An-Mei: Scar; The Joy Luck Club- Amy Tan; anecdote

     During this chapter the reader learns a little bit about An-Mei's childhood in China.  An-Mei's grandmother, who she calls "Popo", tries to make An-Mei forget her mother.  Popo drove An-Mei's mother out of the house after an accident involving boiling water spilling on An-Mei.  An-Mei, the narrator of this chapter, says "Here is how I came to love my mother."  This is an anecdote.  Tan uses this line to introduce that An-Mei is going to tell a narrative.  An-Mei tells her story of how she lost memory and respect of her mother and gained it all back in one night.  An-Mei's mother touched An-Mei's scar from he boiling water and like magic An-Mei remembered the night of the incident and all the memories of her mother.  An-Mei gained respect for her mother when Popo was dying.  An-Mei's mother cut a piece of flesh from her arm and put it in a soup, part of an ancient tradition to try and save her mother Popo.  An-Mei knew her mother had showed the greatest amount of respect to her mother and ancestors through this gesture.