Jing-Mei's mother, a resilient and optimistic woman who founded the Joy Luck Club, and whose past influences her daughter's perspectives.

An ambitious and competitive woman, similar to her mother, who seeks to balance her American life with her Chinese heritage, while aiming to better understand her mother.

Waverly's mother, known for her strong will and intelligence, who prides herself on overcoming significant challenges and deeply values her daughter.

A woman affected by childhood tragedy, who struggles with decision-making and stands between her Chinese roots and the American ways she looks to for solutions.

Rose's mother, characterized by her belief in personal strength and control over one's fate, who tries to instill resilience in her daughter.

A woman caught between her mother's beliefs in the supernatural and her own American rationality, whose difficulty with communication affects her relationships.

Lena's mother, who experienced a lively youth restrained by societal expectations and faces internal conflict regarding her identity after moving to America.