said that originally Lindo had been born with a deficiency in:

a. wood b. fire c. metal d. water

3. After Vincent received the chess set, Lindo:

a. did not want her daughter to play with it. b. insisted that Vincent teach Waverly to play c. told Vincent to play by Chinese rules only d. wanted to throw the set away

4. Waverly and Rich postpone their wedding:

a. because Lindo refuses to have Shoshana stay with her b. July is too hot to travel to China for their honeymoon c. Lindo insists on going with them to China for their honeymoon d. because Lindo says that July weddings bring bad luck

5. Lindo is especially proud of her:

a. her cooking b. her tiny feet c. her housekeeping d. her hair

6. Waverly’s first marriage probably failed because:

a. Marvin was selfish b. Lindo didn’t approve of the marriage c. Waverly became pregnant d. Marvin cheated on her

Reading Quiz: The St. Claire Family in The Joy Luck Club

Par t I: Matching Match the correct description to the correct character. Each answer will only be used once. A. Amah B. Harold Livotny

C. Ying-ying D. Clifford St. Claire

E. Lena F. #2 & #

1. Ying-ying's nanny as a child 2. Ying-ying's twin half-sisters 3. The mother of Lena 4. Ying-ying's daughter she yearns to communicate with 5. Architect husband with no sympathy for Lena 6. Shows his love for his wife by showering her with cheap gifts

Par t II: Multiple Choice Choose the answer that BEST completes each question. Remember that all questions refer to the book and NOT the movie! " The Moon Lady" 7. Ying-ying's wish is to

A. Be found. B. Run away.

C. Grow up to be rich. D. Marry a rich man.

8. Her wish never comes true because A. She told Amah her wish. B. The moon lady refused to listen to her.

C. She never finds herself. D. The Moon Lady was a man.

9. Ying-ying dirties her dress from a. Beating one of her classmates. b. Spilling food on her dress.

c. Jumping into the river. d. Watching the fish being gutted.

10. She tries to fix the problem by A. Smearing blood on her dress. B. Washing it in the river.

C. Buying a new dress. D. Throws the dress in the river.

11. She feels closer to the beginning of her life because A. She starting to go through dementia. B. She cannot communicate.

C. She feels the same emotions of restlessness and loneliness.

D. She wants to be lost again." The Voice from the Wall" 12. What happed to the first child Ying Ying had with her first husband?

A. It was kidnapped by the father. B. She killed it.

C. She left it on the road. D. She put it up for adoption.

13. Lena didn't know she was half Chinese because A. of her last name & her father was

English-Irish. B. She didn't look Chinese.

C. She didn't know how to speak Chinese.

D. She went to American only school. 14. Lena's father changed two things about her mother at Angel Island

A. Her parents' names & her place of birth B. Her name & place of birth.

C. Her DOB and her name. D. Her place and date of birth.

15. This alteration at Angel Island began A. Ying-ying's losing her spirit. B. Ying-ying's drift from her family.

C. Lena's quest to know her mom. D. St. Claire's desire to control Ying-ying

16. The grocery clerk yelled at her

A. Because Chinese weren't supposed to shop there.

B. For opening jars and smelling them.

C. She was paying with the wrong money. D. She was throwing things off the shelves.

17. What happens to Lena's baby brother at his birth?

A. He is born with a weak heart. B. He is born with a weak spirit.

C. He is born healthy. D. He is born with a whole in his head.

18. Her mother felt guilt about the baby because A. She did nothing to prevent it. B. She was smoking during the pregnancy.

C. The baby never had a chance. D. She really wanted to child.

19. How does Lena St. Clair's relationship with her mother differ from the girls next door, Theresa Sorci and her mother?

A. Lena's mom loves her more. B. Lena's mom physically abuses her.

C. Theresa's mom loves her more. D. Theresa's mom physically abuses her.

" Rice Husband" 20. "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" means

A. We must learn how to age. B. We must take care of our teeth.

C. One thing is always a result of another D. We must constantly protect ourselves.

21. Both Ying-ying and Lena are born under the A. Tiger B. Dragon C. Rat D. Snake

22. Ying-ying knew her husband was going to die when A. The doctor said he had cancer. B. The philodendron plant died from

damaged roots.

