Rules of the GameSummary.docx

Rules of the GameSummary.docx

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RulesoftheGameSummary

RulesoftheGame–Summary

Overview:

ThisstorybyAmyTamhasmanyoverlappingandintertwinedthemes.Firstofall,thestoryaddressesamotherverusdaughterconflictandstruggleforcontrol.Also,thestorydealswithconflictoftheoldChineseworld（representedbyMrs.Jong）andthatofthenewAmericanworld（representedbyWaverly）.Finally,wehavethetypicalimmigrantthemeinwhichthenewimmigrant,whooftenstartsoffinpoverty,strugglestogetaheadinthequesttoachievetheAmericanDream.Thegameofchessisusedasametaphorfortherulesandskillsthatneedtobeobtainedandmasteredinordertosucceedinlife.

Thesetting:

SanFrancisco'sChinatownistheoldestChinatowninNorthAmericaandthelargestChinesecommunityoutsideAsia.Sinceitsestablishmentinthe1840s,ithasbeenhighlyimportantandinfluentialinthehistoryandcultureofethnicChineseimmigrantsintheUnitedStatesandNorthAmerica.Chinatownisanactiveenclavethatcontinuestoretainitsowncustoms,languages,placesofworship,socialclubs,andidentity.Popularlyknownasa"city-within-a-city",ithasdevelopeditsowngovernment,traditions,over300restaurants,andasmanyshops.Therearetwohospitals,numerousparksandsquares,apostoffice,andotherinfrastructure.VisitorscaneasilybecomeimmersedinamicrocosmicAsianworld,filledwithherbalshops,temples,pagodaroofsanddragonparades.InadditiontoitbeingastartingpointandhomeforthousandsofChineseimmigrants,itisalsoamajortouristattraction—drawingmorevisitorsannuallytotheneighborhoodthanthefamousGoldenGateBridge.

MainCharacters:

WaverlyJong-Meimei,（herChinesename"littlesister"）Lau-Po-thechessteacher,Waverly'smother-Lindo.

Minorcharacters:

Waverly'sbrothersVincentandWinston,Waverly'sfather.

Thetime:

ThestorytakesplaceduringWaverlyJong（Meimei'schildhood）andadolescence.SheissaidtobebornonMarch17,1951.Inaddition,inthestoryshesaysthatsheiseightyearsold.Therefore,whenonelooksatthecluesandseesthatsheiseightandthatshewasbornin1951,thetimewouldbearound1958.Inthelate1950’sChinese-AmericanshadaharshlifeinAmericaduetoChineseimmigrationlaws.

KlegSummaryofRulesoftheGame:

PartI.

Atthebeginningofthestory,Waverlyandhermomenterastoreinwhichtherearesaltedplums,aChinesedelicacylovedbyWaverly.Waverlyscreamsandhermotherdeniesherthesnack.Hermotherurgeshertousetheartofinvisiblestrength.ThenexttimethatWaverlyentersthestore,Waverlybiteshertongue（doesn’tcomplain）andisrewardedbyhermotherwhobuysherthedesiredtreat.Fromthispointon,Waverlygoesaboutmasteringtheartofinvisiblestrength.

WhileWaverly’smotherdoeseverythinginherpowertoensurethesuccessofherchildren,thereadercannotescapethedescriptionofpovertyputforthbythewriter.Theplaygroundwaswell-wornandthechildrenplayedinthealleybehindtherestaurants.Themother’seffortstoensurethatherchildrendidnotfeeltheeconomicsituationisbroughtforwardbythefactthatherchildrenareservedthreefive-coursemealseachday.

ThemothermadeeveryeffortatseeingtoitthatherchildrencouldsucceedinAmerica.ThisincludedgivingthemAmericannames.However,thenamesthatshegavethemsuggestthatthemotherhadaproblemwiththe“rulesofthegame”herself.Forinstance,thenameVincent（giventooneofthebrothers）suggestsanItalianimmigrant,notthatofanAmerican.Winston,eithersuggestsacigarettebrandoranEnglishman,butnotanAmerican.AsforWaverly,hernamewastakenfromthestreetshelivedonandisdefinitelynotthenameofatypicalAmericangirl.

Waverlyisinconstantconflictbetweentheoldandnewworlds.OnonehandshemakesfunofatouristwhocomestoChinatownbysendinghimtoeat“disgustingfood”atarestaurantthatonlyhadmenusinChinese.ButthensheplaystheAmericanandwhenshetriestogetariseoutofhermombyaskingabouttheterm“ChineseTorture.”Buthermomisnoteasilydupedandusestheartofinvisiblestrengthbyremainingcalmandstatingthat,“Chinesepeopledobusiness,domedicine,dopainting.NotlikeAmericanpeople.Wedotorture.Besttorture.”

PartII.

Inparttwoweseetheartofinvisiblestrengthagainatwork.AtachurchChristmasparty,shewatcheshowtheotherchildrenchoosetheirgiftsinordertounderstandwhichgiftsareworthwhiletochoose.Sheisquicktorealizethatsizeisnotanimportantfactor,andthatthesoundthegiftmakeswhenitisshakenisimportant.

