After Jing-mei’s mother dies, Jing-mei is left to fix the missing pieces of an uncertain puzzle. Jing-mei is not only to live under her mother’s shadows at the Joy Luck Club but fulfill her legacy. The legacy left to reunite with the lost twin sisters and discover her true identity. Through the bumps of confusion and importance Jing-mei learns valuable lessons from them. She succeeds her mother’s legacy and completes the puzzle.
Jing-mei and her mother do not have the best mother-daughter bond. Like many Chinese mothers, high expectations and strong opinions are a major aspect of their lives. Jing-mei struggles through this obstacle of trying to know her identity. Her mother had faith in finding that “prodigy” talent of her daughter; however, she ends in disappointment and with no hope. Little did Jing-mei know her mother wants her to discover her identity with life lessons. After her mother’s death Jing-mei is left upon reflections of her mother and realizes her mother’s true love.
One reflection of her mother’s love is when a crab dinner occurred on Chinese New Year. Jing-mei was about to take a bad crab when her mother takes it for herself. Without realization Jing-mei does not recognize the best quality. This suggests Jing-mei does not even recognize her own type of quality. Later that day her mother gave her a jade pendant. “This is young jade. It is a very light color now, but if you wear it every day it will become more green.” (Tan pg 209). Jing-mei is a symbol to the jade. She will improve and deepen overtime. Without the wisdom and reasons of her mother Jing-mei would have not succeeded her mother’s legacy. Jing-mei cherished the memories of her mother and grew up later to bloom her identity.
With that being said, this gave Jing-mei the motivation to see her lost twin sisters in China. Her mother passed away before getting a chance to meet them. Therefore, her mother passed down her this “cherished wish” for Jing-mei to reunite with them. Without the motivation of her others especially her mother Jing-mei would not have accomplished this legacy. Once Jing-mei arrives to China she accepts and understands her identity. Also, she connects with her sisters and realizes they are all a resemblance of their mother. “Together we look like our mother. Her same eyes, her same mouth, open in surprise to see, at last, her long-cherished wish.” (Tan pg 288). At last their mother’s legacy is accomplished.
Jing-mei goes through a slow process of trying to unravel the legacy her mother left her to fulfill. Living under so many shadows Jing-mei is always uncertain. She had to first go through the process of finding her identity before reuniting with her sisters. Without lessons and memories of her mother she would have not fulfilled her legacy. In the end, Jing-mei fulfilled her mother’s legacy, the legacy of reunion and identity.
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