在譚恩美的作品當中，母女關係一直是耐人尋味的話題。在她的成長過程裡，譚恩美長期與母親維持著緊張衝突、憤怒不安又血濃於水的親情關係，再加上華美兩世代文化的不同，價值觀也有極大的懸殊之下，譚恩美筆下的母女關係充滿著真實與張力。譚恩美靠著書寫她的故事，將她自身經歷的愛恨交織的母女關係，嚴苛的母親給予她的悲怨與糾結，對她寄予厚望卻帶給她心裡沉重的負擔等等的情緒抒發，生動的刻畫出兩代母女之間的衝突與矛盾，愛恨情仇與進退兩難的處境，成就了一本本膾炙人口又引人入勝的小說章節。《接骨師的女兒》這是以三代關係所串成的作品。促使我探討本書的動機，當然，很大部分的原因是來自於我的生命經驗，即是我與自己母親相處的過程。導致這些衝突最原始的原因是因為源自於彼此對權力的慾望所導致。以母女關係為例，媽媽是生下女兒並養育女兒的人，即是提供較多資源的一方。父母對子女不僅有哺育的義務，也有關懷、愛護、與培育其成長的責任。子女則要順從父母的管教，並且在父母年老時負起孝親奉養的義務，包括經濟奉養、精神贍養、與祭祖思親等。而且由於「天下無不是的父母」，即使發現父母失誤，也只能間接、委婉勸告，不可以直接指明，也不可以要求父母一定要有所改變。這種權力階級式的親子關係造就出幾千年家族制度的穩定與綿延，可是往往由於很多時候是毫無根據命令式的管教，只要子女遵從，想當然爾一定會衍生出較多鬥爭的親子關係。而本書中最主要描寫母女衝突的內容便是璐琳與她女兒露絲。在露琳的身上可以看到更多引發權力控制欲望的面向，像是她的自信與自負，在這樣人格的心態上，往往會有 “你什麼都不會，你什麼都不懂，你什麼都做不好，所以你要聽我的。所以在這樣否定對方的想法之下，任何一件小事都會是她權力鬥爭的戰場。另外還有僵化的觀念，固有的認知以及傳統的思維也會引發權力控制的慾望，在相同的事情上，無關對錯，甚至沒有邏輯，沒有根據而引發出衝突和情緒的對抗。璐琳一生的遭遇，造就了其偏執又壓迫的性格，對露絲而言，這樣的母親讓年幼的她充滿不安全感與恐懼，書中所闡述的情節，就恰如真實的譚恩美與她自己母親的關係。正因為這樣如此真實又貼近所有讀者的生活，也才能讓這本書觸動了無數讀者的心弦，成為歷久不衰的經典佳作。我相信在你我之間，一定都有一位或多或少像璐琳一樣的母親，而在我們的心裡面，也有一個部分像露絲的自己。
In Amy Tan's works, the mother-daughter relationship has been an intriguing topic. Her works started by her own experience of love-hate relationship between mother and daughter. Her demanding mother made sorrowful complaints. Her mother had high expectations for her but giving her a heavy burden which Tan turned it to the expression of emotions in her writings. Tan vividly depicts the conflict and contradiction between mother and daughter; both love and hatred and the dilemma that made her succeed a fascinating work. In The Bonesetter’s Daughter strings together three generations. Mother and Daughter Relationships, which motivates me to explore. Of course, most of the reason came from my life experiences, the relationship between my mother and her daughter. In my point of view, most conflicts in the Mother-Daughter relationship in the book was actually stems from an urge of power, or a “power-struggle”, to be exact. In any relationship, a “power struggle” is inevitable and it often happens between Mother and Daughter.
In The Bonesetter’s Daughter, it is easily to know that Precious Auntie, LuLing and Ruth have the vivid personality and unique characteristics. In Chapter One and Two I will analyze Precious Auntie and LuLing their desire to control and their relationship. In Chapter Three and Four I will analyze the relationship between LuLing and Ruth; the power structure among them and how to balance of power and relief of the tension between them. In Chapter Five is my conclusion. This book is about family, about suffering and about mother-daughter’s conflicts and struggle. After these three female’s stories, there are great concern about love. Only forgiveness remains; no more struggling or disturbance. No more various controlling behaviors. Only at this point can we rediscover ourselves, and from such healthy and happy mother-child relationship, can we start a new life and redefine the idea of true love.
