Bummer Chick

I'm in the bell jar, man.

Rules of the Game Playlist

    While reading “Rules of the Game” by Amy Tan in Growing up Ethnic in America, I planned to create a playlist that captures a young girl’s growing confidence and sense of self, and how those insights changed her relationship with her mother. Without a doubt, the narrator loves and respects her mother, but she also wants her mother to start treating her like the maturing individual she is. She is being taken seriously as a figure in the world of chess and she would like that respect mirrored in her relationship with her own mother. I aspired to make the playlist begin with a childlike disposition: lighthearted, cheery, and tender. After her love and success with chess, I wanted to focus on her growing confidence and talent and how that affects others. The playlist shifts to a much faster pace selection where the songs have a self-absorbed, anguished meaning. This is when the narrator begins to see her mother in a negative state and wants to draw attention to her behavior that is frustrating.  I wanted to end the playlist on a brighter note with Lady Gaga. I know that the mother and daughter will work out their differences, but their relationship will now involve more communication due to the narrator’s personal growth.

1. Hey Mama by Kanye West

The first paragraph of Amy Tan’s short story “Rules of the Game” is a tiny glimpse of her respect for her mother. She begins with a chunk of knowledge her mother taught her: invisible strength. Little did the author know that her mother’s wisdom would lead her into her greatest journey as a chess champion. I wanted to begin with this song because the remainder of the essay does not give the impression that her mother is her hero. It is important to know that the narrator finds her mother a very resilient matriarch, but that is not her main focus in this text. Instead, she exposes her mother’s controlling and stifling behavior. She becomes embarrassed and spiteful towards her mother. Nevertheless, there is a strong mother/daughter bond presented in this text and this song embodies that mother loving pride the narrator suspiciously possesses.

(Source: Spotify)

2. Alright by Supergrass

The next scene from the text depicts the narrator’s childhood in Chinatown. She describes the shops full of buyers and tourists, restaurants and their foods, and the alley ways that she found mysterious and full of adventures. Her description of the smells, faces and places, depict a colorful childhood. She goes on to say that she did not know she was poor; thus, she felt fulfilled. She was fed, loved and her environment evoked a sense of wonder. This song emits a feeling of glee and bliss. I visualize the narrator walking hand in hand with her mother throughout the streets of Chinatown.

(Source: Spotify)

3. Christmas Time Is Here - Vocal by Vince Guaraldi Trio

Christmas time is a joyous time of year for an American. The narrator experiences a small church gift exchange and it is could be best described as modest and underwhelming. The gifts being exchanged were lifesavers, toilet water and a chess set that has missing pieces. Even the Santa’s beard was made of paper and cotton balls. Even though they were not the most thrilling gifts received, they could still delight a small child. This song sets the mood for an almost melancholy Christmas where an Asian-American family is going through the motions of their new culture’s holiday. It’s almost as if their family is on the outskirts of these traditions, but the children can still relish the holiday’s simple pleasures.

(Source: Spotify)

4. It’s Oh So Quiet by Björk

The narrator becomes intrigued by the gift one of her brothers receives, a chess set. She watches her brother’s play and quickly becomes fascinated by the pieces. She then barters with her brothers for a turn, putting forth her own candies. As they play, she starts to study the game. She wants to know all the answers concerning this thought provoking sport. She is so desperate to dive deep into the secret world of it. She simply falls in love with chess. I cannot think of a better song to signify the loss of one’s self in devotion rather than Bjork’s “It’s Oh So Quiet.” This young child is in a fantasy like state, where she imagines all of the pieces’ possible moves. Her life is forever changed due to this sly world chess has presented to her.

(Source: Spotify)

5. Killer Queen - Remastered 2011 by Queen

After defeating her brothers countless times, she decides to visit her local park to find different opponents. While playing alongside adults in the park, her skills start to improve. She is scouted for tournaments and begins her reign as champion. I imagine the young narrator defeating grown men in the park in front of tourists and her own mother. She is an undoubtedly advanced player for her age; yet, she is modest and so is her mother. At this time, her mother claims her daughter’s winning “is luck.” I visualize this young Chinese girl calmly calling out “check mate” to a naive opponent while Queen’s “Queen Killer” creeps into the scene. Her adversary will hang his head in defeat as he listens to Freddie Mercury and the gasps from the unsuspecting spectators.

(Source: Spotify)

6. Bad Girls by M.I.A.

By now, the narrator is a nationally recognized chess champion. She is conquering all age groups and mystifying her critics and peers. The world is looking at her as an anomaly. I imagine this young Chinese girl wearing her frilly pink dress, hair pinned up in a bun while she is destroying a grown man’s self-esteem. They are being crushed in a game by a child. Her ego is budding by now; she is feeling on top of the world. I picture the narrator walking towards the chess board, her opponent on the other side, and their eyes are shooting daggers at one another. M.I.A.’s song exudes confidence. The narrator sought to decrypt this game’s secrets and she is doing so. .

(Source: Spotify)

7. On A Plain by Nirvana

Her success with chess has changed the narrator. She mentions she no longer explores the alleyways or plays chess in the park anymore. She now practices at her house, where her mother watches her every move. She wants her daughter to concentrate and practice her moves, but meanwhile, she parades her around Chinatown like some sort of trophy. It sickens the narrator. Her talents and successes are hers, not a title her mother could smugly throw in other’s faces. This song by Nirvana is a departure from the “confident little girlish” feeling I created; instead, I wanted to progress to an “I’m developing and irritated” vibe. she is feeling her first wave of teenage angst. She is annoyed with her mother’s controlling behavior. The young girl simply says, “Why do you have to show me off? If you want to show off, why don’t you learn to play chess?” Again, her confidence is oozing out, but this time, so are her aggravations with her mother. She wants to keep her pride all to herself, after all, she is the only one who made her a champion, right?

(Source: Spotify)

8. Judy Is A Punk (Remastered Version ) by Ramones

The narrator is irritated with her mother. She finally admits her annoyances and creates a scene by running away from her mother. She runs through Chinatown’s familiar alleyways, seeking solace from her mother. I find it easy to imagine a young adolescent dashing away from her parents while listening to punk music. The narrator is disobeying her mother; she is protesting her behavior like a punk would.

(Source: Spotify)

9. Hey Girl by Lady Gaga, Florence Welch

When she finally returns home, the narrator faces her family, particularly her mother. She sees her mother’s judgmental, squinted eyes staring unabashedly at her. Her mother’s invisible strength finally reveals itself. The narrator is now trying to decipher her mother’s next move, and in return, her own. She knows she will have to apologize to her mother, but is she ready to submit so easily to her? I wanted to end the playlist with an airy, optimistic tune. This mellow song by Lady Gaga and Florence Welch creates the perfect atmosphere for the mother vs. daughter scene the text presents. I believe the mother and daughter will find some middle ground after they address their problems head on. Hopefully they will grow from this argument and focus on loving each other.

(Source: Spotify)