The Start of Child Labor Laws - 687 Words

During the Early Modern Era the opinions toward children varied between different societies. In most civilizations children weren’t treated with any special treatments and were raised to be obedient workers and in turn affecting their education. In these societies children were brought depending on social status, and because of this bias many children were forced to hard labor. Though there are many regional and culture differences, at this time the world was opening up to reform and rebuilding, and due to a lack people in the workforce to handle such a task, child labor became the commonality. In most regions of the world at the time, children were trained to be productive members of society. Training usually differed between classes and gender. The rise in Neo-Confucianism, and Protestant beliefs are part of what shaped society into viewing children with this bias. These religions, amongst many others, kept a standard for people on how to live their life. This standard usual ly dealt with people being virtuous, hardworking citizens, and when someone does not concur with this, they are punished. For example, Author and songwriter Isaac Watts says in one of his songs â€Å"†¦ For Satan finds some mischief still, For idle hands to do.† [Doc. 4], and this is how Watts linked the devil to idleness and mischief. With that many of the people in these societies became hardworking, and raised their kids to this standard of obedience and productiveness. While most religionsShow MoreRelatedChild Labour And Child Labor1600 Words   |  7 PagesChild Labor Issues There are children that suffer through child labor daily. Child labor is the use of children in a business or industry, usually illegal. â€Å"3 billion people around the world survive on $2.50 a day or less. And 2 billion people do not hold a bank account or have access to essential financial services† (â€Å"Living in Poverty†1). Children that are normally in labor come from a poor family that’s in need of money so badly that it comes down to selling their own children or puttingRead MoreChild Labor819 Words   |  4 PagesChild Labor Laws Child labor laws were made in regards to child labor because minors were treated harshly during child labor. Child labor laws in America have changed throughout the years. Now if child labor laws are disregarded a parent or employer will be fined. Many parents disregarded child labor laws to support their families. Child labor laws were a turning point in history because children were working in dangerous environments, and new standards were made to prevent child labor. ChildrenRead MoreEssay about The Globalization of Child Labor1517 Words   |  7 PagesGlobalization of an idea or practice can be very beneficial worldwide, but globalization can also effect countries and people negatively. Child labor was once an immense issue in the United States; however, we now have laws protecting children from dangerous working conditions. Unfortunately, children in countries like India and Africa are still falling victim to harsh working conditions. These developing nations have the same problem that the United States had years ago; children are workingRead MoreEssay on The Immorality of Child Labor1221 Words   |  5 PagesImmorality of Child Labor Child labor is a serious moral issue. There have been many controversial debates over whether it should be legal or not. Two different viewpoints on the subject exist. Many argue that child labor is morally wrong and that the children should not work, no matter how poverty stricken their family might be. Advocates and major corporations that support child labor argue that it is good because it gives poverty-stricken families a source of income. Child labor firstRead MoreChinas High Dependence On Child Labor1677 Words   |  7 PagesChild labor is a commonplace in China. Most of the children in China, families work income is dependent on their family’s survival. Child labor is a major issue throughout the global economy, especially in developing countries like China. Although, China has anti-child labor laws, many children in China are forced to work against their will. China is the home of many poor families and some of these families force their children to work because of their struggle with poverty and their lack of incomeRead MoreChild Labor Essay952 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"In 1900, 18 percent of all American workers were under the age of 16† (â€Å"Child Labor†). This was during the end of the Gilded Age, when child labor was problem and was starting to be a major one. Child labor started because of poverty when children worked to support their families but were forced to give up education. Ch ildren could work long hours in dangerous positions for little money. Child labor continues because children have little power to complain or stand up for themselves to adults, theirRead MoreSummary Of Child Labor In Upton Sinclairs The Jungle897 Words   |  4 Pagesthat exposed the bad working condition to immigrants in Chicago and the nasty meat packing factory. One of the big issue in this book is child labor. In the book, a child called Stanislovas Lukoszaite, he was working in a meat packing factory. Although in 1906 there are laws against child labor, but the law is not really enforced. He was just a 13 years old child and during Chicagos snow storm he loses the use of his three fingers, after that he started selling newspaper in Chicago. When he was 15Read MoreShould Child Labor Be More Time Towards Education?1371 Words   |  6 PagesThesis: Many people believe child labor has ceased to exist in the world people live in, but many don’t realize the clothes they wea r had been made by child laborers. Many people in government around the world have worked to abolish child labor, but little do these people actually solve the problem. People should look to understand why child labor still exist and why it exist in particular places in the world. Introduction: It is common knowledge that every person has the right to work, andRead MoreChild Labor Is A Violation Of Fundamental Human Rights1553 Words   |  7 Pages 405292 Child Labor Republic of France Position Paper Part 1 History and Background of Child Labor Child labor became most prevalent during the Industrial Revolution, which took place from 1760-1840, and has become prominent throughout our world since. Children would work around 19 hours a day, having approximately a one hour break, and work for almost no pay. In the 1900’s, statistics showed that over 200 million children were involved in the act of child labor worldwide, and 73 millionRead MoreChild Labor in Agriculture Essay943 Words   |  4 PagesThere are hundreds of thousands of child farm workers laboring under challenging and bad conditions in the United States of America. This is according to a human rights watch report dubbed, Fingers to the bone: United States Failure to Protect Child Farm Workers. This rights group made discoveries that the child laborers are often made to toil between twelve and fourteen hours a single day and stand a risk of pesticide poisoning, heat exposure effects, injuries and health complications that could

