“The Rules of the Game” by Amy Tan is about Waverly Jong mother taught her the art of invisible strength when she was six years old, saying that it is a strategy for winning arguments and respect. At Christmas Waverly and her brothers received gifts from donations of members from another church. Waverly convinced her brothers, Winston and Vincent, to let her play chess by offering two of her life savers to stand in for the missing pieces. Waverly began playing with Lau Po, an old man who played chess in the park. He taught her many new strategies. Waverly began to attract attention because of her young age, and she became a celebrity within the Chinatown community. Waverly's mother would force her to go to the market with her, presenting …show more content…
Best torture"(Tan 33). This quote shows that Waverly is trying to have a little fun with her mother but she took everything serious. The next example of dynamics relationship between mother and daughter is almost at the end of the story when Waverly's mother forces her to the market on Saturday so she can constantly brag that Waverly is her daughter. This really embarrassed Waverly. She got so angry at her mother and told her that she wished that she would stop telling everyone Waverly is her daughter. Then she and her mother got into an argument, and Waverly ran away from her mother. “My mother would proudly walk with me, visiting many shops, buying very little. “ This my daughter Waverly Jong,” she said to whoever looked her way. One day after we left a shop I said under my breath, “ I wish you wouldn’t do that , telling everybody I’m your daughter.” My mother stopped walking..... “Aiii-ya. So shame be with mother?” She grasped my hand even tighter as she glared at me. I looked down. “It’s not that, just so obvious. It’s so embarrassing.”... If you want to show off, then why don’t you learn to play chess?” (Tan 41). Waverly is tired of her mother telling everyone about her accomplishment, that she lost her patients and tell her mother want were exactly on her mind. The dynamics relationship between mother and daughter is that you sometime lost your temper and tell your mother some of the problems you having with them. The last citing of
Waverly also had a significant upbringing because her mother desired to give her “American circumstances and Chinese character” (Tan 254). Waverly was raised with Lindo imparting traditional Chinese “daily truths” because Lindo wanted to give her daughter wise advice, but Waverly was too Americanized to listen to her mother (Tan 89). Waverly ignored her mother’s advice because her Americanized beliefs made her think any American way was better than any Chinese way. Waverly also lost her ability to act like a child when she became a chess prodigy. Eventually, Waverly stopped playing in the alley with the other children, so she could practice and learn new strategies because Lindo pressured Waverly to win tournaments.
The mother begins to rebel against tradition by taking an active role in educating and freeing herself. Through her radio, telephone and trips out with her sons she develops her own opinions about the world, the war, and the domination and seclusion of woman. She loses her innocence as a result to her new knowledge and experience.
The role of chess as a setting in the story presents an analogy with Waverly‘s life. She uses her new knowledge of “weaknesses and advantages” (1426) to goad her mother into allowing her to compete for the first time. She continues to press her advantage, getting the bedroom to herself and berating her mother for watching her practice. In the chess game of life, however, Waverly underestimates her opponent (daltonkr4).
Jeannette’s parents tried to embrace in their children, to live life to its extent. As you can imagine, the parents lived mostly on the wild side. Rose Mary, a drug addicts who worries about herself constantly. She endlessly searches through garbage and panhandles for money, usually forgetting everything that is occurring at the exact moment. If
The story “The Rules of the Game” shows how Waverly’s ability to play Chess well increases her mother’s expectations throughout the story. In the beginning Waverly wanted to play chess so much so that she was begging her brothers to let her play. Waverly says “ Let me! Let me!’ I begged
Waverly plays is the board game chess, where she must think ahead and plan out every possible move to win. She must put herself in her opponent's shoes and try to predict their strategy. “I discovered that for the whole game one must gather invisible strengths and see the endgame before the game begins.” (Tan 8) By understanding Waverly’s thought process throughout a game, we are able to learn more about her as a person. She is aware of how different she is compared to the other players, and uses it to her advantage. “...I would clasp my hands under my chin, the delicate points of my elbows poised lightly on the table in the manner my mother had shown me for posing for the press. I would swing my patent leather shoes back and forth like an impatient child riding on a school bus. Then I would pause, suck in my lips, twirl my chosen piece in midair as if undecided, and then firmly plant it in its new threatening place with a triumphant smile thrown back at my opponent for good measure.” (Tan 12) These situations show how
“Four Directions” is the story of Waverly Jong, the young prodigy chess player who lashes out at her mother because of her constant showing off of Waverly. After returning to chess, Waverly realizes that her skill and determination is gone, along with the support and love from her mother. She beings to understand that her winning was solely dependant on her mother’s boastful remarks about her daughter, the love the Lindo was so openly expressing.
