Rules of the Game by Amy Tan Analysis and Interpretation Part II
A. Rules of the game is a metaphor for life. The title refers not only to the rules of chess, but also to the rules of life.
1. Waverly says of chess: “A little knowledge withheld is a great advantage one should store for future use.” Is this true in life as well? Explain.
2. At the end of the story, Waverly imagines a game of chess in which her mother is her opponent. Who is winning this game? How does Waverly react when she understands that she cannot defeat her mother? How does this imaginary game reflect what is happening in Waverly’s life?
3. When Waverly says at the end of the story, “I closed my eyes and pondered my next move,” do you think she is talking only about chess? What else might she be referring to? What do you think her next move will be?
B. Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces. There are two conflicts in the story. One is between American born Waverly and her Chinese-born mother. Look at the chart below that outlines some main differences between the two cultures and answer the questions that follow.
Chinese people value… American people value…
1. Group cooperation Individualism and personal freedom
2. Maintaining “face” by showing respect and avoiding open confrontation or criticism
Open discussion and self-expression, even if it means direct confrontation and
criticism
3. Modesty, humility assertiveness
4. A formal social society in which status is based on age, gender and family
An informal society in which status is based on personal achievements, with equal opportunity for all
5. Respect for elders; obedience Self-determination; independence
1. What are some of the main differences between Chinese and American culture? Are there any similarities?
2. Which aspects of each culture do you prefer? Explain.
3. How is your own culture similar to/different from Chinese and American culture?
Which thinking skills did you use to answer the questions above?
C. Making connections is a thinking skill that helps us to understand another area better. For example, knowing that your friend has just lost his/her part-time job may help explain why your friend doesn’t want to go to an
expensive concert with you.
How are the characters’ behavior in this story connected to their cultural
backgrounds? Answer the following questions by making connections between the different cultures and the characters’ behaviors.
1. When Waverly wins at chess, Mrs. Jong says, “Is luck”.
2. Lao Po teaches Waverly: “Never announce ‘check’ with vanity, lest someone with an unseen sword slit your throat.”
3. When her mother gives her advice about chess, Waverly says: “I was annoyed, but I couldn’t say anything.”
4. Waverly says, “Ma, I can’t practice when you stand there like that.”
5. Waverly says to Mrs. Jong, “If you want to show off, then why don’t you learn to play chess?”
6. Tell the class about a time when you used the thinking skill of Making Connections to help you to understand someone or something better.
D. Because of the cultural differences between them, Waverly and her mother view things from different perspectives . Decide whether each of them would agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain your answer. 1. It is the parents’ duty to pass their values on to their children.
2. Parents must understand that each generation has its own values.
3. It’s the parents’ right to expect obedience from their children.
4. Parents should respect their children’s need for independence.
E. Think back over the story and answer these questions: 1. How is the theme of cultural conflict reflected in the story?
2. How is the theme of conflict between mothers and daughters reflected in the story?
3. In the beginning of the story, Waverly is more in touch with her Chinese culture. How has this changed by the end of the story? Give examples.
4. Mrs. Jong is upset because Waverly is becoming Americanized, but she herself adopts certain aspects of American culture. Find examples in the story.
5. Waverly sometimes sees her mother as her opponent. Are they “playing” by the same rules? Explain. How does this affect their relationship?
Answer Key A.
1. Waverly uses the art of invisible strength or self control to get what she wants from her mother. She does not ask directly for what she wants. For example, she gets the bag of salted plums that she had wanted the previous week, and she is allowed to play in the local chess tournaments. The lesson helps Waverly succeed in chess because she learns self-control. She learns not to reveal “why” to others, to withhold knowledge and to lose graciously.
2. Waverly’s mother is winning the imaginary game of chess at the end of the story. When Waverly realizes that she cannot defeat her mother in the imaginary game of chess, she retreats and quits the game, flying out of the house and high above the city (and her mother’s influence) until she is completely alone. She
symbolically breaks the ties with her family and home. She is lost and alone and doesn’t know what to do next. This parallels what is happening in Waverly’s life. Waverly feels that her mother has too much control over her life. Waverly tries to assert her independence by challenging her mother in the market and then running away. But she knows that at this stage in her life, she cannot win. Her mother is “the strongest wind that cannot be seen”. By force of her personality the mother exerts her influence on Waverly and the entire family. She controls the home as she controls the chessboard, making sure that Waverly’s family don’t pay
attention to her when she returns home. (“We not concerning this girl…”) . As in her dream, Waverly feels that her mother is an opponent whom she cannot defeat, so she physically tries to remove herself from her mother’s influence by running away in the market.
