Joy Luck Club
Final Project
Your final project in English III-P will require a multi-slide powerpoint presentation or essay. If
you choose to create a powerpoint, plan to have 10-15 slides with a significant amount of text
detail. OR if you would like to write an essay, you should have 3-4 pages, typed in MLA format.
Choose one of the options below.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
The Joy Luck Club makes many references to historical events in Chinese and American
history. Research these events and examine the key moments from World War II through to the
Vietnam War. Make clear connections with passages from the novel and reality.
IMMIGRATION
Explore the immigration efforts of Asians coming to the U.S. Timeline the important details
from Asian American history, looking at the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Asian
American struggle for citizenship, and the internment camps at Manzanar.
VACATION IN CHINA
Research what it is like to travel to China. What are common places people like to visit? What
exciting things are there to do? What should tourists avoid? What are the attitudes of the Chinese
toward Americans?
CHARACTER CONNECTIONS
Think about which character in The Joy Luck Club you most identify with. What do you have
in common? Similar experiences? Personality type? Family background? Relationships? Explain
in detail.
MOTHERS
The Joy Luck Club is essentially the story of four mothers and four daughters and their lives
and relationships. Your assignment is to stop and think about your relationship with your own
mother, stepmother, grandmother or other motherly-type person in your life and to write a
composition in which you describe your relationship with that person.
STEREOTYPES
Do the characters in The Joy Luck Club represent stereotypes? If so, explain the usefulness of
employing stereotypes in the book. If they are not, explain how they merit individuality.
THEMES AND CONFLICTS
What themes are present in The Joy Luck Club? How do we see these themes interwoven into
the plot of the story? What are the main conflicts in the story? Do they ever reach resolutions? If
so, how? If not, why not? Be prepared to explain your analysis.
GAMES
Waverly played chess. The members of the Joy Luck Club played mahjong. Think about a game
you like to play. You could be writing about a card game, a board game, an outdoor game, a
computer game, or a sports game. Detail your experiences with your chosen game.