Rules of the Game SummaryOverview: This story by Amy Tam has many overlapping and intertwined themes. First of all, the story addresses a mother verus daughter conflict and struggle for control. Also, the storydeals with conflict of the old Chinese world (represented by Mrs. Jong and that of the new American world (represented by !averly.Finally, we have the typical immigrant theme in which the new immigrant, who often starts off in poverty, struggles to get ahead in the "uest to achieve the American #ream. The game of chess is used as a metaphor for the rules and s$ills that need to be obtained and mastered in order to succeed in life.The setting:%an Francisco&s Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in 'orth America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. %ince its establishment in the ()*+s, it has been highly important and influential in the history and culture of ethnic Chinese immigrantsin the ,nited %tates and 'orth America. Chinatown is an active enclave that continues to retain its own customs, languages, places of worship, social clubs, and identity. -opularly $nown as a .city/within/a/city., it has developed its own government, traditions, over 0++ restaurants, and as many shops. There are two hospitals, numerouspar$s and s"uares, a post office, and other infrastructure. 1isitors can easily become immersed in a microcosmic Asian world, filled with herbal shops, temples, pagoda roofs and dragon parades. 2n addition to it being a starting point and home for thousands of Chinese immigrants, it is also a ma3or tourist attraction 4 drawing more visitors annually to the neighborhood than the famous 5olden 5ate 6ridge. Main Characters7 !averly Jong/ Meimei, (her Chinese name .little sister. 8au/ -o/ thechess teacher, !averly&s mother/ 8indo.Minor characters7 !averly&s brothers 1incent and !inston, !averly&s father.The time7 The story ta$es place during !averly Jong (Meimei&s childhood andadolescence.%he is said to be born on March (9, (:;(. 2n addition, in the story shesays that she is eight years old. Therefore, when one loo$s at the clues and sees thatshe is eight and that she was born in (:;(, the time would be around (:;). 2n the late(:;+t time that !averly enters the store, !averly bites her tongue (doesnpected of her. Ees indeed, this young girl has begun to understand and implement the rules need to survive in a foreign culture. At the Christmas party, 1incent received a chess set, !inston a model submarine and !averly a pac$age of lifesaver candies. !hile on the surface the lifesaver candies do not seem to be such a wonderful gift, it is the way !averly uses them in manipulating her brothers into letting her place chess with them that ma$es them a worthwhile gift. =er manipulation is yet another e>ample of !averlyample, Mrs. Jong&s fractured Anglish is amusing. !hen !averly fears that she will lose a chess match and shame the family,Mrs. Jong says, .2s shame you fall down nobody push you.. ,nder the humor of her synta>, however, her words are powerful and biting//that is, !averly has no one to blame for her failure but herself. There is nothing humorous in her final comment to !averly7 .!e are not concerning this girl. This girl not have concerning for us.. !ith these blunt words, she demonstrates her mastery of the .art of invisible strength.. 2t seems that Mrs. Jong has won this round//or has sheHThe struggle for control between !averly and her mother is symboliCed in the dreamli$echess game in the final page of the section. !averly&s opponent in this game is .two angry blac$ slits.. !hen !averly confronts her mother during their shopping e>pedition,Mrs. Jong&s eyes turn into .dangerous blac$ slits..2n the final line of the section, !averly thin$s, .2 closed my eyes and pondered my ne>t move.. =er mother has taught her to use her will to shape events. %he now $nows that getting what she wants should not be left to fateG rather, she herself can shape events to serve her purpose. The themeof heritage is also an important element in this strory. Mrs. Jong ta$es great pride in being Chinese. %he e>plains that .Chinese people do many things. Chinese people do business, do medicine, do painting. 'ot laCy li$e American people. !e do torture. 6est torture.. =er 3oy in !averly&s accomplishments is evidence of her great pride. Mrs. Jong delights in showing off her daughter to everyoneG !averly is her legacy to the world. Mrs. Jong feels responsible for her daughter&s success !averly, on the other hand, thin$s that she has accomplished everything on her own. %he does not yet understand her mother&s point of view.JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJK san&&a!s any of a number of !est Coast flatfish.K Life maga'ine a large format, pictorial newsmagaCine founded in (:0L.Invisi!le Strength2n the story ?Dules of the 5ame@ by Amy Tan, !averly Jong&s mother is always teaching her about the ?art of invisible strength@. !averly says that she uses this as a ?strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us $new itat the time, chess games. 2nvisible strength symboliCes rules, and $nowledge. The game of chess has many rules 3ust li$e the game of life. !hen !averly as$ed about the many rules of chess, the mother said &This American rules,& she concluded at last. &Avery time people come out from foreign country, must $now rules. Eou not $now, 3udge say, Too bad, go bac$. They not telling you why so you can use their way forward.They say, #on&t $now why, you find out yourself. 6ut they $nowing all the time. 6etter you ta$e it, find out yourself.