3. No, she isn’t only talking about chess. She is also planning her next move at home. Maybe she will apologize to her mother or explain to her mother that she feels embarrassed when her mother boasts to people about her.
B.
1. There are no similarities mentioned in the chart. The main differences are;
Chinese culture is more concerned with the group and American culture with the individual.
Chinese culture emphasizes a strict code of social behavior. American culture emphasizes personal freedom and self-expression.
2. EITHER: I prefer the respect that Chinese people show to their elders because older people have a lot of experience and wisdom and should be listened to. OR: I prefer the self-expression that is encouraged in American society because a person should be free to express himself.
3. For example: My own culture is similar to American culture because it is based on personal freedom and expression, direct confrontation and personal achievement.
C.
1. Mrs. Jong is showing her modestly by attributing Waverly’s success in the chess game to luck rather than her excellent skill in playing chess.
2. Lao Po teaches Waverly to be humble and not announce the end of the game with arrogance and pride because she may be mistaken, and her opponent may still make a move and win the game. This saying also reflects a belief in mystery and magic, rather than in logical reasoning.
3. Waverly cannot say anything to disagree with her mother, because in Chinese culture children show obedience and respect for their elders and do not contradict their parents.
4. When Waverly tells her mother that she can’t practice when her mother stands over her, she is expressing her own feelings and asserting herself. This is an example of how her behavior has become Americanized.
5. Waverly is being impolite to her mother. She is showing disrespect to her elders. This behavior contradicts the values of respect and obedience to elders that is valued in Chinese culture. Here Waverly shows the influence of the American cultural values of assertiveness and independence.
D.
1. Mrs. Jong would agree. Waverly would probably disagree. She would think that children need to adopt the values of the culture they are living in.
3. Mrs. Jong would agree. Respect for parents and obedience is part of Chinese culture. Waverly would think that children should express their own opinions and not have to behave as their parents wish.
4. Waverly would agree. Mrs. Jong would disagree. She would think that children should fulfill their parents’ wishes and be obedient.
E.
1. The theme of cultural conflict is reflected in the conflict between Chinese-born Mrs. Jong and American-Chinese-born Waverly. Waverly and her family live in Chinatown in San Francisco. They live above a Chinese bakery, shop in traditional Chinese stores (like the medicinal herb shop and the fish market), go to the First Chinese Baptist Church and get presents from a Chinese Santa Claus. The Chinese immigrant parents want to preserve their traditional culture, whereas the children want to integrate into American society. Waverly’s mother emphasizes traditional Chinese values of self-control and obedience. Whereas Waverly wants to assert her independence. The young Chinese Americans find themselves alienated not only from American society but also from their Chinese parents and heritage.
2. The theme of conflict between mothers and daughters is reflected in the relationship between Waverly and her mother. When she is younger, Waverly accepts her mother’s right to set the rules and control her life. As she grows older, however, she begins to assert her independence. Her mother feels she is losing control, and a power struggle follows. Their relationship reflects the generation gap, which causes misunderstandings. Waverly’s impatient
behavior and intolerance of her mother cause conflict. For example, Mrs. Jong misunderstands the chess game, thinking that it is better to lose fewer pieces. Waverly gets annoyed at her ignorance, especially because it is disobedient to correct her. Waverly is rude to her mother in the market. Mrs. Jong
expects Waverly to accompany her on market days and be shown off to people without protesting.
3. In the beginning of the story, Waverly is more in touch with her Chinese culture because she is younger and her mother has more control over her. She lives above a Chinese bakery and plays in a Chinese neighborhood. By the end of the story, Waverly is older and has been more exposed to American culture. She has attended chess tournaments, each one further away from home. As a result she is less in touch with her Chinese culture.
4. Mrs. Jong names Waverly after the street that they live on: she takes her children to a Christmas party. She allows Waverly to play in the chess tournaments and she gives Waverly special privileges according to the new American rules.
5. Waverly learns the Chinese rules of behavior and uses them to get what she wants. For example, she uses self-control and manipulation to get her mother to allow her to play in the chess tournament. However, as Waverly gets older, she and her mother do not always play by the same rules. Mrs. Jong plays by the Chinese rules of behavior, whereas Waverly has begun to reject these rules in favor of the American values of self-expression and independence. This causes conflict in their relationship.
