Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

The cover of the text claims that the memoir features how Chua “was humbled by a 13-year-old,” and yet the actual description of this humbling in the text is incredibly short. Lulu’s escalating tantrums culminate in the emotional climax of the text in Chapter 31, in which Lulu yells and shatters a glass at a restaurant. This emotional climax is very brief, and the moment humbling—Chua’s agreement that Lulu can give up the violin—is undercut by Chua closing the text by suggesting that she still manages to exert control over Lulu’s new tennis life. By the end of the memoir, Chua still fails to recognize the difference between showing parental support and totally dominating every aspect of her child’s hobby. Rather than celebrating or rewarding her daughter’s agency, Chua seeks to restrict it.

Once again, Chua is aware that she often goes too far with Lulu but does not change her actions. Her openness in Chapter 33 about her parents’ criticism of her childrearing techniques is eye-opening, given that they are the Chinese parents that Chua works so hard to emulate. Presenting the truth about the rocky relationship between her dad and his parents undercuts Chua’s conviction in the infallibility of Chinese parenting, but rather than reflecting on how this might point to a problem in her parenting approach, she claims it is the exception rather than the rule.

The Coda and Afterword are written as reflections on the memoir text; the Coda addresses Chua’s writing process while the Afterword describes the book’s post-publication reception. These sections are illuminating: For instance, knowing that Jed, Sophia, and Lulu had input into the manuscript signals that they helped to shape how they appear on the page, even if Chua had the final authorial say. This collaboration contradicts Chua’s need for ultimate control that comes through in her story, indicating the complexity of her character. Providing a glimpse of the book’s reception in the Afterword shows the wildly different reactions from readers around the world, emphasizing that parenting is indeed a deeply cultural experience.

However informative, the Coda and Afterword do not entirely address the fallout over the text; its inflammatory reception sparked debates not only about cultural and generational tension, but also about the professorial practices of Chua and Jed. After allegations of harassment and manipulation from Chua and Jed’s students, Yale Law placed Jed on leave and stopped Chua from mentoring small groups. These events were widely publicized at the time and affected the way readers perceived Chua and Jed as role models for their daughters. On the other hand, Chua makes no attempt to explain or defend her actions either. Early in the book, she tells her girls that her goal as a parent “is to prepare you for the future, not to make you like me” (49). Indeed, she does not care if readers like her, either as a professor or as a parent, and she stands by her narrative to the very end.