Two Kinds By Amy Tan Essay Example For Students

Two Kinds By Amy Tan Essay Two Kinds By Amy TanAmy Tans heartbreaking story, ?Two Kinds?, is a powerful example ofconflicting personalities and needs that cause a struggle between parent andchild. In every family, parents have, at one point, imposed their failures andexpectations on their children, and in worse cases have even tried to livethrough their children. At times, it can be in the best interest of the child tohave a parent motivate them in a specific direction, but as in this story it cansometimes backfire, and the child can be left with feelings of disapproval andquestions of ?self-worth.? Instead of enforcing these standards parentsshould let their children be individuals, and have them learn through their ownconscious decisions, and only interfere when the child is headed in the wrongdirection. Of course, family values and morals should be taught to a child at ayoung age to prevent any disastrous situations, and help the child determinebetween right and wrong. Jing-Mei stands for this individualism in the story,and the mother represents that obtrusive unwanted force. Amy Tans message inthis passage is clear. Frequently imposing standards on a person throughouttheir life can greatly affect their actions, feelings, and attitudes. The majorconflict in this story is between Jing-Mei and her mother. Ever since Jing-Meiwas a little girl her mother has believed she could be a prodigy. Her motherwould watch television or read articles in magazines to get ideas from otheramazing children. Then she would test Jing-Mei tirelessly to try and findsomething she would be best at. At first Jing-Mei seemed to enjoy her mothersintentions, ? In fact in the beginning I was just as excited as my mother,maybe even more so? (386), but as time went on the tests started to get harderand Jing-Mei kept failing repeatedly. After constantly having to see her mothersdisappointed face, Jing-Meis attitude and feelings began to change, ?Ihated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations.? (387) She b egan tosee a new side of herself; a strong powerful girl with willful thoughts and lotsof wonts, ? I wont let her change me, I promised myself I wont bewhat Im not.? (387) So throughout the rest of her life she asserted herright to fall short of her mothers expectations, believing that she could neverbe anything she wanted to be, she can only be herself. Jing-Mei is theprotagonist in this story; we read the story through her eyes and her point ofview. She makes herself seem more like a victim of her mothers expectationsrather than what she really is, a hurt little girl who does not understand whyher mother does not accept her for who she is. Jing-Mei has to deal with bothexternal and internal conflicts. The internal being her feelings of acceptingwho she is and how she would like to live her life, and the external being hermothers constant pushing of her pseudo images of what she believes Jing-Meishould be. Jing-Meis upbringing in a society that highly values individualismand autono my has had a great effect on her feelings and actions. This influencehas enabled her to make the decision that she cannot abide by her mothersexpectations anymore, and it has helped her stand firmly behind it. The motheris the antagonist in the story; she does not realize what she is doing to herdaughter. In her mind she is just helping Jing-Mei to strive for the best, byJing-Mei opposing her it makes her feel that her daughter is ungrateful anddisobedient. This wanting and pushing for the best stems from their currentsituation, of having little money, and from the mothers past experiences. .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .postImageUrl , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:hover , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:visited , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:active { border:0!important; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:active , .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1a92fd3ac0cbb57998a1e632792d5f3c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Computer Science I Essay We will write a custom essay on Two Kinds By Amy Tan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now ?America was where all my mothers hopes lay.? (386) This is the countrywere she wants her daughter to have a better life than she had. She was born inChina where she lost everything: her mother and father, her family home, herfirst husband, and her twin baby girls. She was not regretful of her past, andshe always felt ?things could get better in so many ways.? (386) The loss ofher daughters and her belief that you could be anything you want to be inAmerica is a strong example of why she is so persistent in making Jing-Meibecome the best she can be. Its like she is taking all her hopes and dreamsfor three daughters and throwing it all on top of one, as if Jing-Mei had tofulfill the lives of her ?dead? sisters. Although the mother did not presenther motivations in the correct manner, I believe she truly meant no harm, andwas only trying to be a good parent. The atmosphere of the story continues withan array of conflicts. Jing-Mei is forced to take piano lessons after her mothersaw a Ch inese girl, whom resembled Jing-Mei, playing piano on the Ed Sullivanshow. Being that Jing-Mei had no interest in playing piano she lazily went abouther lessons, and got away with it, because she had a deaf teacher. Jing-Mei didthis despite the fact that her mother had traded housecleaning services for herlessons. Not knowing of her daughters disobedience, Jing-Meis motherbragged about her one day after church ? If we ask Jing-Mei wash dish, shehear nothing but music. Its like you cant stop this natural talent.? (390)This made Jing-Mei even more determined to put a stop to her mothers foolishpride. By not practicing and being determined to disappoint her mother, Jing-Meiis humiliated one evening after she tried to play the piano at a talent show. Even though Jing-Mei continuously wanted to disappoint her mother that night hermothers face devastated her. This situation lead to their final conflict. Notgiving up on her, Jing-Meis mother tried to get her to return to her lessonsone afternoon. After throwing a tantrum Jing-Mei said the words that would endtheir quarrels for good, ? Then I wish Id never been born! I wish I weredead! Like them.? (393) After saying this to her mother everything stopped,her hopes, her dreams everything she wanted for her daughter ended in thatsingle moment. Jing-Mei and her mother are both at fault in this story. Insteadof trying to please one another, their heads were clouded with their ownselfishness. They destroyed that mother-daughter bond they should have shared. It is unfortunate that Jing-Mei realizes what she has lost after it is too late,and her mother has already passed on. They were the same, Jing-Mei and hermother, but blinded by their own needs they never realized ? they were twohalves of the same song ? Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay Example For Students Two Kinds by Amy Tan Essay Turning through pages of stories the words within them appear to be dimensionless and static. As one begins reading, a discovery of a spirited journey is made. In the story, Two Kinds written by Amy Tan a crucial component she created was the narrator. The narrative voice develops the tone, symbolism, language, and characters in the story which make the story come alive in your thoughts. Jing-Mei is the narrator who is a daughter of a Chinese immigrant. As the story advances, her journey of struggle through the relationship with her overbearing mother is unraveled. Instantly there is a closeness felt with Jing-Mei. This is because of the part she plays as a protagonist. You can understand what she is going through because she is portraying a storyteller. She is a first person narrator who helps you see out of the eyes of a young Chinese American girl. The way in which she addresses herself with the pronoun I and her mother as she show that the words and thoughts are a part of her. We will write a custom essay on Two Kinds by Amy Tan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now As Jing-Mei speaks about a time in her childhood when her mother pushed her to become a prodigy, there are recognizable immature qualities she possessed. She was highly imaginative and satisfied with the ongoing process to become perfect. The words she used were highly vibrant images. She fantasizes of being like the Christ child lifted out of the straw manger, crying with holy indignity. Her hope is to be perfect, not for the reward of fame, but for the love of her parents. She wanted to make them happy and please them. This is something that almost all children want to do. As Jing-Mei wished more and more to be this type of super kid rebellion was inevitable. This was also a trait borne out of her childishness. While her mother wanted to create a genius, she wanted to demolish her dream. This change of heart occurred after numerous tests her mother had given her to memorize bible passages and world capitals. Each time she was wrong and faltered in remembering there were continued looks of disappointment from her mother. By this time she stopped fantasizing about being something special. She desired independence from her mother and resists the high standards her mother has set for her. Jing-Mei thought, I wont let her change me, I promised myself. Moreover she rejects the hope of being the child prodigy. With a childs perspective we can be given the truth. Jing-Mei has an honest view of the world, so we can trust what she is feeling. Her reactions and emotions are blunt. During the showdown after the talent show fiasco she protested that she was not going to anymore piano lessons. She exchanged heated words with her mother. After knowing her mother had lost her twin daughters she said the meanest thing she could. Jing-Mei shouted, I wish I were dead! Like them. Her words displayed every ounce of strength and anger she had. The dialogue exchanged  between her and her mother are sound very realistic, so trust has been established with the reader and the narrator. Jing-Meis mother has jumbled up English words with some Chinese words. This alternation of mostly choppy English and her cultural dialect makes her mother sound like an authentic Chinese mother. She called her daughter ni kan and commented that Auntie Lindos daughter, she is only best tricky. Jing-Meis words are also not too simple, but not complicated either. You can sympathize with her situation and the choosing of her passionate words. She sobbed and said during an argument, Ill never be the kind of daughter you want me to be! This exhibited how strongly she felt about expressing herself. .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .postImageUrl , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:hover , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:visited , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:active { border:0!important; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:active , .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67 .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uaf3e11e2b1d621657ff3fd81c6103b67:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Historical Novel EssayDuring most of the story the tone is set by the anger and disappointment. This is characterized by the daughter feeling that she was never acceptable to her mother. She asked, Why dont you like me the way I am? The only way she could handle her mothers expectations was to always succumb to defeat. By the end of the story the tone takes a different turn. In addition, the voice has matured from a girl into a woman. Jing-Meis mother offers the piano that they had fought over as a peace offering. Jing-Mei always thought that throughout her life even after the piano fight she had failed her mother by dropping out of college and not getting straight As. Finally, she found that her mother never lost any hope for her no matter how many times she failed. Her mother still dreamed that she could be a prodigy if she wanted to. It was all up to her. After all, her mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America. The two tones depicted all through the story can be tied to Jing-Meis ending thought. The piano piece she had struggled to play at the talent show was entitled Pleading Child and was a very slow and difficult song. She saw that on the next page was a song called Perfectly Contented which was quick and happy. These were two halves of the same song. This can be compared to her life. During her childhood and part of her adulthood she had felt dissatisfied with her life and with the choices she had made. After she was offered the piano and even after her mother died she had found inner peace. She had reconciled the issues of her failures and knew that her mother never considered them failures. The two songs demonstrated how she had experienced two parts of her life. Amy Tans utilization of Jing-Mei affected all the intricate pieces of the story. She showed that the voice of a character and narrator can develop a bond between the reader and the story. Jing-Meis narration brought a comprehension to ideas and various emotions. Without her the story could not have imprinted any heartfelt lessons.