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Power In Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club

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The main theme in the story “Rules of the Games” by Amy Tan is power. This essay will discuss to what extent the protagonist of the story is responsible for the conflict or predicament she faces. In the opening line of the story, the main character, Waverly, states: “I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at that time, chess games” (Tan, 1952, p. 1490). Moreover, the effects of power have been evident in a mother-daughter clash, a brother-sister rivalry, a strife between Asian and American values, and the battle between “Black” and “White” in a chess tournament.
Waverly Jong was born in the United States. Although …show more content…

Conflict arises when her mother controls her life. The more she excels in playing chess, the more expectations her mother puts on her, and she loses her freedom to spend jovially as a kid. At heart, she enjoys playing chess, but her mother always wants her to do better. Waverly says: “At the next tournament, I won again, but it was my mother who wore the triumphant grin” (1952, p. 1495). Waverly’s mother is thrilled when her daughter is featured on the cover of Life Magazine. At nine years old, Waverly becomes a national champion. Lindo Jong proudly announces her daughter’s prowess and fame all over Chinatown. To Lindo’s Chinese perception, her daughter’s success is the whole family’s success, which is contrary to Waverly’s more American view that her success is her individual …show more content…

Jong to the market on Saturdays. One day, Waverly confronts her mother during their shopping expedition. She faces a dilemma when she replies defiantly to her mother. Waverly exclaims: “Why do you have to use me to show off? If you want to show off, then why don’t you learn to play chess?” (1952, p. 1496). Mrs. Jong’s eyes turn into dangerous black slits. After the incident, Lindo has no words but just sharp silence. Waverly goes home, and her family gives her a cold shoulder as a sign of punishment. Just like in a chess game, she ponders her next

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(b)Connect: Waverly is told not to question the rules just figure it out on her own. Waverly uses the rules to make her own chess strategy. (c)Extend: Waverly Jong is a young girl who lives with her mother, Mrs. Jong, and her two older brothers, Vincent and Winston. Her family is of Chinese descent and they live happily in busy Chinatown, San Francisco.

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This quote from the text stands out to me because it shows that Waverly’s mom cares more about herself than her community. Every Saturday, Waverly and her mom would go to the market. Not to purchase anything, but for Waverly’s mom to show off her daughter who became a national chess champion. Instead of focusing on how her family felt about Waverly’s sudden success and helping them cope with Waverly’s busy schedule, the mother chose to flaunt Waverly and boast about her accomplishments.

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In “Rules of the Game,” the author directs her focus on the strained relationship between an immigrant mother and her daughter born in America but of intense Chinese background. The narrator, Waverly Jong describes her encounter at the marketplace with her mom; who taught her the art of invincible strength. She explains how her mother termed it as a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others stating that the strongest wind never meets the eye. This lesson proves pivotal in Jong’s spectacular chess expeditions that saw her crowned national champion as well as defined the latter`s relationship with her mother, whom she often saw as an opponent. Jong becomes entrapped in her conflicting environments, forcing her to adjust accordingly to both her physical and social environment.

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After a long journey and many games, she began to win lots of tournaments against people of all ages. Then, her mother introduced Waverly to the world by showing her off and this made Waverly upset. Waverly proceeded to run away and lost track of her surroundings. When she returned, her family was ashamed of her, displaying no announced resolution. The theme of the short story, “Rules of The Game” by Amy Tan is that the journey is what matters.

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She credits her success to her mother’s lesson of the power of invisible strength. She recounts how “my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games.” (p. 89) Waverly goes on to have a lucrative career as an attorney, while her mother 's power over her gradually wanes reminiscent of the Taitai’s power over Lindo.

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Her lips would be sealed tight, and after each move I made, a soft ‘Hmmmmph’ would escape from her nose.” (Tan 240- 241). This piece of evidence shows that Waverly is frustrated with her mom for saying those things to her when she knows that her mom may be right but Waverly knows that game better and tries to explain that to her mom. She also tries to plan out her games at home but her mom is always watching her and seems to be disapproving of her. However, this is not true because if you were to look at this story from Mrs. Jong’s point of view you would see that she just wants to help Waverly and see her succeed.

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However, she makes a pledge to herself, which she resolves to keep with equal zeal. Lindo’s lesson in balancing duty to one’s parents and responsibility to oneself also links her to her daughter who must learn to revere their heritage and elders without becoming passive, and without giving up their desires and aspirations. Waverly states, “ I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually .. chess games. At home, she said, “Wise guy, he does not go

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Waverly Jong grew up with her family in San Francisco’s Chinatown. She never had a strength that made her stand out, but when she discovered chess, it became her special talent. Although she enjoyed it for a great amount of time, she started liking it less and less as the pressure grew more and more. Her parents placed her under more stress and viewed her just as a chess-playing prodigy. Waverly reflects “I no longer played in the alley of Waverly Place.

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Waverly, states the norm, every saturday at the markets: “ I had to accompany my mother on Saturday market days when I had no tournament to play. My mother would proudly walk with me, visiting many shops, buying very little. ‘This my daughter Wave-ly Jong,’ she said to whoever looked her way. (99) ” The, tone of this shows the proudness and boastfulness in the mother.

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Waverly’s early exposure to competition and strategy, rooted in her mother’s teachings about the “art of invisible strength,” shapes her character. This is evident when she reflects, “I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength” (Tan 45). Waverly's mother's disapproval of her cleverness further highlights the tension between Waverly's ambition and familial expectations: “MeiMei, you're getting to be too clever. It’s not right” (Tan 101). This quote illuminates Waverly’s early exposure to competition and strategy, instilled by her mother.

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This lesson proves pivotal in Jongs spectacular chess expeditions that saw her crowned national champion and also defined her relationship with her mother whom she considered as an opponent. Jongs

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“Rules of The Game” by Amy Tan divulges into the story of young Chinese-American girl Waverly Place Jong, named after the street that she lives on in San Francisco’s Chinatown. In her small two-bedroom flat, she lives with her two brothers Vincent and Winston, along with her very traditional Chinese mother. Raised under the strict influence of her mother, Waverly grows up under the impression that success and honoring your family are the two most important concepts in life. With these beliefs instilled in her, she puts forward her best effort into everything-- whether it’s her talent for chess or placating her mother. This becomes evident throughout the story in terms of what Waverly’s character reveals.

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(MINOR 1 FOR MAJOR A) In the story, she would consistently dedicate her time and effort in the game of chess. As a result, at age nine, she was a national chess champion. In addition, Waverly would spend countless of hours trying to discover and learn new strategic ways/techniques always to win the game. For instance, Waverly stated, “I went to school, then directly

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Because of her mother, the girl often emerges victorious after participating in matches. Furthermore, when her daughter is curious about Chinese torture, Mrs. Jong instructs, "Chinese people do business, do medicine, do painting. Not lazy like American people. We do torture. Best torture.”

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