Rules of the Game Group

Question:

muffy
muffy
Student
High School - 10th Grade

Who is the protagonist and antagonist in Amy Tan's short story The Rules of the Game?

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Posted by muffy on Sunday October 21, 2007 at 12:44 PM and tagged with antagonist, protagonist, rules of the game.

Answers:


  1. jamie-wheeler Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    Waverly Jong is the protagonist.  It is Waverly who becomes the chess champion, against many odds.  Her mother, Lindo Jong, can be described as the antagonist.  Although her intentions are to see her daughter succeed, and she does love her daughter, often the pressures she puts on young Waverly are tremendous.  The mother and daughter not only experience the normal control-and-rebellion issues, but also the clash of cultures.  Waverly knows really only American life, while her mother is still enmeshed in the ways of China. 

    Btw, this story was the impetus for Tan's best-selling novel, The Joy Luck Club in which Waverly and Lindo's stories are included. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/rules-game/characters

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    Posted by jamie-wheeler on Sunday October 21, 2007 at 1:51 PM


  2. amy-lepore Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    another antagonist to consider is Waverley's cousin and aunt.  The cousin is the great Chess player who wins all her tournaments and the aunt is always throwing her daughter's successes in both Waverley's and Waverley's mother's faces.

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    Posted by amy-lepore on Monday October 22, 2007 at 8:54 AM