Two Kinds By Amy Tan Essay

Amy Tan Two Kinds
"Two Kinds" is truly an amazing work; it captivates readers with by telling a story of a young girl
trying to find herself. Amy Tan does a phenomenal job, not only by portraying a very real
mother–daughter relationship, but at showing how much a young girl can change. Jing–Mei evolves
throughout the story in a way that many people can relate to; crushed hopes, obeying your parents
even if it means doing something you don't want to do, and finally standing up for what you believe
in. Since "You could be anything you wanted to be in America" (Tan 348) Jing
–Meis' mother
thought that meant that you had to be a prodigy. While that makes "Everything [sound] too simple
and too easily achieved; [Jing–Mei] does not paint a picture of her...show more content...
Jing–Mei tried the best she could but no matter how hard she tried she just didn't know the answers.
"After seeing [her] mother's disappointed face once again, something inside of [her] began to die.
[She] hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations" (Tan 350). At this point in the story
the protagonist, Jing–Mei, slowly comes to the realization that "[She'll never be the kind of daughter
[her mother wants her] to be" (Tan 356). With the thought of not letting her mother change her
Jin–Mei began to try to make her mother "Give up hope" (Tan 350). "[She] pretended to be bored"
so that she would not have to take the tests. And it worked she was finally able to be herself, there
was no "mention of [her] being a prodigy" (Tan 351). But all too soon that changes, "One day [her]
mother was watching The Ed Sullivan Show on TVВ….She seemed entranced by the musicВ…[The
music] was being pounded out by a little Chinese girl, about nine years old, with a Peter Pan
haircut." But "In spite of these warning signs, [Jing–Mei] wasn't worried. [Her] family had no piano
and [they] couldn't afford to buy one" (Tan 351). Days after watching the show, Jing–Meis' mother
told her that she was to take piano lessons. "When [her] mother told [her] this, [Jing–Mei] felt as
though [she] had been sent to hell," but all the whining and kicking would not cause her mother to
deter her mother.
Jing–Mei found herself taking piano lessons that she did
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Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay
Two Kinds is a story about mother–daughter relationship В– Suyuan and Jing–mei. Suyuan believed
that America is where her dreams will be fulfilled. She thought that her daughter, Jing–mei, would be
the one to realize them. Jing–mei, on the other hand, was a confused child at first. She was led to
believe that she can be someone. At first, she followed her mother, but when she felt that her
mother was already forcing her and stealing her youth, she told herself that it was the end. The story
is a clash between two individuals from two different generations and beliefs (Suyuan who basically
grew up in China; and Jing–mei who was born and raised in United States)....show more content...
Tan's life can serve as a lens that can magnify (clarify) the emotions/feelings embedded in the story.
Another approach which is deemed appropriate to the story is the Marxism. It is concerned with
labor practices, class theories, and economics, especially as concerned with the struggles of the poor
and oppressed. It examines literature in its cultural and political context; it explores the relation
between the artist/character and the society. Jing–mei's mother, a Chinese immigrant, feels that she
has to prove something to the society. There is a need to elevate one's economic and social status.
Also, the mother believed that you could be anything you wanted to be in America. The domestic
dispute, on the other hand, was caused by the cultural differences. It focused on a mother from China
and her American–born daughter. In Chinese culture, children are expected to be obedient.
II. Analysis/Discussion In classroom situation, it is better if the discussion starts with the life of
Amy Tan as reflected on the story Two Kinds. This will make students more interested to learn more
about the story and will try to compare Tan's life to Jing–mei's. "I was told what I was supposed to
do when I was growing up, so I don't think I ever had a chance to think about what

Amy Tan Two Kinds
There is a sense of pride to where one comes from whether it is because of the culture, people or
the environment. There is a beauty that stands out about where we call home. However, leaving
home is often essential in acquiring a better living and growth. In the short story "Two Kinds" the
author, Amy Tan depicts a story of migration and the expectations. The story is told in first person
of Ni'kan a young girl who is being brought up as a second–generation immigrant. There is a sense
of non–acceptance that seem to form over time based on the idealization of America, the land of
opportunities. The author really embraces how important setting is to growth and understanding of
an individual. Ni'kan's mother was a woman of adversities and tribulations.

In the short story, "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, a Chinese mother and daughter are at odds with each
other. The mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, while the daughter (like most children
with immigrant parents) seeks to find herself in a world that demands her Americanization. This is
the theme of the story, conflicting values. In a society that values individuality, the daughter sought
to be an individual, while her mother demanded she do what was suggested. This is a conflict within
itself. The daughter must deal with an internal and external conflict. Internally, she struggles to find
herself. Externally, she struggles with the burden of failing to meet her mother's expectations. Being
a first–generation Asian American,...show more content...
At first, the daughter was to become a Chinese version of Shirley Temple. When that didn't work, her
mother told her that she would be attending piano lessons.
The daughter did not like the idea of playing the piano. "Why don't you like me the way I am? . . . I
am not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a
million dollars!" (492–493). Here, Tan is conveying the fact that parents and children have
disagreements on what the child should do, and who the child is to become. For example, parents
may have an idea where they want their child to attend their college education. The child, on the
other hand, may want to go to a different college as suggested. Ultimately, it is the decision of the
child. We cannot live how others want us to live. It is the path of our own making that truly makes
us happy.
Some may see the mother trying to live her life through her daughter. She invests time trying to
make her daughter a prodigy because she was her last hope. The mother lost two children in China
and moves to a new country. Coming to America, she felt that immigrants have to prove that they are
as talented as or more talented than Americans. This belief is supposed to be the basis for the
determination, that the mother has, for Jing–mei to become a prodigy.
The mother in the story tries everything in her power to make Jing–mei famous in some way. Yet
Jing–mei was content to being herself.