When Narrator Waverly Jong first introduces herself at the young age of seven. Waverly lives in China Town, San Francisco with her immigrant parents and two older brothers. She is a very smart, curious and obedient daughter. The author indirectly shows the reader during the first supermarket scene when Waverly is introduced to the “art of invisible strength”. Waverly first begged her mother for candy but after practicing this art form and silently ignoring the candies, her mother rewards her by purchasing them. This value of silence is a form of strength and dignity in the Chinese Culture. Waverly obeys her mother that day and soon learns that it can be used as a tool for success in the game of chess. According to David Kelly in ‘Critical Essay on "Rules of the Game” ‘, invisible strength “is presented as a magical equation that gives young Waverly the wisdom and grace to rise to national prominence in the chess world within a few short years of first taking up the game.” Waverly becomes quite good at the game. She states “By my ninth birthday, I was a national chess champion”, and was even featured in Life Magazine.
The article, the book, and I, talk about how daughters feel their mothers don’t know them and that they don’t know their mothers. They talk about how a daughter listens to her mother, but there is a certain point in a young woman 's mind where they decide they want to see and explore new ideas. In conclusion, they all talk about the point in a daughter 's life where she and her mother don’t get along very well and the daughter tries to take charge of her life.
She was the main character trying to shape her daughter’s image, she strongly believed that women belonged in the house, just like the rest of the society in the early 1900s. The narrator's mother looked forward to the day when she could “use her [daughter] more in the house” (5), after she discussed how Laird was getting older. The mother was against the idea of women helping out with a man’s job, such as working in the barn or helping out with the pelting operation, for “she was plotting now to get me to stay in the house more, although she knew I hated it” (5). The mother showed both irritation and displeasure due to her daughter always running off when she asked for help in the house, she said, "I just get my back turned and she runs off. It's not like I had a girl in the family at all" (5). Along with direct characterization, Munro released small hints about the mother’s emotions through her daughter’s dialogue and thoughts. The girl did not realize “that [her mother] could be lonely, or jealous” (5). Additionally, when the mother walked into the barn “she looked out of place” (4). This statement used the character’s actions to show how the mother disliked participating in outdoor responsibilities. Overall, the mother felt disrespected and she wanted her daughter to fulfill duties in the house, rather than
Waverly realizes that her mother is only "an old woman... getting a little crabby as she waited patiently for her daughter to invite her in" (Tan 204). Waverly finally tells her mother about her life, especially about Rich, and they begin to get along better. Both must sacrifice a little pride to make the relationship work, but as they both do so, they grow closer and their relationship becomes stronger as a result.
In life, each person has to follow rules at some point. The rules can relate to school, home, religion, etc. Our society follows rules everyday to make their life better. Throughout the short story, “Rule of the Game”, the author, Amy Tan describes the title using life experiences of the protagonist, Waverly Jong. This story is about a young girl, Waverly who lives in Chinatown, San Francisco and is passionate about chess. While exploring the world of chess, Waverly learns that in life she will have to follow rules made by others to achieve success. Waverly follows rules while playing chess and her mother creates rules for her to succeed.
The minister then questions her but after his unsuccessful attempt, Mother’s actions become a scandal throughout the town because “any deviation from the ordinary course of life in this quiet town was enough to stop all progress in it” (C670). This does not bother Mother and she successfully continues with her plans. By overcoming this alienation both characters achieve feminine empowerment.
However, the conflict between Waverly and her mother is very realistic, due to the nature that many mothers and daughters have different views which causes disagreements. The people of Chinese descent have their Chinese heritage, but struggle to keep true to their traditions while living around American culture. The major conflict in the story, the clash of different cultures, leads to the weakening of the relationship between the two characters. For example, when Waverly reenters the apartment after running away, she sees the "remains of a large fish, its fleshy head still connected to bones swimming upstream in vain escape" (Tan 508). Waverly sees herself as the fish, stripped clean by her mother 's power, unable to break free. Through the major conflict, the characters struggle to keep their relationship healthy and loving. Tan explains the feelings of Waverly through an important symbolic imaginary chess game as she writes, “My white pieces screamed as they scurried and fell off the board one by one. As her men drew closer to my edge, I felt myself growing light” (508). This shows how Waverly feels about the relationship with her mother and how she is losing the battle. The conflicts are important, especially to the theme, for the conflicts shows where the lack of understanding comes from and how it can be resolved.
The mother/daughter relationship between Mrs. MacTeer and her two daughters, Claudia and Frieda, is loving and strong. They are taught their own self-worth through their mother’s strength and example, although this love isn’t fully appreciated by the girls until they are older. During Claudia’s illness, she is treated with a mixture of concern and anger. Although Claudia is scolded and her mother complains of cleaning her vomit, at the same time her mother is nursing her, giving her medicine, and checking on her throughout the night. Claudia discovers later that her mother’s anger is not directed at her, but at the world, as she must raise her black family in a world ruled by white culture. She protects her children and equips them for survival in a hostile environment.