Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2011

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-6

Part 1, Chapters 7-12

Part 2, Chapters 13-17

Part 2, Chapters 18-22

Part 3, Chapters 23-29

Part 3, Chapter 30-Afterword

Key Figures

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Key Figures

Amy Chua-Rubenfeld

The originator and personification of the phrase “Tiger Mother,” Amy Chua-Rubenfeld is a second-generation Chinese Filipino American, the eldest of four sisters, and the child of immigrant parents. A Yale Law professor alongside her husband, Jed Rubenfeld, Chua devoted her life to raising her daughters to be as accomplished as she is while also succeeding in her full-time professor duties. She is also the owner of two Samoyeds, Coco and Pushkin, whom she aimed to raise as rigorously as she raised her children. She describes herself as an expert on foreign policy and globalization.

Chua is very involved as a parent, setting harsh boundaries for her children and expecting them to perform and succeed at a level far beyond their peers. She maintains that childhood is a time to prepare for future success, not to have fun. Even Chua’s own parents, whom she alleges were quite strict when she was growing up, sometimes tell her she is too harsh on her children.

Despite the early turmoil in her relationship with her daughter Lulu, Chua appears to be loved and respected by her daughters. Throughout the text, Chua goes to great lengths to ensure the reader that her children succeed through meritocracy rather than privilege. However, she also does not shy away from gleeful descriptions of lavish parties, globetrotting, and her spare-no-expense approach to giving her children enviable life experiences.

Chua’s main trait as an author, narrator, and mother, is her unapologetic attitude for her controversial parenting style and domineering personality. As a narrator (and in post-publication interviews, as shown in the Coda and Afterword), she is opinionated, proud, and often sarcastic, sometimes claiming to have been joking about an event that seemed serious in the book. In all facets of her life and career, she does not worry about appearing likable; she is up front about the fact that she realizes her personality and methods may be considered harsh but maintains that everyone involved will see the value of her parenting style.

Sophia Chua-Rubenfeld

The oldest daughter of Chua and Jed, Sophia is often described as responsible, logical, and obedient. Most of her childhood was dominated by piano practice and intense homework sessions at her mother’s instruction. She is the “easy child” and gets along well with her younger sister and grandparents.

An accomplished pianist, Sophia graduated from the prestigious Hopkins School, earned her AB at Harvard and her JD at Yale. After the text’s publication, readers demanded to know what Sophia thought of Chua’s parenting style. She advocated on Chua’s behalf and maintained that she was grateful to her mom for enabling her success. Even though Chua pitted Sophia against Lulu by praising Sophia and punishing Lulu, Sophia did not let this unfair treatment harm her relationship with her sister. Sophia is now a prosecutor with the US Army JAG Corps with a Samoyed of her own.

Louisa (Lulu) Chua-Rubenfeld

The youngest daughter of Chua and Jed, Lulu is often described as bold, daring, and disobedient. The book spans the years of her life between 3 and 14. Most of her childhood was dominated by violin practice and intense homework sessions as determined by her mother. Unlike her older sister, Lulu frequently challenges her mother’s authority and advocates for herself with an independence that Chua finds infuriating. One of Lulu and Chua’s many battles was resolved by Chua promising to get Lulu a dog, and this motivation-through-reward rather than punishment transformed their family.

Lulu was a violinist prodigy and won awards in Latin and French at her school. An overall high-achieving student, Lulu nevertheless fought with her mother over her strict schedule and expectations. Lulu was the opposite of Sophia in many respects, and the only way Chua knew how to deal with this was to show favoritism toward Sophia, though she regretted this later in life. Lulu’s tenacity eventually wins, and Chua allows her to give up playing the violin. Lulu goes on to become a tennis champion, continuing to play the violin recreationally.

After the text’s publication, readers wanted to know Lulu’s thoughts on Chua’s parenting style. Like Sophia, Lulu supported her mother and maintained she was grateful to her for enabling her success. Like Sophia, Lulu attended the prestigious Hopkins School. She graduated from Harvard with both undergraduate and graduate law degrees and now works as a law clerk at Jones Day.

Jed Rubenfeld

Chua describes Jed as “handsome, funny, and smart” (115). Throughout the text, Jed appears ambitious and professionally accomplished but not as assertive or influential at home as his wife. His main function is to reel in Chua’s overambitious goals for their children and dogs. To this end, he is often presented as the gentler and less confrontational parent. It is implied that while Chua is managing her daughters, Jed is more hands off; Chua does not position him as an absent father, but rather makes it seem like he assumes the role of “fun parent” while she thrives as the disciplinarian.

Jed is Jewish, and the family makes a point to raise their daughters with awareness of both sides of their cultural heritage, including celebrating Bat Mitzvahs and Hanukkah. Jed is critical of Chua’s binary cultural outlook: “Privately, he’d tell me furiously to show more restraint or to stop making crazy overgeneralizations about ‘Westerners’ and ‘Chinese people’” (171).

Jed is the Robert R. Slaughter Professor of Law at Yale Law School whose specialization is constitutional law and the First Amendment. He earned his AB from Princeton University, graduating summa cum laude, and graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude. Jed briefly attended the Julliard School, studying drama and theater, before entering law school. He is also a bestselling novelist, as his first novel, The Interpretation of Murder (2006), sold over a million copies.

In 2018, Jed was investigated by Yale Law School after female students alleged sexual and inappropriate misconduct. He was suspended from teaching from 2020-2022, but resumed his position thereafter.