The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan: Chapter 7

Literary Term: I found dialogue between Ted and Rose in this chapter. " 'No, because you can never make up your mind about anything,' he said" "And I protested, 'But its only with things that aren't important.' " " 'Nothing is important to you, then,'  he said in a tone of disgust." " 'Ted, if you want me to go, I'll go (120).' "
The author uses dialogue to let the reader read about the important conversation two characters are having in the story.

Quote from novel: " 'And you're just going to sit there! Let my mother decide what's right (118)?' "

The chapter Half and Half begins with Rose's recollection of the first time she met her husband's mother. For Rose, the conversation with Mrs. Jordan was uncomfortable. Mrs. Jordan is unaccepting of Ted's relationship with Rose because she thinks it is a distraction from Ted's future plans. Rose also feels Mrs. Jordan is being racist and ignorant towards her Chinese culture. This incident almost cost Ted and Rose their relationship. Rose tells him of what happened, and he is shocked to see his mother had such a large part in Rose's decisions. " 'And you're just going to sit there! Let my mother decide what's right?' " Both agreed to see one another, despite Mrs. Jordan's disapproval. This entire scene of the book brought to mind another familiar story. Romeo and Juliet can be compared to Rose and Ted by the fact that their undying love for each other could not be broken by their parent's disapproval. In both stories, the couples go against what others want and stay together out of love.