The Joy Luck Club

by

Amy Tan

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Ying-ying’s childhood nanny. Amah does the majority of parenting when Ying-ying is young, as Ying-ying’s wealthy parents spend their time in leisure. Though she affectionately cares for Ying-ying, she’s also aware that her job is in jeopardy whenever the girl misbehaves, causing her to be extra angry when Ying-ying sneaks off.

Amah Quotes in The Joy Luck Club

The The Joy Luck Club quotes below are all either spoken by Amah or refer to Amah. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mother-Daughter Relationships Theme Icon
).
The Moon Lady Quotes

“What is a secret wish?”
“It is what you want but cannot ask,” said Amah.
"Why can’t I ask?"
"This is because…because if you ask it…it is no longer a wish but a selfish desire," said Amah. "Haven’t I taught you – that it is wrong to think of your own needs? A girl can never ask, only listen."

Related Characters: Ying-ying St. Clair (speaker), Amah (speaker)
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Joy Luck Club PDF

Amah Quotes in The Joy Luck Club

The The Joy Luck Club quotes below are all either spoken by Amah or refer to Amah. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mother-Daughter Relationships Theme Icon
).
The Moon Lady Quotes

“What is a secret wish?”
“It is what you want but cannot ask,” said Amah.
"Why can’t I ask?"
"This is because…because if you ask it…it is no longer a wish but a selfish desire," said Amah. "Haven’t I taught you – that it is wrong to think of your own needs? A girl can never ask, only listen."

Related Characters: Ying-ying St. Clair (speaker), Amah (speaker)
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis: