Dec 25, 2009

The Joy Luck Club | Sample Essay Outlines

Topic #1
One of the unifying images of the novel relates to the Daoist concept of yin and yang and seeking balance between the two. In what ways does the author make use of these images?

Outline
I. Thesis Statement: Author Amy Tan uses images of yin and yang to underscore the characters’ search for balance.

II. Rose in “Half and Half” and “Without Wood” must learn to speak for herself.

III. Ying-ying in “Waiting Between the Trees” must face her pain to help her daughter.

IV. Waverly sees An-mei as “protective...