Parent Child Relationships
The thesis of the three stories are that who we are, our sense of identity, is at least in part shaped or affected by circumstances beyond our control and/or by the people who have authority over us. This theme of parent/child relationships applies to the three stories, “Rules of the Game” and “Two Kinds” both by Amy Tan and “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing. In the story “Rules of the Game”, Waverly and her mother both work together to make Waverly successful in chess, but it does cause tensions. In “Two Kinds”, Jung-mei has tensions with her mother when she wants her to become someone famous, but Jung-mei does not want that. In “Through the Tunnel”, Jerry decided to venture out from his mother to do something he had not done before. In the story, “Rules of the Game” Waverly and her mother both work together to make Waverly successful in chess, but it does cause tensions with the person who has authority
…show more content…
Jung-mei is forced by her mother to become famous and to play a musical instrument. Jung-mei does not want to do any of these things. She feels as if she should live a normal life and should not have to go by what her mother says. Jung-mei states, “When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I whined, and then kicked my foot a little when I couldn’t stand it anymore” (2). This quote shows that Jung-mei did not want to continue to play the piano and did not want to do lessons. In a second quote Jung-mei states “I had assumed that my talent-show fiasco meant that I would never have to play the piano again. But two days later, after school, my mother came out of the kitchen and saw me watching TV. ‘“Four clock,”’ she reminded me, as if it were any other day. I was stunned….” (4). This second quote shows that although Jung-mei did not do a good job at her talent show, her mother,who had authority over her, continued to push her to
Jung-mei is forced by her mother to become famous and to play a musical instrument. Jung-mei does not want to do any of these things. She feels as if she should live a normal life and should not have to go by what her mother says. Jung-mei states, “When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I whined, and then kicked my foot a little when I couldn’t stand it anymore” (2). This quote shows that Jung-mei did not want to continue to play the piano and did not want to do lessons. In a second quote Jung-mei states “I had assumed that my talent-show fiasco meant that I would never have to play the piano again. But two days later, after school, my mother came out of the kitchen and saw me watching TV. ‘“Four clock,”’ she reminded me, as if it were any other day. I was stunned….” (4). This second quote shows that although Jung-mei did not do a good job at her talent show, her mother,who had authority over her, continued to push her to