Rules of the Game

“Rules of the Game”

• Genre: Fiction; short story
• Originally Published: 1989
• Reading Level/Interest: College/adult
• Structure/Length: Approx. 12 pages
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Waverly Place Jong, daughter of Chinese immigrants, becomes enthralled with her brother’s discarded chess set, becoming a national champion by age nine. When Waverly runs away from her mother and doesn’t return for several hours, she learns that her tournament opponents aren’t her biggest opponents—her mother is.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Conflict between parent and child; manipulation by a child; child running away

Amy Tan, Author

• Bio: Born 1952 in Oakland, California; moved frequently while growing up; attended several colleges, eventually earning a master’s degree in linguistics; worked as a language development specialist; turned to fiction writing in an effort to balance freelance jobs; short stories attracted the attention of a literary agent and potential publishers; earned fame with the publication of The Joy Luck Club; served as a lecturer, TED Talk presenter, Sesame Street guest, and Rock Bottom Remainders band member
• Other Works: The Kitchen God’s Wife (1991); The Hundred Secret Senses (1995); The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2001); Saving Fish from Drowning (2005); The Valley of Amazement (2013)
• Awards: The Joy Luck Club: Finalist, National Book Awards for Fiction (1989); National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist (1989); ALA Best Books for Young Adults (1990)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Invisible Strength
• Mother-Daughter Relationships

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social, cultural, and historical contexts that influence the story’s plot and character development.
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections to the text’s themes of Invisible Strength and Mother-Daughter Relationships.
• Write a narrative about family wisdom.
• Analyze and evaluate plot, setting, character, and theme to draw conclusions and make   inferences regarding culture, generational conflict, and mother-daughter relationships.