Yale law professor Amy Chua presents a harsh comparison of Chinese and Western ideas of child rearing in her essay entitled “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior.” This essay is an excerpt from her controversial 2011 book entitled Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom and was published as an op-ed in a 2011 edition of The New York Times. In this essay Chua strives to challenge the readers’ idea of Chinese mothers and the way that they choose to effectively raise their children, and to present the reader with a comparison of child rearing techniques throughout the world. Chua’s other works include The World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability (2002) and Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global …show more content…
She follows up this example by saying that, though her father insisted that she was garbage, it did not affect her sense of personal worth because she knew that her father thought highly of her. Chua furthers her point by discussing the top three differences in Chinese and Western parenting styles. Firstly, she draws attention to the fact that, in modern western society, parents are highly concerned about their children’s sense of self-worth and of damaging their self-esteem. Secondly, she touches on the subject of Confucian filial piety - the idea that parents have sacrificed for their children and are, therefore, owed respect and obedience in return- and its presence in Chinese culture. Chua emphasizes this point by commenting on the disagreements about child rearing that arise between her and her husband Jed, who is not of Chinese decent. Thirdly, Chua expresses the idea that Chinese parents are under the assumption that they alone know what is best for their child/children. She ends her essay with a summation of the essay’s content and expresses her viewpoint on the way that Chinese mothers are portrayed in today’s society.
The topic of cultural differences in child rearing behaviors is an increasingly relevant topic in today’s society. The members of modern society are fervently judgmental of ideas that oppose their own personal belief systems and are
In Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, the author Amy Chua uses ethos, logos and pathos to persuade her readers that the Chinese style of parenting is superior to the Western method; however, I do not believe that her argument is effective.
In the article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” the author Amy Chua believes that by not allowing their kids to do a lot of things that normal children can do, Chinese mothers produce the smartest children. Some of the things they don’t allow their children to do are attend sleepovers, be in a school play, get a grade less than an A, and choose their own extracurricular activities. Chinese mothers are not superior but abusive because their methods seem to seclude them from learning the communication skills needed for success in their child's adulthood, it can hinder the relationship they have with their children, and can sometimes lead their children to develop thoughts of suicide.
Amy Chua stirs up a controversial topic of the differences between Chinese and Western parenting styles in the article “Adapted from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”. One may believe that the Chinese way is too harsh as others may believe Western parents are too lenient. Any parent can relate to one or both parenting styles that Chua is discussing. This article is reaching out to parents who are unaware of the Chinese and Western parenting styles. To give the readers a better understanding of how each parenting style works. This article was based on Chua’s personal experiences as a Chinese parent.
It is true that the ways the parents raise their children will decide how well the children grow, especially the mothers who impact their children the most. There is no right or wrong in how a mother takes care of her children. All of them want the best for their children. The only difference is the level of intensity in how to raise a child. In Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior, Amy Chua, a professor at Yale Law School believes that the ways Chinese mothers raise their children are the most effective ways. Her main purpose of this article is to state the differences between Western mothers and Chinese mothers which
Because America is such a diverse country, there are many differences between cultures of various immigrant groups. Members of each culture, have their own beliefs and values regarding what they think is right. The cultural diversity allows for each person to have a different view of things. Amy Chua’s essay “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior,” she describes her way of parenting her two daughters following Chinese values about education. She explains how Western parents are much more lenient than Chinese parents with their children and education. Chua gives examples of how she raised her daughter Lulu and Sophia which lead them to achieve success. She makes comparisons between Western and Chinese parenting styles throughout the essay and concludes that both types of parents want the best for their children, but just approach parenting it in different ways. In the article, “Chinese vs Western Mothers: Q&A with Amy Chua,” Amy Chua is interviewed by Belinda Luscombe where she clarifies how her Chinese method of parenting did not hurt her children the way many readers thought it did. Chua explains that her relationship with her two daughters is very strong and believes there are many effective ways of parenting in addition to the Chinese approach. Chua’s essay shows the Chinese immigrant approach to parenting and gives insight into why so many children of Chinese parents are so successful. Discussing the cultural differences shows the risk of stereotyping groups where feelings
The stories "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior" by Amy Chua and "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan portray how children are raised in Chinese-American culture and what beliefs predominate in Chinese-American communities. In Chinese-American culture, mothers approach raising their children differently from many other American parents. While there are many similarities among these Chinese parents, variation can still be seen in the level of persistence and determination each individual parent pours into their parenting. These differences in persistence can be what make the difference in the results.
