Theme and message

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Perfectionism

To explore this theme, Chua compares the Eastern mindset with the Western standard of parenting. For Westerners, academic success is less important than making the child believe that learning should be fun; for Chinese parents, academic success means nothing less than perfection:

For example, if a child comes home with an A-minus on a test, a Western parent will most likely praise the child. The Chinese mother will gasp in horror and ask what went wrong. If the child comes home with a B on the test, some Western parents will still praise the child. (ll. 78-81)

Furthermore, Chinese parents tend to believe that perfection is rooted in the child’s nature and that only a tenacious and tough approach to parenting will make it rise to the surface:

Chinese parents demand perfect grades because they believe that their child can get them. If their child doesn’t get them, the Chinese parent assumes it’s because the child didn’t work hard enough (...) The Chinese parent believes that their child will be strong enough to take the shaming and to improve from it. (ll. 93-97)

To show her belief that perfection is rooted in the child, Chua offers the example of her younger

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Message

Overall, the author’s message is that perfectionism is very much connected to one’s cultural background. In Western societies, parents tend to have a much more laid-back approach when it comes to raising children, focusing on “their children’s individuality, encouraging them to

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