The Bonesetter's Daughter

by Amy Tan

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Summary

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The Bonesetter's Daughter is a richly woven narrative exploring themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the nuances of familial relationships. Central to the story is Ruth Young, a ghostwriter grappling with her own sense of self amidst the complexities of her professional and personal life. The novel intricately intertwines Ruth's contemporary challenges with the past of her enigmatic mother, LuLing, revealing deep connections that transcend time and geography.

Ruth's Present Life

In her professional sphere, Ruth Young excels as a ghostwriter, bringing others' stories to life with precision and skill. Despite this professional success, her personal life is a tapestry of complications, including a relationship with a nearly imperceptible lover and a tumultuous dynamic with her mother, LuLing. The situation becomes more urgent when LuLing begins exhibiting signs of Alzheimer's, prompting Ruth to take on the responsibility of caring for her. LuLing's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, manifesting in actions like cooking with eggshells intact and wandering the neighborhood inappropriately dressed. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's compels Ruth to move in with her mother, a decision burdened with both reluctance and necessity. Alongside these challenges, LuLing, a gifted calligrapher, entrusts Ruth with a manuscript recounting her life story, but Ruth is initially resistant to delving into its depths.

Unveiling LuLing's Past

The manuscript that LuLing presents to Ruth is a window into a past brimming with secrets and emotional complexity. The narrative, delivered in LuLing's own voice, reveals her upbringing under the care of Precious Auntie, a woman of significant importance and mystery in her life. Precious Auntie's father was a renowned bonesetter, who bestowed upon her the knowledge of a mystical cave filled with "dragon bones," said to possess healing properties when ground into powder. This heritage sets the stage for conflict, as Precious Auntie's life becomes entwined with Liu Hu Sen, an ink maker seeking her father's expertise after an accident. Their engagement is disrupted by Coffinmaker Chang, a rejected suitor, who attacks the wedding party for the sake of acquiring the valuable dowry of dragon bones. This act of violence results in death and heartbreak, catapulting Precious Auntie into a tragic spiral that leaves her both physically and emotionally scarred.

The Burden of Secrets

Precious Auntie's life is marred by loss and the burden of secrets. After surviving a suicide attempt that leaves her mute and disfigured, she becomes the caretaker of her own daughter, LuLing, under the protection of Great-Granny Liu. LuLing grows up unaware of her true parentage, believing Precious Auntie to be merely her nursemaid. The shadow of Coffinmaker Chang looms large as he endeavors to exploit LuLing's knowledge of the secret cave by orchestrating a marriage between her and his son. Powerless to intervene directly, Precious Auntie resorts to writing a letter to Chang's family, threatening eternal haunting if the marriage proceeds. In a final act of love and desperation, she takes her own life, a sacrifice that unveils the truth to LuLing, who is subsequently sent to an orphanage. It is there that LuLing's life takes another turn, as she meets her first husband, a scientist involved in the excavation of ancient caves. Her journey eventually leads her to America, shaping the backdrop of Ruth's contemporary existence.

A Journey of Understanding

As Ruth delves into her mother's manuscript, she begins to grasp the profound connections binding her to her maternal ancestry. The revelations of LuLing's past reshape Ruth's understanding of her own identity, illuminating the sacrifices and resilience that have brought her family to the present. Embracing this newfound clarity, Ruth accepts the intertwined obligations of love and duty towards LuLing, preparing herself to...

(This entire section contains 787 words.)

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navigate the challenges that lie ahead.

Symbolism and Metaphors

Amy Tan employs silence as a profound metaphor for the loss of agency and power throughout the novel. Ruth, while adept at giving voice to her clients' narratives, often finds her own voice eclipsed by the demands of her life. Similarly, LuLing experiences moments of voicelessness, both during her time at the orphanage and later as her memory begins to fade. Most poignantly, Precious Auntie's silence is a testament to her enduring strength and influence, as even in death, she communicates through gestures and written words, leaving an indelible mark on her daughter and granddaughter.

The excavation of bones, particularly the quest for Peking Man, serves as another layer of metaphor, representing the unveiling of hidden truths about identity and heritage. For Ruth, uncovering these familial legacies becomes a path to healing and self-discovery, allowing her to reconcile with her past and embrace a more complete sense of self.

Sources for Further Study

Booklist 97 (December 1, 2000): 676.

Library Journal 126 (February 1, 2001): 126.

The New York Times Book Review 106 (February 18, 2001): 9.

Publishers Weekly 247 (December 4, 2000): 51.

The Times Literary Supplement, March 16, 2001, p. 22.

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