Joy Luck Club - The Red Candle

This chapter talked about Lindo Jong's experience when she was growing up in China.

At a very young age, Lindo's future husband was already determined by the village matchmaker. Lindo was brought up being taught things such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, and how to be a good wife when she finally gets married. Lindo's life changed completely when she was twelve. A big flood came and all her family's property was either destroyed or rendered unusable for years to come. Her family was forced to move to the city to find other means of income. Lindo's father explain to her that the whole family has to leave immediately except for her. She was old enough to separate from the family and live with the Huangs, her future family.

At the instant Lindo step into the doorsteps of the Huang, she entered a life of hardship. Huang Taitai immediately put Lindo into the kitchen and told the servants to teach her how to cook. Soon after Lindo was cooking daily for the Huang family. Everyday she would wash their clothes, clean their rooms, and cook for them. Although Lindo did not complain about the life she lived, she did not exactly like it either.

Things got worst after Lindo and Tyan-yu were formerly married. Huang Taitai now wants a grandson. Although Lindo openly tried to have Tyan-yu sleep with her, Tyan-yu is still just a little boy and to Huang Taitai's dismay she did not get a grandson even after several months.

Seeing that she could live this life no longer, Lindo came up with a plot. Lindo successfully tricked Huang Taitai into thinking that the Huang ancestors were not happy with Tyan-yu's marriage and that Lindo was not the right wife for Tyan-yu. After the act Huang Taitai immediately gave Lindo a ticket to Peking and enough money to come to America.

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