Waverlyalsoexhibitsanunrelentingsuspicionoftheestablishmentwhensheisunsurehowtoanswerhowoldsheis.ShedoesnotknowiftoansweraccordingtotheAmericanorChinesecalendar.Sheusestheartofinvisiblestrengthbydecidingtostateherbirthdayinsteadofherage.Hersuspiciousmannerrepresentstheattitudethatmanyimmigrantshavetowardstheestablishmentoftheirhostcounties.

NextsheunderstandswhatshemustsaytoSantaClauseinordertogethergift.HeunderstandstheRULE---shemustsaythatshebelievesinJesusChristandthatshehasbeenanobedientdaughter.Sheisalsocarefultoanswerintheseriousmannerthatisexpectedofher.Yesindeed,thisyounggirlhasbeguntounderstandandimplementtherulesneedtosurviveinaforeignculture.

AttheChristmasparty,Vincentreceivedachessset,WinstonamodelsubmarineandWaverlyapackageoflifesavercandies.Whileonthesurfacethelifesavercandiesdonotseemtobesuchawonderfulgift,itisthewayWaverlyusestheminmanipulatingherbrothersintolettingherplacechesswiththemthatmakesthemaworthwhilegift.HermanipulationisyetanotherexampleofWaverly’sintelligenceanduseoftheartofinvisiblestrength.

Thistoolwasalsousedbythemotherwhenshethankedthechurchgoersforthechessset,butthenwhenshegothomegaveclearinstructionstothrowawaytheobviouslyusedchesssetwithmissingpieces.

However,whilethedirectivetotrashthechesssetwerenevercarriedout,Mrs.Jongnevermadeanissueofthefactthathercommandwasnotcarriedout.Thisisperhapsbecausesheneverintendedforthechildrentoridthemselvesofthechesssetandher“command”wasintendedtocauseherchildrentowanttoplaychess,somethingthatfewschoolagechildrenenjoydoing.Thisisanotheraspectoftheartofinvisiblestrength–sayingonethingandintendinganotherjusttomanipulateareactionofreversepsychologyfromanopponent.

Whentoldtherulesofthegameofchess,Waverlyischastisedbyherbrothersforbeingsocurious,whilehermotherstatesthatjustliketheimmigrantstoanewcountrymustlearnthereasonsfortherulesinordertogetaheadinthehostcountry,ifshereallywantstounderstandchess,Waverlymustembarkonajourneytodiscoverthereasonsbehindeachpiece,itspowersanditsabilities.Waverlytakesthechallengeandeventuallyhernew-foundedknowledgeresultsinherdefeatingherbrothersinsuchawayinchessthattheynolongerwishtoplaywithher.

Eagertocontinueplayingchess,Waverlytakestoplayingwiththemeninthepark.Hermentor,LauPo,teachesWaverlyallheknows,andbeforelongWaverlybecomesquiteanattractionintheparkasshedefeatsopponentafteropponent.DespiteherobviousprideinWaverly,hermomkeepstotraditionalChinesevaluesasshepublicallyattributesWaverly’ssuccesstoluck.

PartIII

Inpartthree,amanwhosawWaverlyplayintheparksuggestedtoLindothatherdaughterplayinthelocaltournament.However,Waverlywhowascertainthathermotherwouldobjecttoherplayingwithnon-Chinesestrangers,statedthatshedidnotwanttoplayinthecompetitiondespitereallydesiringtodoso.Inthiscase,WaverlywasusingreversepsychologyagainsthermotherandhasseeminglydefeatedLindoatherowngame.However,itcouldbearguedthatLindo,whowantedherdaughtertosucceed,wouldhavemadethesamedecisiondespiteherdaughter’suseoftheartofinvisiblestrength.

Atthetournament,LindoremainedtruetoChinesetraditionandgaveWaverlyatraditionalgoodluckcharmmadeofredjadeknownasachang.

Despitethewin,Lindoiscriticalofthefactthatherdaughtersacrificedsomanypiecestowin.WhileWaverlyisnotpleasedwithhermom’scriticism,shebacksdownfromafull-scaleconflictwithhermother.Whilehermotherremainsfaithfultotheconceptofthe“how”asbeingimportant,WaverlyadoptstheNewWorldstandardof“victory”astheonlyvalue.Atthispointweseethatdespitethegoodrelationshipbetweenmotheranddaughter,thefirstinklingsofculturalconflictimpactingthisrelationshipbecomequiteevident.

Inhercommunity,Waverlyhasnowbecomequiteacelebrityandseveralbusinesseshavedecidedtosponsorher.AthomeWaverlyisrewardedforhersuccessasherchoresaredumpedonherbrotherssothatshemayconcentrateonchess.

Waverlyhasobtainednationalrecognitionasaprodigyandtakesjoyinhumiliatingherolderopponents.WhiletheyouthfulWaverlyreliesonhermentalability,herfellowcompetitorshavedecadesofexperiencebehindthem;thusmakingWaverly’ssuccessesevenmorespectacular.AndallthiswasbeforeWaverlyreachedtheageofnine-years-old.

HeroldplayinggroundsinthebackalleybehindtherestaurantshavebecomeforeigntoWaverlyasshegoesstraighthomefromschooltohoneherchessskills.ThisisyetanothersteptowardsWaverly’sAmericanizationasshedepartsfromthenormalChinatownchildhoodexperiences.

PartIV.

AtthebeginningofpartIVWaverlystatesthatshehadadifficulttimeconcentratingatho