Summary Of The Story Two Kinds By Amy Tan
Introduction
Two Kinds is a short story by Amy Tan, published in 1989. The story is told from the perspective of Jing-mei, a Chinese-American woman reflecting on her childhood and her relationship with her mother. The story explores themes of identity, cultural conflict, and the immigrant experience.
Summary
The story begins with Jing-mei's mother, who has high expectations for her daughter. She wants Jing-mei to become a prodigy, and pushes her to take piano lessons. Jing-mei initially resists, but her mother is determined. Jing-mei begins to take lessons from a deaf piano teacher, and initially struggles to learn. However, her mother is unsatisfied with her progress, and starts to push her even harder. Jing-mei eventually rebels against her mother, refusing to practice and purposely performing poorly at a recital.
Years later, Jing-mei's mother offers her the piano as a gift. Jing-mei is initially reluctant to accept, but eventually agrees. She begins to play, and discovers that she has a natural talent for the piano. Jing-mei realizes that her mother was right all along, and that she could have been a prodigy if she had only tried harder. However, she also realizes that her mother's expectations were unrealistic, and that she cannot change who she is.
Themes
Two Kinds explores several themes, including:
Identity
Jing-mei struggles with her identity as a Chinese-American. She feels torn between her mother's expectations and her own desires, and struggles to reconcile her two identities.
Cultural conflict
Jing-mei's mother comes from a different cultural background, and has different expectations for her daughter. This creates conflict between them, as Jing-mei tries to navigate between two cultures.
Immigrant experience
The story explores the experiences of immigrants and their children in America. Jing-mei's mother wants her to succeed in America, and sees the piano as a way for her to achieve this.
Analysis
Two Kinds is a powerful story that explores the complexities of the immigrant experience. The story is a reflection of Amy Tan's own experiences growing up as a Chinese-American. The story is also a commentary on the American Dream, and the pressure to succeed in America.
The story is told from Jing-mei's perspective, which allows the reader to sympathize with her struggles. Jing-mei's rebellion against her mother is a natural response to the pressure she feels, but it also highlights the cultural conflict between them. Jing-mei's eventual acceptance of the piano shows her growth and maturity as a character.
The story also explores the idea of identity, and the difficulties of reconciling different cultural identities. Jing-mei's struggle to find her own identity is a common experience for many immigrants and their children.
Conclusion
Two Kinds is a powerful story that explores themes of identity, cultural conflict, and the immigrant experience. The story is a reflection of Amy Tan's own experiences growing up as a Chinese-American, and is a commentary on the American Dream. Jing-mei's struggles and eventual acceptance of her identity make the story relatable and compelling.