Ethical Issues Of Artificial Intelligence - 1783 Words

Ethical issues that revolve around computer/electrical engineers may seem subtle when glanced at. However, looking at these issues in a narrow scope there are inconsistencies where people may lose their lives because of our faults. I would like to analyze the issues caused by programming. To be specific, artificial intelligence is the core subject under programming that has a particular subcase that is affected. This subject is automation which includes, but not limited to, robotics and human machine interface. The specific topics can be interrelated when viewing it in a computer/electrical engineer’s perspective. They pose both good and bad situations for consumers which I will evaluate for each case. Keep in mind that automation is a†¦show more content†¦This means that the public works such as roads, water/sewage, and electrical grid lines will not be maintained as well nor will new development occur. There is way to combat this problem by increasing taxes, but who would want to pay more taxes? Given that economy takes a hit when replacing human labor with robots, but what if we have a situation where robots co-exists with human workers? As an automotive technician, I would like to have a robot assist me when I extract an engine from a vehicle. The process of which I wouldn’t need the robots help is when I’m disconnecting the transmission from the engine, but I would need the robot to be ready once the engine mounts are removed and the engine is held stationary on a hydraulic lift. The robot would carefully operate the lift to remove the engine from the bay without myself having to do a dangerous job. The second issue that I’d like to express is when the robots are designed to have criminal thoughts which is clearly an ethical issue when they are designed to harm humans. Isaac Asimov proposed the three laws of robotics in 1942: 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. â€Å"[These laws were] not mere suggestions or guidelinesShow MoreRelatedEthical Issues Of Artificial Intelligence1066 Words   |  5 Pagesdocument discusses the ethical problems that come as a byproduct of creating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and why these issues exist. Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a software program to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. Throughout the document I will be attempting to cover what is currently being done to address these issues and what should be done as a solution to completely resolve these issues. Ethical Issue While Artificial Intelligence is a huge technologicalRead MoreArtificial Intelligence Ethical Issues1351 Words   |  6 PagesRecently technology has become a significant part of society, specifically for the medical field. People in the past have expressed concerns about the security and safety of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) into the medical field. Artificial intelligence is a computer system with human capabilities, such as decision making. Research has shown that AI could increase the efficiency and quality of patient care in the medical field. AI could greatly improve efficiency by using software thatRead MoreEthical Issues with Artificial Intelligence1471 Words   |  6 Pagesthe case with artificial intelligence or AI, which is the theory or goal of a series of accomplishments that would allow a computer to house a sentient life form. The idea of AI has formally been around since around 1956. There has been very slow but steady progress towards a working AI. Mos t scientists believe that there will be AI within twenty to fifty years. Since this is a very controversial topic with its advantages and disadvantages lets analyze these and examine the ethical implications ofRead MoreEthical Issues Of Artificial Intelligence1443 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will illustrate whether there are ethical issues in artificial intelligence (AI), facts and matters relate to the ethical arguments, classifying by using act utilitarian to compare the pros and cons as well as whether the net utility will boost or decline, utilizing two of the Kant’s categorical imperative rules to identify the ethical issues on AI, and lastly is estimating ethical summary why ethical issues is vital with the personal opinion. AI has been reformed over the time periodRead MoreThe Moral And Ethical Issues Of Artificial Intelligence1151 Words   |  5 Pagesbecame interweaved into the culture’s fabric and became acceptable. The key to understanding the moral and ethical issues raised by artificial intelligence are the four levels on which intelligent artifacts raise ethical and moral problems. The first level concerns the ethical uses of computers and how humans respond to a world that is constantly being transformed by artificial intelligence machines. With the rapid growth of the internet, it sets the values of people’s security and privacy to a higherRead MoreSocial and Ethical Impact of Artificial Intelligence Essay examples1503 Words   |  7 PagesContents Introduction III History III What is Artificial Intelligence? III Social and Ethical Issues Associated with Artificial Intelligence IV Part I Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence IV Part II Advantages IV Part III Disadvantages IV Ethical Impact of Artificial Intelligence V Conclusion VI Bibliography VII Introduction As our world expands through the growing abilities and applications of computersRead MoreEssay about Social And Ethical Impact Of Artificial Intelligence1370 Words   |  6 Pagesthousands of years, from stories of Pygmalion to the tales of the Jewish Golem. Anat Treister-Goren, Ph.D. (http://www.a-i.com/) The concepts of the