Cultural encounters are an eye-opener. However, they are not most often smooth, bringing not only “opportunities” but “challenges” in their course. Their impact on the individual can be quite intense, especially when that particular individual sees himsel

Cultural encounters are an eye-opener. However, they are not most often smooth, bringing not only “opportunities” but “challenges” in their course. Their impact on the individual can be quite intense, especially when that particular individual sees himself/herself or is seen as partaking of more than one “original” culture. The cultural encounter in such a case becomes fundamental to one’s perception of oneself and the cultures to which s/he relates. Explore how cultural encounters are manifested in literary works, specifically short stories from An Anthology of Short Stories from Five Continents, with particular reference to “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan.
In the process of answering the TMA, you should make sure to include the below five sub questions:
1) How is the concept of cultural encounter treated in the short story ‘The Joy Luck Club’?
2) Is the author, Amy Tan, aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does she manifest that awareness in terms of ideas and her selection of words?
3) Are the main characters of the short story aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does the author express their awareness?
4) How is the mah jong used to highlight the theme of cultural encounter in “The Joy Luck Club”?
5) What role do “memories” handed down by family members play in highlighting the theme of cultural encounter?