Jing-mei Woo, the protagonist in The Joy Luck Club, is a complex character who embodies the themes of cultural identity and mother-daughter relationships. She is a Chinese-American woman who is torn between her Chinese heritage and her American upbringing, struggling to find her place in both worlds. Jing-mei is portrayed as a young woman who is trying to break free from the expectations and limitations placed upon her by her mother and Chinese culture. She is also shown as someone who is searching for her own identity and a sense of belonging, which leads her to reconnect with her roots and her mother's past.