What happens when Waverly asks for a bag of salted plums in the rules game?

This is a reference to the short story "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan. In the story, Waverly Jong, a young Chinese-American girl, is learning to play chess. Her mother, known as "the mother" in the story, is obsessed with her daughter's success and often uses the game to teach Waverly about life and competition.

When Waverly asks for a bag of salted plums in the game, it is not a literal request. It is a metaphor. Here's what happens:

* Waverly's Request: Waverly is playing a tournament, and she is feeling anxious and distracted. She asks her mother for a bag of salted plums, a Chinese delicacy, hoping it will calm her nerves and help her focus. This shows how even in a game, Waverly still wants to be comforted by her mother's traditions.

* The Mother's Response: The mother refuses, saying it's against the rules of the game. She explains that Waverly needs to learn to play without relying on external things. This moment highlights the mother's belief that Waverly needs to be tough and self-sufficient.

* The Metaphor: This refusal represents the mother's expectation for Waverly to be independent and competitive in the world, even at the cost of her own comfort and traditional ways. The salted plums symbolize the "comfort" of her Chinese heritage, and by denying them, the mother is pushing Waverly into a more Westernized world.

Ultimately, this scene is about the complexities of cultural assimilation, the tension between tradition and ambition, and the pressures young people face when trying to navigate both.