development of artificial intelligence can be traced as far back as ancient Greece. Even something as small as the abacus has in someway led to the idea of artificial intelligence. However, one of the biggest breakthroughs in the area of AI is when computers were invented. Many encyclopaedias and other reference works state that the first large-scaleRead MoreThe Controversy of Artificial Intelligence1476 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout its history, artificial intelligence has always been a topic with much controversy. Should human intelligence be mimicked? If so, are there ethical bounds on what computers should be programmed to do? These are a couple of question that surround the artificial intelligence controversy. This paper will discuss the pros and cons of artificial intelligence so that you will be able to make an educated decision on the issue. What is Artificial Intelligence? The first step in getting anywhereRead MoreEssay On Artificial Intelligence1515 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction I chose Artificial Intelligence since I believe that it is extremely intriguing and important in the field of Information Technology. Artificial Intelligence is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. AI is usually defined as the capability of a computer program to perform tasks or reasoning processes that we associateRead MoreArtificial Intelligence Is The Most Controversial Field877 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation scientists know about artificial intelligence has increased to levels never reached before. In 1968, the first computer controlled walking machine was created and today, robots are replacing humans in the work industry (History 5). By the year 2029, it is predicted that robots will be able to outsmart their makers (Khomami 1). More knowledge about artificial intelligence is being acquired by scientists. There are several advantages that come with artificial intelligence in robots, but coupled with

Explore Shakespeares presentation of conflict in Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

Explore Shakespeares presentation of conflict in Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet' Essay Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare and is about a boy and girl from two households both alike in dignity, who fall in love putting aside their family feud. Romeo Montague falls in love with Juliet Capulet. There are films based on this story taken from different periods of time. Romeo and Juliet is a famous love story which ends in death. Characters of different personalities are featured in the story, which creates a contrasting atmosphere and some conflict within the story. Love being the key conflict of this story, creates tension and builds up the story in a variety of ways throughout the story. Romeo and Juliet are young characters who have a passion of love for one another and the elders of the families disagree with this. Tybalt, Juliets cousin, strongly hates the Montagues and causes a lot of friction during the first act. William Shakespeare wrote the prologue making sure that tragic predestination was successful to introduce the conflicts of the play. The prologue is an Elizabethan sonnet which builds up the themes of death, conflict, love and fate. Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, here the audience is told that the civilians in the story fight till someone is injured badly. Elizabethans believed in astrology and throughout the whole prologue, they talk about fate telling us that there are going to be some deaths which cannot be prevented. Using such an effect tortures the audience by keeping them in suspense and asking questions. The constant reminder of death being fate in the story, is presented in different ways. Star-crossed lovers take their life; meaning two lovers are destined for death. The prologue allows the audience to know something that the characters dont. This is called dramatic irony and Shakespeare uses this efficiently to be sure that he has not give the story away so obviously. Doth with their death bury their parents strife. Romeo and Juliets love is the only thing that will stop the family feud. At the beginning of the first scene, two servants from the Capulets house stumble in. Being young men, Sampson and Gregory use sexual puns. Maidenheads, Sampson says this in a bawdy manner and means that he will take the maids virginity. Two serving-men from the Montagues house walked by and then Sampson said, I will bite my thumb at them, in the Elizabethan times, biting your thumb at someone was considered an extremely rude gesture. From this point forth, the scene escalates into a riot with Tybalt, Benvolio (Romeos friend), the officer, the Montagues and the Capulets and finally Prince all entering the scene. In a public place familiar to both families, the officer says Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues! A sense of conflict built up through the start of the scene because of the two young men from the Capulets house showing too much bravado. Love creating the biggest conflict in the story, many sonnets are constructed in the first act. These are very appropriate to the story and also link to the Elizabethan theme. Shakespeare creates a sense of conflict through Romeos language. Shakespeare uses many antitheses to reveal to the audience how confused Romeos emotions are. Romeo uses oxymorons in his speech to show how depressed he is feeling. Feather of lead explains that his heart used to be very light and happy but has now turned heavy because of his unrequited love for Roseline. Where underneath the groves of the sycamore, sycamore can be connected to love. If you separate the word into syc-amore (sick-amour) it would mean that he is sick of love. Sick health means that he is very healthy on the outside and feels better outside, however within himself he feels sick of his love for Roseline. Romeos experience of youthful infatuation is expressed through the oxymorons of love. He thinks he is no love with Rosaline but in r eality, he is just in love with the idea of being in love. .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .postImageUrl , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:hover , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:visited , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:active { border:0!important; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:active , .