Rules Of The Game Waverly Jong Character Analysis

“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. The characterization of Waverly Jong in Amy Tan’s “Rules of the Game” delineates the importance of foresight and the ability to anticipate the outcome of situations, especially in the case of her mother. In analyzing Waverly’s acknowledgement, “I learned why it is essential in the endgame to have foresight...all weaknesses and advantages become evident to a strong adversary and are obscured to a tiring opponent..for the whole game one must gather invisible strengths and see the endgame before the game begins.” (3), the reader is able to decipher how Waverly’s thoughts work to elicit a greater meaning

Waverly’s conclusive thoughts reveal to, “see the endgame before the game begins” (3). In a literal sense, “seeing the endgame” means predicting the outcome of your opponent before they begin to make a move. In the context of Waverly’s game, however, this phrase takes on the meaning that Waverly needs to predict her mother’s reactions before she herself acts based on her mother’s personality and habits. It is clear, therefore, that the link between the necessity of premonitions and adaptation are mirrored through Waverly’s