The reader is poignantly aware of the potential for greater communication and understanding, but only in the reader's mind is the dialogicity between positions uncovered and experienced." (Soulis, 1994, p.6) This potential is never perfectly realized in the narrative of the book, as outwardly experienced, but some internal healing and unity between mother and daughter is clearly achieved at the very end. Although they cannot verbally unite, June sees that she and the twins, together, "we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish." (Tan, 1989, pp.331-332)

Works Cited

Giles, Gretchen. "Amy Tan: Interview." 1994. MetroActive. Sonoma Independent. 30 Nov 2004. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/12.14.95/tan-9550.html

Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Ballantine, 1989.

Souris, Steven. "Only two kinds of daughters: inter-monologue dialogicity in 'The Joy Luck Club.' - Theory, Culture and Criticism." - Special Issue: Varieties of Ethnic Criticism...
[ View Full Essay]