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10 .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc3033aae28c0931279bc4d1e4db2af10:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analyse and compare the way Shakespeare has portrayed the reactions of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the murder of King Duncan EssayOn the other hand, Romeos sincere love towards Juliet also creates conflict in the story. At the scene of the ball, Romeo and Juliet both meet for the first time and both fall in love with one another. O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. Love at first sight makes Romeo feel very passionate towards Juliet and he describes her like she lights up the room with her beauty. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, of all the girls Romeo has seen, Juliet stands out among them all. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony here, as the audience knows that Romeo is part of the Montague family and Juliet is part of the Capulet family. Not realising that Juliet is a Capulet, Romeo considers her to be Like a rich jewel which shows that she is precious to him. For the first time, Romeo has fallen in love with someone and therefore he praises her like she is an angel from heaven, using religious language: holy palmers', saints lips. gentle sin. Shakespeare develops a few characters behaviours and personalities throughout the story, adding to the family conflict going on. Tybalt, a bitter member of the Capulet family causes many conflicts in the first act. Tybalts entrance tells the audience that he is a very disruptive character, Have at thee coward! And As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Tybalt does not sound very compromising which therefore adds to the conflict between the families. Benvolio describes Tybalt as fiery which allows the audience to understand the way in which the other characters from the Montague family see him as. Once again, at the masked ball when he sees Romeo, Fetch my rapier, boy. Even before talking Tybalt decides he needs to get into a fight so there is no chance to calm down. Tybalts appearance in the story creates tension which builds to conflict. To strike him dead I hole it not a sin. Such aggressive words are used by Tybalt. During the conflicting scenes between the Montagues and the Capulets, Shakespeare introduces a peace maker in the scenes to reduce the friction. When Tybalt tries to break into a fight in the first riot of the story, Benvolio turns out to be the peace maker. Although there are many conflicting scenes in the story, Shakespeare attempts to keep the audience thinking that not everyone is full of rage and anger with the other family. Benvolio means kind and good will, and just like his name, he ends up being the peace maker of the first scene. In addition, Prince (the person who Lady Capulet wishes her daughter, Juliet to get married to) arrives as the peace maker in the first scene to state the pointlessness of the conflict. The Prince being of high class, states without fear how unruly both families are being and he explains the fact that the Montagues Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets. The Princes speech is important as the audience know that even Veronas ancient citizens have seen both families argue and are fed up of it. In the Elizabethan times, women were a big cause of conflict because they had low status and didnt have much of a say because the males dominated the society. However in Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the women of the houses to become the peacemakers. Shakespeare contrasts the women of this story to the Elizabethan women because in Romeo and Juliet the women of the house seem to have stopped the argument by explaining that there is no reason for physical fights when sorting something out, Why call you for a sword and Thou shall not stir one foot to seek a foe. .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .postImageUrl , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:hover , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:visited , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:active { border:0!important; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:active , .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534 .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue8629072f72bf1c380a8a6f776b45534:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Frankenstein typical of the gothic genre EssayAnother method of conflict that Shakespeare has used to illustrate conflict was the ages of characters. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Juliet has not turned fourteen yet Lady Capulet is set on getting her married to Paris. In the Elizabethan times this was normal and so the audience would not have found this a surprise. Younger than she are happy mothers made. Paris says this as it is a fact and tries to come round Capulet in allowing Juliet to get married at the age of thirteen. Although Capulet is against Juliet getting married at a small age because too soon marred are those so early made. He still encourage s Paris to keep faith and that he has nothing against Juliet courting Paris, But woo her gentle Paris, get her heart/My will to her consent is but a part/And she agreed, within her scope of choice. On the other hand, Lady Capulet is very fond of Paris as she uses metaphors to describe him. This precious book of love, Lady Capulet says this in a manner that she persuades Juliet to get married to him. Because Lady Capulet likes Paris, she uses an extended metaphor to convince Juliet that he is the one. The talk of golden book is used to picture him as an intellectual person with his knowledge of the world around them. In conclusion, conflict is caused in all scenes from different characters and aspects. Shakespeare has used a wide range of language mechanisms to build up the ancient grudge through the first act. The prologue; the first scene where the two young men of the Capulets house cause mayhem; love; language; age; status. These are just a few of the many ways in which Shakespeare has developed to give the audience a clear image of the conflict which will grow later. Of all the other reasons for conflict, I think the biggest key conflict is the anger and rivalry between the two households because this is what triggers off every other conflict in the story. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.

