abstract illustration of a chess board with two disembodied eyes above it

Rules of the Game

by Amy Tan

Start Free Trial

Student Question

Why is Waverly willing to give away all her Life Savers to learn to play?

Quick answer:

Waverly is willing to trade all her Life Savers for chess lessons because she is captivated by the game's complex rules and the power of "invisible strength" it offers. She sees chess as a game of secrets and an opportunity to gain an advantage through knowledge. This fascination provides Waverly with a sense of identity and power, distinct from her family, making the trade worthwhile for her personal growth and self-assurance.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Waverly begins the story "The Rules of the Game," an excerpt from Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, by saying that she learned "the art of invisible strength" from her mother. Later in the story, Waverly and her brother get a couple of charity gifts from a local church: her brother gets a chess board (missing two pieces) and Waverly gets some Life Savers. Once she and her brother begin playing chess, Waverly is drawn to the complex rules and the "secrets" she thinks are held by the game.

As Waverly begins to research the "rules of the game," she explains her fascination with chess: 

I also found out why I should never reveal "why" to others. A little knowledge withheld is a great advantage one should store for future use. That is the power of chess. It is a game of secrets in which one must show...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

and never tell.

Again, it is the secret knowledge and power of the game that attracts and keeps Waverly's interest. There seems to be a connection between this and her opening comment about "invisible strength." Chess is a quiet game, but Waverly feels very powerful when she is playing because she feels her knowledge gives her an advantage. Waverly eventually abandons all other hobbies and pursuits to study and perfect her chess strategies.

However, Waverly's mother becomes very interested in her daughter's chess skills, and she stands over her and makes Waverly feel like she cannot concentrate. In public, her mother embarrasses Waverly to the point that Waverly tells her she should just learn to play chess herself instead of bragging about her daughter. Waverly doesn't understand how proud her mother is and only sees her mother trying to benefit from Waverly's own skill. At the end of the story, Waverly imagines her relationship with her mother as a chess match and thinks of strategies to overcome her. 

Waverly's relationship with chess allows her to feel more self-assured and gives her an identity separate from her family. Therefore, she certainly feels her trade of the chess board for the Life Savers was the right move. 

Approved by eNotes Editorial