Amy Tan Two Kinds Essay
The story "Two Kinds," written by Amy Tan, has a plot that many people can relate to while
growing up as a child. The theme of the story is that there are two kinds of people: the one the
mother wants her to be and the one Jing–mei (the protagonist and narrator of the story) strives to be.
Both mother and daughter in the story have a very complicated relationship. The mother believes
that you could become anything you wanted in America. The author emphasizes that Jing–mei's
mother tries to dominate and control her life in every possible way you can imagine. For example
her mother's persistent ways in trying to make her into something she's not a "prodigy", as well as
making her take piano lessons so she can win against one of her mother's...show more content...
Jing–mei's mother wants her daughter to have every advantage in this growing land of
opportunity by reinforcing her to try harder in school so she could have academic excellence as
Liz Brent states "The tone of this opening paragraph introduces an element of irony in the narrator's
attitude toward her mother's vision of America as a place where "you could become anything you
wanted to be." Everything sounds too simple and too easily achieved"(Overview 1).Once again
America is referred as the country of opportunities and where dreams come true while working hard
and being dedicated to chores and the development of activities that involve a highly paid or talented
future.
At first the mother thought the daughter was able enough to be the next Chinese Shirley Temple, by
making her watch old movies as if they were training videos. So she took her to a beauty training
school to get her hair done like Shirley Temple but instead looked like Peter Pan. Not only acting was
involved in this situation. Memorizing capitals and states, multiplying numbers, finding the queen of
hearts in a deck of cards, standing on her head without hands, predicting daily temperatures in certain
states, reading three minutes from the bible and restating a summarize, were simple chores

Two Kinds By Amy Tan
Essay on "Two Kinds"
Type your essay on "Two Kinds" below:
Title The short story "Two Kinds," written by Amy Tan, focuses on the struggles of a young
protagonist named Jing–mei trying to find herself without the influences and pressure of others.
Aldous Huxley once said, "One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them."
This relates to the story in significant ways because when Jing–mei's mother moved to America in
hopes of a better future, Jing–mei is pushed to be the "perfect child." Her mother convinces her the
only way to do so was to become a prodigy. Although on board with this idea in the beginning, years
pass by, along with Jing–mei's hopes of becoming this "perfect child." In the beginning of the...show
more content...
She thought long and hard one night and soon decided, "I won't let her change me, I promise myself.
I won't be what I'm not" (Tan 223). This was the start to a long, tiring battle between the two which
would soon, unknowingly, damage them mentally and emotionally, enduringly. She began
neglecting her mother's tricks to help her and started to rebel. After her mother enrolled her in piano
lessons, Jing–mei took complete advantage of them and her deaf piano instructor. She "would play
after him, the simple scale, the simple chord, and then [I] just played some nonsense that sounded
like a cat running up and down on top of garbage cans" (Tan 226). It showed how little effort she
put in and how she was going against her mother's wishes to no extent, wasting her hard earned
money just to make a statement. It seemed the harder and more she was pushed, the less Jing–mei
believed in herself or her mother's attempts. As we reach the end of "Two Kinds," you start to see a
significant change in Jing–mei's attitude. After what she took as a peace–offering from her mother,
she started to regain hope in their relationship. The offering was brought about when her mother
"surprised me. A few years ago, she offered to give me the piano for my thirteenth birthday. I had
not played in all those years. I saw the offer as a sign of forgiveness, a tremendous burden removed"
(Tan 232). This short conversation carried much meaning in Jing–mei's mind, and

In "Two Kinds," Amy Tan explores a theme of independence. Jing
–me is an impressionable nine year
old girl living in an apartment with her parents. She struggles with the high expectations of her
mother, to become a prodigy. The conflict results in a rebellious independence. Tan develops
Jing–me's character as willful, defiant, and insecure.
To begin, Tan demonstrates that Jing–me's willfulness stands in the way of her success. For
example, after failing many of her mothers prodigy tests, she begins to hate them. One night after
another failed test, she adopted "new thoughts, willful thoughts, or rather thoughts filled with lots of
won'ts" (Tan 596). Jing–me decides that she is not going to let her mother change who she is, so she
...show more content...
Although Jing–me attempted to become a prodigy, ultimately it is her willfulness that hampers her
success.
Further, Tan depicts Jing–me as defiant in the face of her mother's expectations for her. This defiant
attitude can be seen when Jing–me finds out that she will be taking piano lessons from Mr. Chong.
She throws a fit and asks her mother "Why don't you like me the way I am?" (597). While at the
piano lessons she further shows her defiance of her mother's expectations when she learns that she
can "be lazy and get away with mistakes, lots of mistakes" (598). Jing–me is upset with her mother
for forcing her to take lessons, so she gets back at her by making a minimal effort to learn. Also,
Jing–me displays her bold attitude a few days after she completely embarrassed her parents with a
miserable performance at a talent–show. For example, she thought that after her poor performance at
the talent–show, she "never had to play the piano again" (601). She further shows her defiant attitude
when her mother reminds her that it is time to practice. Jing–me replies "I'm not going to play
anymore" (601). All of these actions clearly shows Jing–me's defiant nature, which results in a
strained relationship between mother and daughter.
Finally, Tan characterizes Jing–me as insecure in her own capabilities. Like other children her age
she is unsure of her ability to try something new.

Two Kinds By Amy Tan Essay

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Two Kinds By Amy Tan Essay