The mother-
daughter tale is a relatively new phenomenon in literature, which has not yet been defined by any particular
characteristics.
This essay proposes three essential
characteristics of a such a tale: estrangement between the mother and the
daughter, a crisis which brings the mother and the daughter together, and the daughter's epiphany. Furthermore, the essay applies these characteristics in comparing the two novels at hand, "One True Thing" by Anna Quindlen and "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tam.