@Dules are invisible because they are 3ust a concept and an idea, but they hold limitless power because they influence everyone. !averly also uses the ?art of invisible strength@to win when she is playing chess and in life. !averly was taught this art by her mother who also used this art as a set of rules such as ?6ite bac$ yourtongue.@ !averly learned these rules that lin$ed directly to life through trial and error such as when she wanted the ?forbidden candies.@%he first whined for them and later received them because she showed self/control by no longer whining. 2n addition to self/control, invisible strength is the strength of the human mind.2n the beginning of the story !averly did not understand anything about chess. %he ?read the rules and loo$ed up all the big words in a dictionary @ and later she came closeto becoming a grandmaster. This invisible strength is the strength of her mind. The invisible strength is also li$e the wind, strong but invisible. After her two brothers abandoned chess for other recreational activities, !averly still steadfastly stuc$ to chess showing her will to become good at chess. !averly is uni"ue because she is lessthan ten years old. %he depends more on her mind and her ability to grasp new ideas "uic$ly, compared to older chess players who depend on their e>perience that comes with their old age. Bther players such as grand master 6obby Fischer said ?There will never be a woman grand master.@=e and other chess players underestimate the invisible strength or the $nowledge of young and feminine people. !averly&s mother also e>hibits invisible strength. !hile she spea$s bro$en Anglish, !averly&s mother is smart and wise. %he said ?!e not concerning this girl. This girl not have concerning for us.@ !ith these few words, she ma$es !averly feel shame. !averly feels that her mother had beaten her with her invisible strength because she goes bac$ to her room and imagines that ?=er blac$ men advanced across the plane, slowly marching to each successive level as a single unit.My white pieces screamed as they scurried and fell off the board one by one.@Throughout the story, !averly&s mother is teaching her about the power of invisible strength. 2t has unlimited power and is une>pected. %he uses it in chess and learns fromit through trial and error. 2nvisible strength symboliCes the power of the human mind.(Rules of the Game)* +&&itional Information an& analysisAmy Tan writes American literature with a Chinese/American view with her short story titled ?Dules of the 5ame@, where she shows multiple themes li$eG chess is a game of life, mothers versus daughters, cultural gap, and the generation gap. The Characters:The writer Amy Tan uses similar e>periences to give the characters life and a sense ofreal Chinese/Americanlifeandtheclashbetweencultures.TheChinesehavealifebased on honor and luc$ and the American&s life is portrayed as full of coc$iness andinflated self/confidence. The ,rotagonist/ !averly, is a seven/year/old, Chinese/American stuc$ in betweenthetwocultures. 6eingaroundcharacter, !averlyshows3oyandaggravation. 2nshowing 3oy, sheisencouraged togo tochesstournaments andthin$sto herself,?2desperately wanted to, but 2 bit my tongue bac$@. !anting to 3oin in the tournaments,she tells her mother she does not want to ma$e her do the opposite.!averly gets veryaggravated at her mother. !averly says to her mother, ?!hy do you have to use me toshow offH 2f you want to show off, then learn to play chess@. !averly has had enough ofher mother gloating and telling everyone how great !averly is at chess. %ince !averlyhas multiple emotions she is a round character and well developed. !averly as a static character is the same in the beginning as in the end. =er mother, inapushymanner towards!averlysays, ?Averytimepeoplecomeout fromforeigncountry must $now the rules.@ 2n a sense also threatens her by saying, ?Eou not $now,3udge say, too bad, go bac$,? meaning that she could be sent bac$ to China if she didnot follow the rules. At the end of the story, her mother says to the rest of the family, ?!enot concerning this girl. This girl not concerning us.@ That tells the reader that the familyshould have nothing to do with her and she is bac$ to being the least li$ed in the familybeing a girl and last born in a Chinese family. These give the story the cultural influenceof how Chinese parents teach and raise their children. The mother -in&o as the antagonist.The mother is portrayed as a round character throughout the story. %he shows pride inthebeginningof thestoryandthenlater inthestoryshechanges, showingangertowards herdaughter. 8indo inthis te>t shows hersupport for daughter, ?My motherwould 3oin the crowds during these outdoor e>hibition games. %he sat proudly on thebench, telling my admires with proper Chinese humility, Mis luc$@. 8indo in the beginningof the story shows that she supports her daughter by showing up to her games. 8ater onin the story, she changes faces from being a proud mother to being upset, angry, andnot supportive towards her daughter. %he shows this when !averly sees, ?My mothert timewin more, lose less.@.!averly says bac$ to her mother, ?Ma, itpense ofimportant cultural beliefs.6eingapart of Americanculture, !averlymi>esher ChineseruleswithAmerican.Chess is a battlefield set on a board. !ar and fighting fascinates the humanmind.!averly sees chess as a game of life and a way to e>pand her mind and use herinvisible strength. The use of tactics and outsmarting the ne>t person is a part of lifetraordinary performance at the chess game.?Chec$,@ 2 said, as the wind roared with laughter.The wind