Across cultures, many times similarities lay within them that go unnoticed. It is true that obvious differences set them apart; but if a closer look is taken, it is surprising what can be found. The Chinese culture is obviously different from the American culture, but underneath the surface there are similarities. One of them is how the treatment of women has evolved and changed. Anti-feminism in China has been present since ancient times, and has just recently decreased. Anti-feminism in America has never been as severe as it was in China; however, instead of the value of women gradually increasing over the years - it has reversed. The value of women in America has decreased. There are many similarities between the ancient Chinese women
Both stories investigate the difference between American and Chinese parenting styles from two women’s point of view – Hanna Rosin and Amy Chua.
Amy Chua, a professor at Yale Law School, the author of “The World on Fire”, “Day of Empire”, and “Why They Fall”, in a Wall street Journal on January 8th, 2011, believes chinese mothers are the most rigorous on their children. The title of the article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” was not chosen by Amy, but by the Wall Street Journal. Even though Amy did not write the title, there is reasoning that she does believe that chinese parenting is superior. Everyone is wondering how their children excel above everyone else. Thesis…
In discussions about raising children in different cultures between Chinese and Western families, Chinese mothers and Western mothers raise their children differently from each other. Amy Chua, in her essay entitled “How Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” argues that Chinese mothers are extremely more strict and harsh when it comes to parenting their children’s self-esteem while Chinese mothers do not while they assume “strength, not fragility” from their children. She also believes that it is necessary to limit the children in their daily lives in order to achieve greatness and honor to their family. Amy Chua is led to this conclusion due to research and examples of her own life as a Chinese daughter as well. My own view on the issue is that Chinese
Chinese parents that have immigrated to the United States from China are known to have an Authoritative approach to child-rearing. In a study done by Cindy Lin, parents from China (Taiwan), immigrant Chinese living in America, and American parent’s child-rearing practices were compared. In her study she found that Chinese parents tend to control their children more than American Parents, as well as be less
It is no hidden secret that many Chinese parents reap the bragging rights of well-educated, career driven and disciplined descendants, which is an important factor in today's society; however, such parenting can lead teens to experience psychological effects such as depression and ultimately suicide. Regardless of concerned critics, Amy Chua remains positive on the result of tiger parenting. She believes that this parenting enables her children to be successful and she expects nothing but "the best". On the contrary, the recipient of such harsh treatment in the poem "Suicide Note", often feels an emotional burden, belittled, and inadequate when failure to meet Asian parents' demanding standards. Do the benefits of Chinese or "tiger
Raising children is something the vast majority of the human race will challenge themselves with at some point. How to raise children is a common issue but nonetheless a sensitive and a conscious one. Should you strictly and authoritatively lead your children the way because you love them? Or should you – with the same reason in mind – give them space to follow their own passion and make their own individual choices. The Wall Street Journal publishes the article Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior in which Amy Chua composes a persuasive essay where she argues in favour of an authoritative upbringing. Her comment on the issue is characterised by a provocative language and a creates a contrast between the so-called
According to Amy Chua in “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, the parenting styles of “Chinese mothers” are much more effective than “Western parents”. Chua writes her title most likely in an attempt to attract attention and cause controversy. She argues that the parenting styles of Chinese mothers may seem as though they don’t care for their children, but that isn’t the case. Chua states that Chinese mothers push their children so they “can be ‘the best’, and that ‘academic achievement reflects successful parenting,’” (Chua 262). She states, on the other hand, that Western parents are too worried about their child’s self-esteem. She argues in her article that Chinese parents can get away with things Western parents can’t such as calling their children “garbage”, their children owe their parents everything, and the parents know what is best for their children and override all of their children’s own wishes. Although Chua raises the point that Chinese mothers tend to have more successful children than Western parent, the children’s mental health, and sometimes physical health, from these extreme acts of parenting can put the child in
How bitter the words were! If a child never get mother’s acclaim and encouragement, how sorrowful one’s heart feels! Here comes a contrasting comparison of western and Chinese parenting—western parents encourage and praise their child much more often than Chinese parents do. This encouragement helps them create new ideas, independent opinions, developing unique and sparkling characters. Whereas Chinese parents believe in the old saying, “a strict teacher produces outstanding students”, strictness and criticism are important educating guide lines for Chinese parents, which results in obedience and collectivism, compromise, no psyche and no guts to say no. But on the other hand, Chinese do behave better in harsh and high-pressured condition due to their strict training in childhood.