In the story, “The Rules of the Game,” by Amy Tan, a little girl named Waverly grew up in Chinatown with her working father, two older brothers, and a mom whose English was not as well-spoken as theirs. Waverly had always seemed to be advanced, for at an early age she was taught the art of invisible strength, which is mainly a strategy for winning arguments. Her mother would teach her new things, scolding Waverly when she did something wrong. However, once Waverly learned how to play the strategic game of chess, her mind opened to new possibilities. After being taught chess by her two older brothers, she found herself buying chess strategy books from the local library. Later on, Waverly challenged some old men to a game of chess and won all …show more content…
Waverly's mother would always attend them, smiling proudly every time she chose to compete. Whenever Waverly practiced, her mother always loomed above her shoulder, observing how she prepared for her upcoming tournaments. Despite her mother's supportive and proud behavior, Waverly expressed anger and annoyance, like when her mom randomly started begging to strangers that she was her daughter. Waverly's relationship with her mom played a vital role in her journey to succeed in playing chess. Firstly, mother and Waverly had a caring relationship. In some instances, Waverly's mother can be found appreciating her accomplishments, expressing pride. However, mother and Waverly also had a disciplined relationship. Throughout the story, the mother motivates her daughter to be accomplished and successful, punishing her for her bad behavior. Finally, these relationships benefited Waverly's ability to succeed in chess, for her mom motivated Waverly to try harder while also punishing her for her wrong …show more content…
The discipline and appreciation that Waverly's mother expressed was what impacted her journey to success in chess. For example, not far before Amy competes, she feels insecure that her parents will disown her if she fails to win the chess games. However, her mother gives her a piece of good advice, “Is shame that you fall down nobody push you” (Tan 5). Waverly's mother informs her that it isn't a shame if loses while trying her best, but it is a shame if she falls down because no one is pushing her to try. She wants Waverly to have an inner desire to win, not to rely on the motivation of others to bring her up in tense situations. After Waverly is given this valuable piece of advice, she proceeds to show her best results in the tournament, beating everyone she competes against in