The Joy Luck Club, Section 12: "A Pair of Tickets"

Literary Term: Dialogue

“A Pair of Tickets” is the final section of The Joy Luck Club and concludes the story in a very emotional, hopeful, and joyous manner. In this section, Jing-mei and her father, Canning Woo, have the opportunity to travel to China, reunite with Canning’s family, and meet Jing-mei’s half-sisters for the first time. All her life, Jing-mei refuted the idea that she was Chinese in any way except for her appearance, and the cultural differences between Suyuan and Jing-mei formed a barrier between them; however, as Jing-mei looks at the Chinese landscape from the window of the train for the first time, she feels an immediate sense of belonging to the country and worries that she is not Chinese enough. This shows that, as Jing-mei grew and matured, she developed a desire to discover her Chinese roots. In reality, I believe that this wish to be more Chinese stemmed from a longing to feel a connection to her family and therefore shows that one’s identity is not determined by her nationality but by her internal qualities and love for her family; consequently, the cultural barrier that separated mothers and daughters throughout the novel is proven to be truly insignificant.

*Seeing an image similar to this outside the train window made Canning Woo cry with emotion.


Almost immediately after exiting the bus and going through customs, Jing-mei and Canning are reunited with Canning’s family. All are overcome with the delight of seeing each other at last, and Jing-mei wishes nothing more than for her meeting with her half-sisters the next day to be equally joyous. The family spends the day together, sharing stories that are long overdue and simply enjoying each other’s presence. That night, after everyone is asleep, Jing-mei asks her father to tell her the story of how Suyuan was forced to abandon her twin daughters in China years ago. A dialogue, or conversation between two or more people, then follows in which Canning recounts the entire story as Jing-mei asks frequent questions. After listening intently and discovering the heartfelt devotion that her mother had for her twin babies, Jing-mei is reminded of just how important family truly is. The remarkable story of how Suyuan took every measure possible to ensure her daughters’ safety before being forced to leave them and then searching for years to find them once more is a testament to the undying love that a mother harbors for her daughters, which is, in my opinion, the single most important theme of The Joy Luck Club.

The poignant moment in which Jing-mei finally meets her two half-sisters is very touching and draws an emotional response from the reader. In an incredibly powerful statement, Jing-mei remarks, “The gray-green surface changes to bright colors of our three images, sharpening and deepening all at once. And although we don’t speak, I know we all see it: Together, we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish.” This quote not only expresses the deep love that is instantly shared between Jing-mei, her two sisters, and their mother, but also brings the story to a fulfilling conclusion. In this quote, the fact that all three women are able to share an unconditional love for each other while simultaneously feeling their mother’s spirit and presence was truly moving. Also, the fact that together, the three of them resembled their mother fully reveals the love shared between mothers, daughters, and sisters, as well as the similarities that they all share with one another. This quote, therefore, was incredibly important and a powerful way to conclude the novel.

I personally was able to draw a strong connection to this section of the book because Amy Tan focused on emphasizing the importance of family, and, other than my faith in God, my family is the single most important aspect of my life. I understand what it is like to live away from extended family and feel immeasurable joy every time we are able to gather together again, and so reading of Jing-mei and Canning’s reunification truly spoke to me. By writing in such a way that she is able to connect to her audience, Amy Tan both draws her story to a hopeful end and leaves the reader with a sense of fulfillment, making The Joy Luck Club well worth reading.