‘Rules of the Game’ by Amy Tan is a very interesting short story that focuses heavily on the themes of ‘self’ and ‘other’ and its role in the development of the idea of the identity of an individual.  The character of Waverly is caught between two worlds; that of her Chinese immigrant parents and her very American community. Being the daughter of migrant parents she faces many difficulties in life. Many times she is unable to understand who she is and what her identity is. She cannot turn completely to her mother or family nor can she look towards her American friends and acquaintances. At a very young age, she must explore the ideas of who she is as no one can tell her because no one is in her situation. Tan also develops a strong relationship between Waverly’s mother and her and shows how her mother’s words and actions influence her and help her develop her sense of identity. Waverly is caught between two different worlds and has to go through deep self-exploration to develop her sense of identity.

Waverly is constantly confronted by two opposing ideas and finds it hard to make harmony between them. In the story, Tan gives a very important example of this. When Waverly asks her mother what Chinese torture was her mother cleverly responds by saying “Chinese people.do many things,” she said simply. “Chinese people do business, do medicine, do painting. Not lazy like American people. We do torture. Best torture.”” (Tan 2). So, Waverly’s mother is clearly defending her own native people and culture while her American peers are criticizing them. Somehow, Waverly understands that it is neither her mother who is telling the truth neither the American person knew what they were talking about but that, like her identity, the truth also falls somewhere between these both ideas . One of the ideas was supposed to make fun of Chinese people and ridicule them while the other was supposed to present them as the best people and in turn make fun of the American people. When confronted with these diverging ideas Waverly becomes confused as to what is the truth and what is not and this complicates matters for her.

Waverly is unsure of who she is because she is influenced by two very different cultures. Having a Chinese family and American friends Waverly cannot bring herself to dislike any one of them but she finds that they are ate at constant, silent war with each other. This is apparent in even her mother’s actions when shopping. Waverly tells us that “…we entered the store with the forbidden candies. When my mother finished her shopping, she quietly plucked a small bag of plums from the rack and put it on the counter.” (Tan 1). Here it is clear that Waverly’s mother is fighting the American culture as the candies for Waverly are “forbidden.” Candies are a very American food and all American children eat it so much. So, it is clear that Waverly is divided between the rules and cultures of two very different traditions. While she wants to eat the candy that is delicious and that other kids are eating she also wants to be a good girl and obey her mother. Therefore, for Waverly the rules of both the worlds are very different and she has to proceed very cautiously.

Waverly finds the game of chess very similar to the way that she has to navigate her way between the crosshairs she has been caught in. Waverly finds the game of chess, its rules, and navigations very helpful and also similar to her own life. She quickly learns that in order to stay on top of things she must learn the rules but then unlearn them to make her own version of them. When her brother Vincent is explaining the rules of chess to her and she is asking too many questions as to why things happen a certain way her mother comes in to look at the rule book provided with the chess set and remarks to Waverly “”This American rules,”…”Every time people come out from foreign country, must know rules. You not know, judge say, Too bad, go back. They not telling you why so you can use their way go forward. They say,  Don’t know why, you find out yourself. But they knowing all the time. Better you take it, find out why yourself.”” (Tan 3). So, her mother is telling her to not depend so much on rules that have been set out by other people but to find her own path, to make her own rules. Waverly takes this advice very much to heart and in her development in life she begins to make her own rules, gather her own understanding, and develop her opinions rather than depending on others. This also shows that perhaps in the game of life that they were playing the rules were not the same for everyone rather every person had different rules and understanding of how they must live their lives. So, the task for Waverly was doubly hard as she had to find a working balance between her life inside her home and that outside of it.

To sum up, Waverly is a product of two very different cultures and traditions and she is constantly walking a tightrope, growing up, to find balance and ease in her life. Her life is divided not just by apparent differences but also in ideas that she comes across and the food that is available to her. She must constantly choose between one culture or the other, between one world and another. She does not understand the rules of the game yet but she does understand that the rules are there to dictate people’s life. However, the option that Waverly chooses is to carve her own path, to neither be Chinese like her mother nor an American like her peers but to stay true to her own self and what she believes in. Only then is she able to find balance and happiness.

Works Cited

Tan, Amy. Rules of the Game. n.d.