6/2/09 "A Pair of Tickets" by Amy Tan

As many of us can relate to, the narrator, 15yr old Jing-mei identifies more to the hustle of her current teenage experience than she does to the background of her parents. Jing-mei’s mother tries to explain that the Chinese blood is forever a part of her genes but wisely lets the subject rest with a hint of anticipation, “Someday you will see… it’s in your blood, waiting to be let go.” (p205, par3)

At the time, Jing-mei, 15, dismissed her mother as embarrassing, but later found herself feeling ashamed for not appreciating her as much as she should have. I didn’t find this to be true but rather a guilty feeling often experienced by middle aged people who contrast their maturity levels of teenage years to present. I felt compassion for her when her Aunt did not pick up on this clue and help her resolve this feeling. (p207, par 30) In a raw moment, Jing-mei remembers asking questions that could not be answered after her mother’s death in order to prove to herself that she cared deeply enough; however, as she grew older the reasons for the questions changed into a true search for answers. (p211, par 73-4)
It is slightly ironic that when that she finally reaches a place in her life where she is genuinely interested in learning what her mother was (hoping her to find herself connected to her mother) only to land in the “heart” of Guangzhou, China (pop: 12M) surrounded by American trappings. To make matters worse, her father’s family who comes from rural Toishan, miles from the city, are intrigued by the American culture. This creates a tension within Jing-mei and her thwarted efforts to connect to the Chinese culture seem to isolate her from the group (despite the fact she is familiar with the exclusive Mandarin dialect that is spoken around her). This is where I first considered the story’s connection to the title: 1 ticket for Jing-mei’s trip into her mother’s culture in China and the other for her father’s family trip into and American experience within the borders of China. (p210-11, par 59-72)

The night before saying goodbye to his family, her father reveals the discriminated occasion, telling the story of why her mother left her sisters behind, which Jing-mei insists he share in Chinese. The details were heart-wrenching and my emotions quickly became fully vested in the story.

The end is fully resolved when Jing-mei sees her mother’s face in both of the twins expressions of relief as it is assumed the twins experience the same in their sister.(p217, par 140-41) All 3 are at last restored, fully connected to their mother evidenced by the meaning of her name, “long-cherished wish”, and the site of her emerging in the development of the Polaroid taken of the 3 girls. (p217, par 145) When considering the title at this point of the story, it is clear that 1 ticket was for Jing-mei and the other for the twins, all sharing the destination of their mother.