I was the daughter of my father's wife. I spoke in a trembly voice. I became pale, ill, and more thin. I let myself become a wounded animal. I let the hunter come to me and turn me into a tiger ghost. I willingly gave up my , the spirit that caused me so much pain.Now I was a tiger that neither pounced nor lay waiting between the trees. I became an unseen spirit.
In "The Joy Luck Club," the speaker reflects on her identity and transformation influenced by her complex relationship with her father. She describes herself as the daughter of his wife, feeling weak and diminished as she succumbs to emotional pain. This vulnerability leads her to adopt a more reserved and ghostly existence, symbolized by her comparison to a tiger ghost. She illustrates a profound internal change, where she relinquishes her spirit to avoid suffering. Now existing as an unseen entity, she feels detached from her former self, losing her agency and becoming a mere shadow rather than a fierce tiger. This transformation portrays the deep emotional struggles connected to family dynamics and personal loss.
Rate the Quote
User Reviews
Other quotes in book quote
All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
