The desire to gain "invisible strength"
Amy Tan opens the story saying, "I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy
for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it
at the time, chess games." She talks about how gaining this "invisible strength" is one of the benefits of her chess playing. This isn't just mentioned in the first paragraph, but is shown again when she says, " I discovered
that for the whole game one must gather invisible strengths and see the endgame before
the game begins." She likes that chess has all these secrets that must never be told, and prides herself on learning these as she continues to get better.
Answer:
This is not just a story about an old woman who is dying. It is an absolutely intriguing and interesting story. The critic was wrong to ask why the story should interest anyone. The story expresses what the old woman had been through all her life; her triumphs and her thoughts before she dies. The story provides a clear thought of what a dying person thinks about and their views. It is quite interesting how this old lady visits places in her mind that she might not have thought of if she was not dying. She thought she was ready and prepared for death, but when it was time, she began to beg her daughter. This short story deserves a re-read.
Explanation:
