The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan: Chapter 15 & 16

Literary Term: I found a declarative sentence in this chapter. "My daughter is getting married a second time (254)." Tan's use of a declarative sentence is effective because it is stating simply the idea about her daughter's marriage.

Quote from chapter 15: "Why easy things are not worth pursuing (254)."
Quote from chapter 16: "And now at the airport, after shaking hands with everybody, waving goodbye, I think about all the different ways we leave people in this world. Cheerily waving good-bye to some at airports, knowing we'll never see each other again. Leaving others on the side of the road, hoping that we will. Finding my mother in my father's story and saying good-bye before I have a chance to know her better (286)."
  Lindo Jong in chapter 15 reassures her concerned daughter on her first trip to China. Lindo wishes she could teach her daughter about how to find her inner Chinese character. However, these are things Lindo's daughter must discover on her own. One thing Lindo wishes her daughter knew is this: "Why easy things are not worth pursuing." After I saw this, it brought to my attention how true the saying "Don't take the easy way out" is. Just because something is easy, it most likely doesn't teach you as big of a lesson as something harder and you won't gain as much wisdom.
  In the final chapter, chapter 16, Jing-mei is learning about her sisters back home in China whom her mother left behind. Jing-mei is supposed to take over her mother's place in the Joy Luck Club. She must learn truly who her mother was to understand herself and heritage. As she is heading back home after visiting her family, she is hit hard with the reality that the first time seeing her Chinese family, will probably be her last. "And now at the airport, after shaking hands with everybody, waving goodbye, I think about all the different ways we leave people in this world. Cheerily waving good-bye to some at airports, knowing we'll never see each other again. Leaving others on the side of the road, hoping that we will. Finding my mother in my father's story and saying good-bye before I have a chance to know her better." This reminded me of my own real life experience. I've had many people come in my life and just as quickly leave it. I have a friend in South Carolina who I haven't seen in five years. This makes me think of how five years ago, the good-bye I shared with her, could actually be my last. No one can be aware of when people will share a final good-bye.