Joy Luck Club Essays (708 words) - Chinatown, San Francisco

Joy Luck Club Hey, Sabrina, are you Japanese or Chinese? I asked. Her reply, as it seems to be for a lot of minority groups, is, Neither, Im Chinese-American. So, besides her American accent and a hyphenated ending on her answer to the SAT questionnaire about her ethnic background, whats the difference? In Amy Tans enjoyable novel, The Joy Luck Club, about the relationships and experiences of four Chinese mothers and four Chinese-American daughters, I found out the answer to this question. The difference in upbringing of those women born during the first quarter of this century in China, and their daughters born in the American atmosphere of California, is a difference that doesnt exactly take a scientist to see. From the beginning of the novel, you hear Suyuan Woo tell the story of The Joy Luck Club, a group started by some Chinese women during World War II, where we feasted, we laughed, we played games, lost and won, we told the best stories. And each week, we could hope to be lucky. That hope w as our only joy. (p. 12) Really, this was their only joy. The mothers grew up during perilous times in China. They all were taught to desire nothing, to swallow other peoples misery, to eat [their] own bitterness. (p. 241) Though not many of them grew up terribly poor, they all had a certain respect for their elders, and for life itself. These Chinese mothers were all taught to be honorable, to the point of sacrificing their own lives to keep any family members promise. Instead of their daughters, who can promise to come to dinner, but if she wants to watch a favorite movie on TV, she no longer has a promise (p. 42), To Chinese people, fourteen carats isnt real gold . . . [my bracelets] must be twenty-four carats, pure inside and out. (p. 42) Towards the end of the book, there is a definite line between the differences of the two generations. Lindo Jong, whose daughter, Waverly, doesnt even know four Chinese words, describes the complete difference and incompatibility of the two wor lds she tried to connect for her daughter, American circumstances and Chinese character. She explains that there is no lasting shame in being born in America, and that as a minority you are the first in line for scholarships. Most importantly, she notes that In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you. (p. 289) Living in America, it was easy for Waverly to accept American circumstances, to grow up as any other American citizen. As a Chinese mother, though, she also wanted her daughter to learn the importance of Chinese character. She tried to teach her Chinese-American daughter How to obey parents and listen to your mothers mind. How not to show your own thoughts, to put your feelings behind your face so you can take advantage of hidden opportunities . . . How to know your own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring. (p. 289) The American-born daughters never grasp on to these traits, and as the book shows, they became c ompletely different from their purely Chinese parents. They never gain a sense of real respect for their elders, or for their Chinese background, and in the end are completely different from what their parents planned them to be. By the stories and information given by each individual in The Joy Luck Club, it is clear to me just how different a Chinese-American person is from their parents or older relatives. I find that the fascinating trials and experiences that these Chinese mothers went through are a testament to their enduring nature, and constant devotion to their elders. Their daughters, on the other hand, show that pure Chinese blood can be changed completely through just one generation. They have become American not only in their speech, but in their thoughts, actions and lifestyles. This novel has not only given great insight into the Chinese way of thinking and living, but it has shown the great contrast that occurs from generation to generation, in the passing on of idea s and traditions. Bibliography 99 newyork 99-109. History Essays