what little Chinese culture is left for them to have and hold. Growing up during perilous times in China, they all were taught "to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat [their] own bitterness." (p. 241). Though not many of them grew up terribly poor, they all had a certain respect for their elders, and for life itself. These Chinese mothers were all taught to be honorable, to the point of sacrificing their own lives to keep any family members' promise. They all were taught "to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, to eat [their] own bitterness." (p. 241). This is in comparison to the American daughters who grew up with little to almost no culture. Lindo Jong, whose daughter, Waverly, doesn't even know four Chinese words, describes the complete difference and incompatibility of the two worlds she tried to connect for her daughter, American circumstances and Chinese character. She explains that there is no lasting feeling in being born in America, and that all being a minority means is that you are the first in line for scholarships. Most importantly, she notes that "In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you." (p. 289). Living in America, it was easy for Waverly to accept American circumstances and to grow up as any other American citizen. As a Chinese mother, Lindo wanted her daughter to learn the importance of Chinese character. She tried to teach her Chinese-American daughter "How to obey parents and listen to your mother's mind. How not to show your own thoughts, to put your feelings behind your face so you can take advantage of hidden opportunities . . . How to know your own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring." (p. 289). The American-born daughters never grasp on to these traits, partly why their story lines become so different from their purely Chinese parents. "Rules of the Game" is a set example in which the mo...
