The Kitchen God’s Wife is yet another one of Amy Tan’s bestselling works. It is the story of a mother’s secrets that she and her best friend have kept from their family and friends for years. The book is mostly in the viewpoint of Winnie Louie, Pearl Louie Brandt’s mother. It starts off with Pearl and her life with her husband Phil; the two lead a “normal as possible life” in the American scene. Pearl’s Aunt Helen reveals to Pearl that she is dying (she has a benign brain tumor and she’s super superstitious, so what do you expect? She’s overreacting!) and wants to tell the truth to everyone before she passes on.
The story of Winnie and Helen is told in the context of Winnie explaining to her daughter, Pearl, the story of her life in China. She shares how her own mother left her life when she was small, and she was sent away by her father to her Uncle’s. Winnie was married off to a man named Wen Fu, whom her cousin Peanut had a fling with. But it wasn’t an unhappy union because of Wen and Peanut’s past, but because of Wen’s arrogance and inhumanity. Winnie met Helen after her marriage to Wen Fu, how the two of them went through rough water and wind and came to America.
Winnie Louie
Winnie is Pearl's mother. Her real name is Weili, as she was called during her life in China.
Helen Kwong
Helen Is 'like' Winnie's sister, unlike how the people in their lives think.
But the two definately share a history together escaping the war.
Pearl kept her multiple sclerosis a secret from her mother. when she reavealed it to her mother, she bought chinese medicine and and herbs to try to help her.
Winnie kept the fact that Winnie's real father is the bad man WenFu.
The Kitchen God
Samuel Louie
Although Sam never makes a physical appearance in the novel, we know that he exists as the son of Jimmiy and Winnie
Das My Culture!
Pearl is the daughter of Winnie. The majority of the book is Winnie telling Pearl about her past.
These are the two little girls that are the daughters of Phil and Pearl.
Jimmy Louie is Winnie's second husband after WenFu. Jimmy was very good to Winnie, and is the clear foil of WenFu.
Although she is the daughter of two Chinese Immigrants, Pearl feels more American at heart and thinks that Chinese culture is burdensome.
Tessa and Cleo
Jimmy Louie
One of Pearl and Phil's greatest sore points other than Pearl's multiple sclerosis is family. This is because they have to balance between two conflicting cultures.
Pearl Louie Brandt
Winnie's Married Life
WeiLi was basically sold to WenFu's family. Her dowry was extravagant, but was never used by WeiLi and WenFu like WeiLi imagined. Instead, Wen's family took all of it.
Wen Fu was not extremely rude to WeiLi 24/7. but he did not respect her enough. Intimacy was often violent between the two, as he forced Winnie to confine to his wishes. He forced himself upon her when she was already pregnant.
Phil Brandt
WenFu
Phil is Pearl's husband of 16 years.
"The Bad Man"
Cookie-cutter American "NORMAL" Husband
WeiLi's first husband to whom she was "sold" to. WeiLi suffered a great deal because he was disrespectful to her physically and mentally.
WeiLi's Family and Life in China
- WeiLi's Mother leaves her at a young age. Her image of her Mother is blurred.
- WeiLi's Father sends her to her Uncle's beause she has no place at his home now that her mother is gone.
- WeiLi's Uncle , New Aunt, and Old Aunt were never mean to her, but were alot loving towards her cousin Peanut(Huasheng/Huazheng).
- WeiLi's family Marries her off to Wen Fu.
Respect
Luck
Western Culture
Chinese Culture
Wealth
Health
Balance of Cultures
Wei Li
The Kitchen God's Wife
By Amy Tan
Presented by Amelia Xie
SUMMARY
secrets
Hulan
SHHH!
it's a secret!
The entire book is basically Winnie telling Pearl all of her secrets. After they share each other's secrets with each other they understand one another alot more than they used to, strengthening their mother-daughter realationship.