Rules of the Game Story
Dalton Roderick
English 102
Dr. Gribben
17 November 2011
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS A SOURCE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
Introduction
1952 was the year Amy Tan was born in Oakland California. She was the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother had borne three daughters from a previous marriage in china. This first marriage had ended in divorce due to her husbands continued abuse. Amy Tan’s brother and sister both succumbed to brain tumor. Later, she and her mother moved to Switzerland where she completed her high school education. Tan ignored her mother’s wishes to study medicine. Instead, she got a bachelor’s degree in English and linguistics on her return to the Sun Jose College. Tan later accompanied her mother to China where she met her three half-sisters. Amy’s life and the subsequent meeting with her half-sisters later served as the inspiration behind Amy writing the Joy Luck Club from which the story “Rules of the Game” originated (Angel 30-41).
Rules of the Game
The story centers on Waverly Jong a six year old American of Chinese descent. It narrates of how Waverly’s mother taught her the art of invincible strength which led to being a child chess prodigy. The story starts at the annual Christmas event when “Santa Claus” is handing out gifts to children. Waverly receives a multipack box of lifesavers while one of her brothers, Vincent, got a used chased set. Waverly, who is eager to play chess with her brothers, offers to use her lifesavers as the missing chess pieces when her bothers initially refuse to let her. They in the end agree. Waverly closely studies the chess instruction booklet and borrows a strategy guide from the library. After her brothers lose interest in chess, Waverly challenges Lau Po, an old man who plays chess in the park. Lau Po teaches Waverly more chess techniques and strategies. Later, she becomes a gigantic attraction to the public for being adept at chess and is near being a grandmaster.
English 102
Dr. Gribben
17 November 2011
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AS A SOURCE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
Introduction
1952 was the year Amy Tan was born in Oakland California. She was the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother had borne three daughters from a previous marriage in china. This first marriage had ended in divorce due to her husbands continued abuse. Amy Tan’s brother and sister both succumbed to brain tumor. Later, she and her mother moved to Switzerland where she completed her high school education. Tan ignored her mother’s wishes to study medicine. Instead, she got a bachelor’s degree in English and linguistics on her return to the Sun Jose College. Tan later accompanied her mother to China where she met her three half-sisters. Amy’s life and the subsequent meeting with her half-sisters later served as the inspiration behind Amy writing the Joy Luck Club from which the story “Rules of the Game” originated (Angel 30-41).
Rules of the Game
The story centers on Waverly Jong a six year old American of Chinese descent. It narrates of how Waverly’s mother taught her the art of invincible strength which led to being a child chess prodigy. The story starts at the annual Christmas event when “Santa Claus” is handing out gifts to children. Waverly receives a multipack box of lifesavers while one of her brothers, Vincent, got a used chased set. Waverly, who is eager to play chess with her brothers, offers to use her lifesavers as the missing chess pieces when her bothers initially refuse to let her. They in the end agree. Waverly closely studies the chess instruction booklet and borrows a strategy guide from the library. After her brothers lose interest in chess, Waverly challenges Lau Po, an old man who plays chess in the park. Lau Po teaches Waverly more chess techniques and strategies. Later, she becomes a gigantic attraction to the public for being adept at chess and is near being a grandmaster.
References: Adams, Bella. Amy Tan. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2005. Print. Angel, Ann. Amy Tan: weaver of Asian-American tales. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2009. Print. Bloom, Harold. Amy Tan. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2000. Print. Bloom, Harold. Amy Tan 's The Joy Luck Club. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002. Print. Darraj, Susan Muaddi. Amy Tan. New York: Chelsea House, 2007. Print. Dong, Lan. Reading Amy Tan. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Press, 2009. Print. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Putnam 's, 1989. Print.