Invisible Strength

      In the short story, “Rules of the Game”, Amy Tan writes about a young girl who is taught to conquer the world quietly through the art of invisible strength. Being too proud of oneself, or having an excessive amount of hubris, usually leads to a character’s downfall or demise. Both Medea and “Rules of the Game” highlight the issues of attaining an overconfident attitude and the effects it may have on a situation. On page eleven of Medea, Creon states, “A sharp-tempered woman, or, for that matter, a man, is easier to deal with than the clever type who holds her tongue”. This mirrors the overall message of Waverly’s mother when she states, “Strongest wind cannot be seen” (Tan) in “Rules of the Game”. When a woman uses her intelligence and internal strength against her enemies, she will succeed in meeting her intended goals.
By implying Medea’s cleverness and ominous presence, Creon foreshadows the impending actions of her rage. The audience can predict the vengeful measures Medea will take on her unfaithful husband, Jason. Although she agrees to follow Creon’s instructions to leave the country if granted one day to plan for her children, the audience can foreshadow that Medea’s actions will be considerably more detrimental than she is leading on. By claiming innocence and deceiving Creon, Medea internalizes her anger to further her plans of revenge. Similar to Waverly, Medea exhibits invisible strength in how she presents herself. Sometimes secretly playing the game is the best way to win.

 Rumi, a poet and scholar, explains how internal strength can easily be hidden.