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Why should you read “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan? - Sheila Marie Orfano

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TEDEd Animation

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In her Auntie An-mei’s home, Jing-Mei reluctantly takes her seat at the eastern corner of the mahjong table. At the north, south and west corners are her aunties, long-time members of the Joy Luck Club. This gathering is the point of departure for a series of interconnected vignettes in Amy Tan’s debut novel. Sheila Marie Orfano explores why the novel still captivates readers worldwide.

What game serves as both the center of the Joy Luck Club and a model for the novel’s structure?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Sheila Marie Orfano
  • Director Kayu Leung, Alo Trusz
  • Storyboard Artist Kayu Leung
  • Animator Alo Trusz
  • Art Director Kayu Leung, Alo Trusz
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen
  • Music Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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