Introduction
Change in culture brings in the element of choice about the way people live and matters that affect the family in ways they did not expect. It means that change comes into the family relationship, which is blended with the culture that was not there before.
Like in the story, A Pair Of Tickets, when Jing-mei came to China with her father to see her relatives, the emotional and the essence of belonging in the family is seen when she first arrived and when she saw her relatives (Pew Research Center, 57).
However, despite Jing-mei and her father not been consulted in the decision involving their choice of food that was contrary to the food that she wanted, it is typical, in cultures not to involve the visitors in the decisions they make involving the food. This habit is not what Jing-mei feels like when it comes to the culture in America since the decisions that they make involve the visitors. In America, the naming culture does not involve the meaning of the name while in China the naming has value like the meaning of Suyuan, which is a wish to be long cherished and a long held grudge (Chua, 2). It is the difference in culture that Jing-mei is used to, and this though seems odd, it gives her the feeling of belonging to a culture that she never experienced before because she was given a name with a meaning, which is pure essence and the second is that she is a younger sister. There is a feeling of being recognized for Jing-mei at the moment she arrives in China, which is also not the culture that is practiced in China.
The essence of appearance that is within the family that share ties and looks though are not the same, make them look alike. However, when they are apart, they do not; this is because they believe that they cherish their mother`s looks, which, according to her name, the truth was based on the culture that her name was originated (Frances McClelland Institute Children. Youth, and Families, 1-2).
It shows that the blood is the link between the three sisters who are bonded by their mother`s blood and appearance. The culture believes that a blood bond is linked to the bears` of the blood. The theme of cultural believe of the meanings of names resonates with the look that the three sisters share. The comfort that is derived from the girls is felt in sharing the features that they possess from their mother.
The ambiance that comes from the naming culture is logical in the base of identity and culture. The emotional attachment the Jing-mei depicted when she entered Guangzhou is important in defining the cultural difference and what she feels in making contact with her Chinese part and family and the feeling of acceptance of identity that her relatives show when they come to meet her brings in the element of acceptance in culture and identity that is cultivated by the acceptance by her family (Hamilton 125-145).
It shows that the relatives are reasonable and responsible for Jing-mei and her father in the manner that they accept them without the fact of culture getting in the way of their decision making to accept them.
Tan too feels the completeness when she meets her whole family when she visits her half-sister in China, the study of the heritage that Tan wanted so much to know to make the feeling complete in the culture which is a turning point with instant bonding, which imply that the feeling is the same for her fictional character and herself. The feeling of acceptance and completeness means that all cultures though different beings in the acceptance of different identities of individuals that are not familiar to the culture they practice (Hamilton 125-145). The feeling can be summarized as a feeling that was not there initially for both Tan and her character in a pair of tickets.
The theme of completeness is seen when Jing-mei and her sisters are together they look like their mother and the feeling that Tan felt when she saw her sister was comparatively the same. The reality that both the characters share in the realization of their family and what they share regarding their new found family shows that the blood is thicker than the cultures that they have which are different. It bridged the gap that was initially there for both the two parties of the family (Chua, 2).
The theme of transformation is noticed in Jing-mei just like that her mother depicted this shows that it is not only the blood that bound her to her mother but her character too bonded to her mother. It is an important element in the identities of Jing-mei and Tan that they share with their family and that which is derived from their other family members, which is important to them as a family without the culture getting in the way.
Tan was always unhappy about her Asian decency and was pushed away by the rest of the students at school because her heritage was different from theirs and she was also alone without any sibling to turn to and share the problems she encounters. However, when she finds out that she has a half-sister and goes to see her, she instantly bonds with her and their family is also whole, and she finally belongs somewhere (Frances McClelland Institute Children. Youth, and Families, 1-2).
She thinks that assimilation in America is the cause for neglect of culture and respect of one`s heritage. The food that a culture and heritage offer is what appreciates the nature of the culture and not the assimilation of non-culture policy. Though, it means that the expectations that come with assimilation of other cultures block the success of the other cultures and heritages that the people share in America, this depicts that the horrors of neglect of culture that the mothers passed through are the same ones that their daughters with no change (Pew Research Center, 61). The worst part is that the daughters lived a withdrawn life with no happiness.
Multicultural families, therefore, play an important role in the growth of every child that is not accorded the happiness that is derived from the heritage and culture. If Jing-mei had her family`s help in integrating culture in her life and play the role of mentorship and advisor in completing her life. The character that she inherited from her mother, the likeliness and the blood bonding ensured that she did not miss it all, and that culture and heritage are important in the development of a person.
Emotional fallout can be noticed in the relatives because they believe that those that are born out of heritage and culture that they missed is the sole reason for losing them to other cultures other than their own which they do not possess. Even with acceptance that is depicted in the stories with a pair of tickets. Some relatives are likely not to be happy and some may not accept these children that are not conscious of their culture (Frances McClelland Institute Children. Youth, and Families, 1-2).
It affects many other children that are not aware of their culture and develop embracing the culture of those around them who are not of their culture. A few reasons can be the way the children address their relatives and the way that they were not taught can cause anger from the relatives because they prefer to be accorded names that are respectful. Cultural growth is important and parents need to train their children to be aware of their cultures and how they work.
Diversification reflected in multicultural upbringing can be the cause of unhappiness to the rest of the relatives (Heung, 18). The relatives also have a role to play in accepting and changing the culture of the children that are brought up in a multicultural manner and give them the belonging they deserve since some of them want to belong in the culture and given the acceptance into the extended family therefore the extended family should accept and give them the happiness of knowing the culture as they should have but were unable to. It is the sort of support that brings up and helps them to succeed in integrating the culture in their lives (Heung, 13).
Works Cited
Chua, Amy. Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior. The Wall Street Journal. 2011. Web. 5th June
2014. Available at
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754
Hamilton Patricia L. Feng Shui, Astrology, and the Five Elements: Traditional Chinese Belief in
Amy Tan's the Joy Luck Club. Melus. Vol. 24, No. 2, Religion, Myth and Ritual (Summer, 1999), pp. 125-145. Available at
http://www.jstor.org/stable/view/467703?&Search=yes&searchText=of&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Da%2Bpair%2Bof%2Btickets%2Bamy%2Btan%26amp%3Bprq%3Da%2Bpair%2Bof%2Btickets%26amp%3Bhp%3D25%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bso%3Drel%26amp%3Bracc%3Doff
Heung Marina. Daughter-Text/Mother-Text: Matrilineage in Amy Tan's "Joy Luck Club".
Academic Room. Web. 5th June 2014. Available at
http://www.academicroom.com/article/daughter-textmother-text-matrilineage-amy-tans-joy-luck-club
Frances McClelland Institute Children. Youth, and Families. Cultural Differences in Parenting
Practices: What Asian American Families Can Teach Us? V o l u m e 2, n u m b e r 1. Web. 5th June 2014. Available at
http://mcclellandinstitute.arizona.edu/sites/mcclellandinstitute.arizona.edu/files/ResearchLink_2.1_Russell_AsianFam.pdf
Pew Research Center. The Rise of Asian Americans. Social & Demographic Trends. 2012. Web.
5th June 2014. Available at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2012/06/SDT-The-Rise-of-Asian-Americans-Full-Report.pdf