C. Her husband told her of his plan to kill himself.

D. She never knew. 23. What kind of marriage does Lena and Harold have?

A. Loving B. Dysfunctional

C. Businesslike D. B & C

24. Ying-ying questions Lena's marriage when she sees A. Lena not wearing her wedding ring. B. A Cluttered household.

C. The divided grocery list on the refrigerator.

D. Another woman's stockings. 25. Harold asks Lena to move in with him because

A. He tells her he could use the $500. B. He tells her he loves her.

C. He wants to marry her. D. She's pregnant.

26. The table in the guest room symbolizes A. The strong foundation of Lena &

Harold's relationship. B. Harold's ineptness as an architect.

C. Lena's need to hold onto the past. D. Lena & Harold's broken, off-balanced

relationship. 27. Lena is like her mother in that she

A. Is a strong woman. B. Knows exactly who she is.

C. Remains silent with a hidden strength. D. Wants to return to China.

" Waiting Behind Trees" 28. Her mother names her Ying-ying's, Clear Reflection, because

A. She likes to swim in the water. B. She's just like her mother.

C. She can foresee the future. D. She has deep penetrating eyes.

29. Ying-ying came from a A. Rich household. B. A poor farming family.

C. An heiress. D. Family of mixed ethnicity.

30. Ying-ying's husbands name was A. Harold. B. Mao Sai

C. Edwing D. Never told. 31. The breaking open of the watermelon symbolizes

A. Nourishment. B. Temptation. C. Losing drive.

D. Nothing, she just wanted some watermelon.

32. Ying-ying's first husband A. Died in her arms. B. Committed suicide after his son died.

C. Died in the war. D. Left her for an opera singer.

33. Who is waiting behind trees? A. Lena B. Harold

C. Clifford D. Ying-ying

34. This symbolizes the character's A. Desire to not be found. B. Desire to share and reveal the past.

C. Strength as a "hunter". D. Confusion.

35. What decision does the Ying-ying finally make A. To pass on her spirit. B. To give her the special heirloom.

C. To move on. D. Return home to China.

Reading Quiz: The Woo Family in The Joy Luck Club The Woo Family: True/False Mark “A” for true and “B” for false. 1. Suyuan tells Jing-mei the story of her life and escape from China all at once. 2. Traditional Chinese marriages are arranged by parents or matchmakers. 3. June refers to all the Joy Luck Club members as aunties and uncles. 4. The money which Suyuan’s friends gave to June (Jing-mei) came from stock options they held

just before Suyuan’s death. 5. Suyuan saw the role model for Jing-mei (a Chinese Shirley Temple) on television. 6. As June's playing her piece at the talent show, she begins to think she's actually good. 7. Anutie Ying-Ying wrote to June's sisters telling them their mother was dead. 8. Waverly doesn't want to go to June's hairdresser because he's too expensive. 9. June selected a crab from the store which ended up breaking its leg. The Woo Family: Multiple Choice 10. Who asks Jing-mei (June) to replace her mother at the Joy Luck Club? a. Auntie An-Mei Hsu b. Mr. Channing Woo c. Auntie Lindo Jong d. Auntie Ying-ying St. Clair 11. Who hosts the Joy Luck Club the night June attends?

a. Auntie An-Mei b. Channing Woo c. Auntie Lindo d. Auntie Ying-ying

12. Where was the Joy Luck Club first established? a. Kweilin b. Canton c. Chungking d. Nanking

13. Who has kept her “new” furniture wrapped in yellowed plastic for almost 25 years? a. Suyuan Woo b. Auntie An-mei c. Auntie Lindo d. Auntie Ying-ying

14. At the mah-jong table, where is June seated? Hint: it’s her mother’s seat. a. the north side b. the south side c. the east side d. the west side

15. What was June’s job? a. art director b. tax lawyer c. copywriter d. pianist

16. June disgraces her family: a. in her school work. b. in her denial of her heritage. c. in a talent show. d. in a chess contest.

17. June doesn't play the piano well because a. she's not talented b. she wants to spite her mom

c. she's too lazy to practice d. she can't practice without a piano

18. Suyuan pays for June's lessons by a. cleaning Mr. Chong's apartment b. selling all her jewelry c. asking the Aunties for money d. cooking fo r Mr. Chong

19. After the recital Suyuan a. tells June how disappointed in her she is.

b. gives the piano back to Mr. Chong. c. gives June the silent treatment. d. tells June she is no daughter of hers.

20. "Two Kinds" refers to: a. Obedient and disobedientdaughters b. the Ying and the Yang c. "Pleading Child" & "Perfectly Contented" d. all of the above

21. The pendant June's mom gave her symbolizes a. the mother b. their ancestors of the past

c. the weak will of June d. June's life importance

22. Chinese mothers does don't show their love for the children by hugs and kisses but a. with stern offerings of steamed dumplings, duck gizzards, and crab. b. With expensive jewelry c. With wise and kind words d. With nothing, the children just know

23. June's mom did not eat the last crab because a. it was bad luck. b. it died before it was cooked.

c. it's leg broke off d. all of the above

24. June finds her best quality which is a. to let others take the spotlight. b. Never selecting the best quality.

c. Accepting to be mediocre. d. not thinking like everyone else.

25. Before going to see June's sisters, her and her father go a. to Kweilin to trace her mother's path b. to Peiking to see the Great Wall c. to see his aunt Aiyi and her family d. to Tokyo

26. When the family arrives at the hotel, they order from room service a. fried rice & stir fry b. hamburger, fries, & apple pie

c. wong ton soup d. more towels

27. Jing means a. pure, essential, best quality b. Jean

c. Mediocrity d. one who sings

28. Suyuan means a. "Long-time Advisor" b. "Long-held Grudge"

c. "Long-cherished Wish" d. B & C

29. On the road from Kweilin, Suyuan tries to give away her babies because a. she doesn't want them anymore. b. she can't find a job to support them. c. she doesn't want them to die with her. d. she needs to money to finish her journey.

30. June has become her mother a. she ended up stay in China b. she has the successful life & career her mom wanted c. she has learned to cook the crab for her sisters. d. because June has fulfilled Suyan's dream passing on hopes and dreams to June's sisters.

The Joy Luck Club Short Answer Test Answer each question below as completely as possible. Each answer should be several sentences long for full credit.

1. The novel begins with the story Suyuan tells June about “The Feather from a Thousand Li Away.” Explain how the following quote becomes a recurring theme throughout the novel for all of the characters involved: “This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar and carries with it all my good intentions.”

2. Why is the Joy Luck Club created? How is the tradition continued in America?

3. What is the significance of June sitting in the Eastern corner of the mah jong table? What does the East represent? Why is it important that June is sitting there?

4. Describe the “Battle of Wills” between Waverly and her mother over Waverly playing chess? Who “wins?” How?

5. Maintaining Chinese culture in America is a major theme throughout The Joy Luck Club.

Explain how each of the mothers tries to ensure that her daughter understands her culture. Be specific. Suyuan – Lindo – Ying-Ying – An-Mei --

6. How does An-Mei’s mother die? What is the significance of the date of her death? What was the purpose of her death? Give detailed answers.

7. Ying-Ying decides to abort her unborn son. Why does she do this? What happened that would cause her to take this drastic step?

8. Each of the mothers in the novel goes through “unspeakable tragedies, which may be one reason they relate to each other so well. Identify the tragedies they go through and discuss how the women involved are affected by them.

9. Ted often complains that Rose will not make decisions. Toward the end of the novel she makes the decision to let the garden grow wild. What is the significance of this? How does Ted react? What else is Rose telling Ted with this action?

10. At the beginning of the novel, June fears that she cannot tell Suyuan's story to her half-sisters because she feels that she did not know her mother well enough. Does this feeling change by the end of the novel? How? How did June fulfill her mother's “long-cherished wish?”

