ipl-logo

Character Analysis: Two Kinds By Amy Tan

408 Words2 Pages

In the book “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, it’s about a little girl who is pressured by her mother to become something she doesn’t want to be. Jing- mei , the daughter, is forced to become a prodigy(child actress), by her mother, and she doesn’t want to be one. In the story, Jing- meis’ mother uses allusions such as Shirley Temple to push her into becoming a prodigy. Although at first Jing- mei is excited to become a prodigy, she later realizes its something she just doesn’t enjoy doing. Consequently, the uses of allusion in the story help Jing- mei discover to not be a prodigy and that what her mother wants for her is not always important. However, some of the things her mother showed and did got her excited to become this. In the beginning of “Two Kinds”, Jing- mei and her mother were watching TV and Shirley Temple was on. Jing- mei and her mother were watching something they thought was magnificent. Jing- meis’ mother said, “ Ni Ken – you watch”, she said this to Jing- mei because she thought they were like training videos to help her become a famous child star. …show more content…

When she was doing her hair she turned it into a afro. Jing -Mei’s mom said, “ You look like Negro Chinese”, because her afro was a style for African Americans. Then instructor advised that they should use a Peter Pan style haircut. The instructor said, “ The haircut is very popular these days”. When Jing –mei got her new cut she was excited, but later realized it was harder than it seems. In conclusion, “ Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, was about Jing-mei and finding herself, even without her mothers help. Shirley Temple and Peter Pan were good moments in the story, but helped discover that just because they were happy moments, doesn’t mean that’s all a prodigy does. Jing –mei thought all the stuff her mom did help her, but it didn’t. It made her think about herself and her life. This is how Two Kinds of allusion affected Jing

Show More
Related

  • Research Paper On Patrick Maloney

    453 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout her childhood life her mother, Suyuan, was continuously pushing her to be her best. Jing-Mei purposely tried to fail at everything to prover to her mother that she could never become a great and famous person. Then after a piano recital that went horridly wrong, her and her mother had an argument and their relationship was never the same. Many years later Suyuan tried to give Jing-mei the piano that she had as a child. She refused the offer, but than a year later her mother died and Jing-Mei was cleaning out her mother’s house and decided to play the piano and she was surprised that she still knew how.

    Read More

  • Suyuan Vs Jing-Mei

    190 Words  | 1 Pages

    ‘I’ll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!’ ” (Tan 153). As a result, Jing-mei and Suyuan’s feud ended in dismay. Jing-mei is confused pondering why she is forced to play the piano when she has no interest in music. On the other hand, Suyuan is equally perplexed, she only wanted Jing-mei to play well and feel proud of herself.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Two Kinds By Amy Tan

    300 Words  | 2 Pages

    At first, my mother thought I could be a Chinese Shirley Temple” (Tan paragraph 4).  The word prodigy is defined as a young person who is endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities.  Amy 's mother wanted her child from the moment she was born to be a prodigy or what the story defines as a Chinese version

    Read More

  • Summary Of Saving Sourdi By May-Lee Chi

    959 Words  | 4 Pages

    In both the stories, in which both families include a mother who is the first generation immigrant and the daughter who is an American citizen, their relation is very complex because of their distinct thinking. Jing-Mei’s mother has always had a very high expectation for Jing-Mei. Her mother

    Read More

  • Identity By Amy

    728 Words  | 3 Pages

    To begin with, Amy in tries to be a different person during a christmas dinner with the minister’s family, but learns from her mother that she will always be chinese. Next Jing-Mei is pushing back from her mother’s wishes for her to become a prodigy, but learns that her mother was just wanting what was best for her. Finally, Harry learns about his actions and character when his father’s parrot speaks invaluable words. All these characters change their own identities, but soon learn to be themselves. These three receive important life lessons about being themselves from certain moments in their lives.

