Rules of the Game

Joy Luck Club – Rules of the Game

This chapter is told through the point of view of Waverly Jong, Lindo’s (The Red Candle) daughter. After reading about Lindo’s childhood and her relationship with her mother, it is easy to assume that Lindo’s past might have an important influence on the way she behaves as a mother. When Waverly was six years old, Lindo began teaching her “the art of invisible strength,” a strategy which would ultimately help out Waverly more than she could have expected. After her brothers received a chess set for Christmas with two missing pieces, Waverly came up with makeshift pieces as a way to get involved in the game. Not after very long, Waverly was a prodigy. By way of the art of invisible strength, she began playing in tournaments, and eventually became a celebrity within her community. Lindo began giving Waverly preferential treatment above her brothers, but she also selfishly used Waverly’s success. Living vicariously through Waverly’s celebrity status, Lindo would often force her daughter to go out on errands with her just to show her off. Waverly, though still a child, picked up on her mother’s motives immediately and was deeply hurt. Due to a language barrier and cultural differences, Lindo and Waverly never had the correct setting to develop a healthy relationship.

            I think that this chapter shows off one of the most important mother-daughter dynamics in the novel, at least for me. Though the details and specifics are completely different, I can relate to several of the themes expressed in this chapter. I think that Waverly’s mother, like my own, is very selfish, but I understand (for both of them) that their flawed behavior is the product of their past experiences and environments. I think that though Lindo has a lot of negative to offer, she proves in this chapter that there is a positive learning experience in everything.