The Joy Luck Club – Unit Test Review Questions

(28 points possible) Directions: The following questions will assist you as you review for the unit test. Answer each on a separate sheet of paper, and make sure that your answers reflect your understanding of the details of the novel. Make sure to check your work for grammar and spelling mistakes, as those will lower your score. 1. What was life like for Suyuan Woo when she lived in Kwelin? 2. How does June feel about taking her mother's place in the Joy Luck Club? 3. How did the Hsu's fare on their trip to China three years ago? 4. Describe why An-Mei's mother left her with relatives? 5. What eventually became of An-Mei's mother? 6. Describe the circumstances of Lindo Jong's first marriage. 7. How did Lindo manage to get out of the marriage? 8. What did Ying-Ying discover about the Moon Lady? 9. What was Waverly Jong's talent as a child? 10. What became of her talent? 11. What is Waverly's profession now? 12. What was the relationship between Rose and Ted like? 13. What happened to Rose at the beach? 14. How did Rose's mother deal with the situation? 15. What was June's talent? 16. What became of her talent? 17. What was the similarity between June and Waverly? 18. How did Lena's husband begin to irritate her? 19. Why was Waverly afraid to tell her mother that she was getting married again? 20. How did her mother react to the news? 21. How did Rose get even with Ted? 22. At the New Year's celebration, June's mother served crab. What was the incident that turned June off of crabs? 23. According to June, how did Chinese mothers show their love for their children? 24. How did Ying-Ying feel about her daughter's marriage? 25. What was Lindo's reaction to her daughter wanting to go to China? 26. Why was Waverly going to China? 27. How did Lindo meet An-Mei? 28. How did June fulfill her mother's dream?

Unit Test - The Joy Luck Club Directions: using a number two pencil, mark all answers on the scantron provided. I. TRUE / FALSE: mark A if the statement is true, B if it is false.

1. Second Wife is the kindest of all Wu Tsing's wives. 2. The Woo family is ashamed that Suyuan could leave her babies by the roadside. 3. Contrary to her mother's prediction, when June Woo lands in China, she does not immediately feel Chinese. 4. Rose's problem is that she is too full of "wood"—she bends too easily. 5. Ying-Ying St. Clair had an abortion. 6. Waverly Jong excels at the piano. 7. Harold, Lena's husband, is a terrible cheapskate. 8. Rose finally asks Ted for a divorce. 9. Rich behaves below expectations when Waverly invites him to dinner with her mother. 10. Rose blames herself for the death of Bing. II. QUOTATION IDENTIFICATION: match the letter of the speaker to the numbered quotation.

A. Suyuan Woo B. An-Mei Hsu C. Lindo Jong D. Ying-Ying St. Clair E. June Woo AB. Rose Hsu Jordan AC. Waverly Jong AD. Lena St. Clair

11. "I had expected to be beaten to death by my father, by my mother, by my sisters and brothers. I knew it was my fault. I hadn't watched him closely enough, and yet I saw him."

12. "'Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano.'" 13. "I went back inside the house, this time to call a lawyer. But as I started to dial, I became confused . . . . What did I

want from divorce—when I never knew what I wanted from marriage?" 14. "My idea was to have a gathering of four women, one or each corner of my mah jong table . . ." 15. "I discovered that for the whole game one must gather invisible strengths and see the endgame before the game

begins." 16. Identify me in the following: "After he lost the malpractice suit—his first, and a big shock to him I now realize—he

started pushing me to make more decisions." 17. "And on that day, I showed Second Wife the fake pearl necklace she had given me and crushed it under my foot.

And on that day, Second Wife's hair began to turn white. And on that day, I learned to shout." 18. "'I don't know . . . . Everything . . . the way we account for everything. What we share. What we don't share. I'm so

tired of it, adding things up, subtracting, making it come out even.'" 19. "We were all blind with the newness of this experience: a Chinese family trying to act like a typical American

family at the beach." 20. Identify she in the following:"'Why do you not speak up for yourself,' she finally said in her pained voice. 'Why can

you not talk to your husband?'" III. CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: match the lettered character to the numbered description. (Yes, the letters are used

more than once . . . . or not at all.)

21. brother drowns A. Ying-Ying St. Clair 22. plays chess B. Lena St. Clair 23. plays piano C. Suyuan Woo 24. inherits place at Mah Jong table D. June Woo 25. her mother is disgraced E. An-mei Hsu 26. engaged at age two! AB. Rose Hsu Jordan 27. her child is born without a brain AC. Lindo Jong 28. married to Ted AD. Waverly Jong 29. married to Harold 30. lives with Wu Tsing and all those wives

— continued on back —

IV. MULTIPLE CHOICE: choose the right answer.

31. Why does Suyuan start the Joy Luck Club? A. to bond with other women who had left similar tragedies in China and shared the same fearful hopes about the US B. to distract herself and the others from the horrors around them C. to make money D. all of the above

32. June is afraid of reuniting with her long-lost sisters because: A. she feels no connection to them and is ashamed of her mother's actions B. she feels disconnected from her heritage and unfit to speak on her mother and Chinese culture C. she does not wish to go to China, the country that represents the mother she hated

33. The tragedy at the beach with Bing is caused by: A. Rose's inattention B. the entire family's inattention C. the family's attempt to behave "American" D. all of the above

34. An-Mei's mother—one of Wu Tsing's wives—"wins" over the evil Second Wife by: A. proving her infidelity B. giving Wu Tsing a son C. committing suicide D. giving Second Wife a string of pearls

35. If the climax of a novel occurs when the chief conflict is resolved (i.e., the central struggle is over), what is the climax of The Joy Luck Club?