    Read More

  • Two Kinds By Amy Tan Thesis Statement

    2019 Words  | 9 Pages

    She then uses these “new thoughts” and ideas to state that she “won’t let her [mother] change” her into the person she seeks her daughter to be. When Jing-Mei experiences a realization that she is her own person and not simply another part of her mother, she can embrace the comfort of knowing that she will not change for anyone, and is simply extraordinary for having her own thoughts and feelings. This reflects how Amy Tan can understand her thoughts and feelings about the hardships in her relationship with her mother as a way to connect more closely to her characters and make them more realistic in her writing (“How Amy Tan’s family stories made her a

    Read More

  • Pico Iyer's Where Worlds Collide

    1272 Words  | 6 Pages

    In opposition to Waverly, the character Jing-Mei has experienced repeated rejection and failure in her attempt to become a prodigy and finally comes to the decision that“I could only be me,” and any attempt at developing new skills or talents was futile (Tan, 24). So, it is because of her past experiences of continuous defeat that she bases her perception of her self worth and capabilities. While in some cases, one may respond in the complete opposition of Jing-Mei, continuing to persevere in spite of their failures, they still draw on the previous experiences they’ve had, utilizing them as an inspiration or a learning

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Two Kinds By Amy Tan

    1369 Words  | 6 Pages

    At first Jing-Mei grew in her dreams and desirers to be perfect for her family; “In all of my imaginings

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: The Bean Trees By Barbara Kingsolver

    1615 Words  | 7 Pages

    One day, Jing-Mei’s family and Waverly’s family meet and both mothers brag about how their daughters are very successful. After seeing her mom brag about her non-existent talents, Jing-Mei is determined to stand in the way of her mother's ambitions. A few weeks later, Jing-Mei participates in a talent show at a church hall, although she hasn't practiced and does not know any of the music. Halfway through the song, she realizes how badly she’s playing. The weak applause and her parents’ look of disappointment revealed the indisputable truth: Jing-Mei is not a musical prodigy.

    Read More

  • Cultural Conflict In Amy Tan's Short Story 'Two Kinds'

    477 Words  | 2 Pages

    “For unlike my mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be, I could only be me.” (Tan 24). With this statement you can see that she does not agree with her mother. Jing-Mei’s Mother was raised in Chinese culture, therefore she is very strict and demanding to Jing-Mei to do what she wants. From doing a chore, to hobbies or even Jing-Mei’s passion.

    Read More

  • Amy Tan Two Kinds Literary Analysis

    1066 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Rebellious Daughter: Analyzing the Theme of Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” The story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan explores the deep familial emotions between a mother and her daughter. Jing-Mei’s mother had left China to come to America after losing her family, and had been raising Jing-Mei in America with her second husband. Despite her mother’s grand hopes for Jing-Mei to become successful in America by becoming a child prodigy, Jing-Mei did not share the same opinions.

    Read More

  • Amy Tan A Pair Of Tickets Analysis

    1309 Words  | 6 Pages

    At her first glance at them, she knew exactly who they were because of their resemblance to their mother. However, as she approached them, she realized that there were no evident similarities in features between them and her mother, but that the similarities she noticed at first ran deep in their blood: they were family. And at this brief moment of realization, the most perceptible change in Jing-Mei took place. She said, “Now I also see what part of me is Chinese. It is so obvious.

    Read More

  • Jing-Mei's Allusion In Two Kinds And Modern Day Society

    346 Words  | 2 Pages

    Both her and her mom want her to be a prodigy of Beyonce. Both of their parents want them to become a prodigy of somebody. Jing-Mei’s mom wants her to be a prodigy of Shirley Temple. One other allusion in “Two Kinds” and modern day society is Peter Pan. Peter Pan never wants to grow up and neither does Jing-Mei.

    Read More

  • Joy Luck Club Mother Daughter Relationship

    1177 Words  | 5 Pages

    One dynamic that false expectation strains is the relationship between Suyuan and her daughter Jing-Mei. In a vignette told from the perspective of the latter, Suyuan has the notion that Jing-Mei should be able to perform something at the level of a prodigy. She begins

    Read More

  • Two Kinds Character Analysis

    937 Words  | 4 Pages

    Jing Mei, while portrayed as an obedient child, is only willing to listen to her mother to a certain extent. Throughout the story, it is consistently hinted that Jing Mei would eventually explode against her mother as an attempt to free herself from her mother’s chains. In addition, after the fiasco at the piano recital, she eventually derives further from her mother’s wishes as she “didn 't get straight A...didn 't become class president...didn 't get into Stanford...dropped out of college.” (54). On the flip side, Jing Mei’s mother is a stereotypical Chinese parent who is fully determined to ensure her daughter’s success in a new environment.

    Read More

More about Character Analysis: Two Kinds By Amy Tan

Open Document