A. when June meets her sisters B. when Rose divorces Ted C. when June's mother gives her the piano D. none of the above

36. All of the following are themes of The Joy Luck Club except: A. Persistent tensions and bonds exist between generations and cultures B. It is difficult for children to grow up in the midst of two cultures C. If you bend too much to the will of others, you will be unhappy. D. In order to be happy in a new land, you must forget your heritage and culture.

37. Which of the following is not a component of the style of Amy Tan's novel? A. flashbacks B. different narrators C. dialect D. none of the above

38. What do Waverly and June have in common? A. they both give up an activity to rebel against a mother's wishes B. they both play chess C. they both play the piano D. they're both married to men they despise

39. What is the "lesson about life" An-Mei learns via the pearls she receives from Second Wife? A. that one cannot buy love B. that appearances are deceptive C. that one cannot trust anyone D. all of the above

40. How does Lindo Jong trick her husband into marrying her? A. she says she is pregnant B. she says if he does not marry her, she will be sent back to China C. with a fortune cookie

ANSWER KEY FOR JOY LUCK CLUB TEST

I. True / False 1. B 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. A 6. B 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. A II. Quotation Identification 11. AB 12. E 13. AB 14. A 15. AC 16. AB 17. B 18. AD 19. AB 20. B III. Character Description 21. AB 22. AD 23. D 24. D 25. E 26. AC 27. A 28. AB 29. B 30. E IV. Multiple Choice 31. D 32. B 33. D 34. C 35. A 36. D 37. D 38. A 39. B 40. C

Common Core State Standards Alignment Grid

Grades 9-12

The following grid indicates which of the Common Core State Standards are covered in this unit plan. You may find that you also cover other standards not listed or checked while teaching this unit. This list is not meant to be exhaustive or restrictive, but is intended as a basic reference for teachers and administrators needing to confirm that the lessons and activities in this unit conform to the curriculum prescribed by the Common Core State Standards.

Standards Alignment Grid: Grades 9-10

Reading: Literature and Informational Text

Key Ideas and Details

RL.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9-10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.9-10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Craft and Structure

RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

RL.9-10.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

RL.9-10.6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.9-10.7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).

RI.9-10.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.

RL.9-10.9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

RL.9-10.10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Writing

Text Types and Purposes

W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

W.9-10.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Text Types and Purposes (continued) W.9-10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective

technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Production and Distribution of Writing

W.9-10.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

W.9-10.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

W.9-10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.9-10.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.9-10.8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing

W.9-10.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and Listening

Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.9-10.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

SL.9-10.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

SL.9-10.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

SL.9-10.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

SL.9-10.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Language

Conventions of Standard English

L.9-10.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.9-10.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Knowledge of Language

L.9-10.3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

L.9-10.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.9-10.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

L.9-10.6. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Standards Alignment Grid: Grades 11-12

Reading: Literature and Informational Text

Key Ideas and Details

RL.11-12.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RL.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

Craft and Structure

RL.11-12.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

RL.11-12.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

RL.11-12.6. Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

RL.11-12.7. Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)

RI.11-12.8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

RL.11-12.9. Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

RL.11-12.10. By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Writing

Text Types and Purposes

W.11-12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

W.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

W.11-12.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Production and Distribution of Writing

W.11-12.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

W.11-12.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

W.11-12.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.11-12.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.11-12.8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

W.11-12.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing

W.11-12.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes

Speaking and Listening

Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.11-12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.11-12.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

SL.11-12.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

SL.11-12.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

SL.11-12.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

SL.11-12.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Language

Conventions of Standard English

L.11-12.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.11-12.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Knowledge of Language

L.11-12.3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

L.11-12.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.11-12.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

L.11-12.6. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

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