Crosscultural teaching csusb maeducationtesol instructor. In the story two kinds by amy tan it tells the tale of conflict between a mother suyuan and her daughter jingmei over piano lessons. That way, when we start talking about two kinds, we can better understand what amy tan was doing as a talented, natural writer. Two kinds is the last story in the second of four sections of amy tan s immensely successful first book, the joy luck club. How would you describe the tone of the opening paragraph. Of course, you can be a prodigy, too, my mother told me when i was nine. Here are all the word lists to support the reading of grade 10. She has high hopes that her daughter will be a great success as a prodigy. The main character of the story, who is also the protagonist, is the author herself. Two kinds conflict essay essays conflicts, or problems, occur in almost every book or story.
Research paper of the short story two kinds by amy tan. Sep 12, 2011 amy tans two kinds is a short story about a secondgeneration chinese american woman reflecting on her life when her mother had high expectations for her to become the next prodigy. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games. Point of view significance of title the narrator is the one telling the story told in the first person examples. The short story two kinds by amy tan is structured around the wish of a chinese mother for her child to become a prodigy. Two kinds is an excerpt from her first book, the joy luck club, which received high acclaim. Title the short story two kinds, written by amy tan, focuses on the struggles of a young protagonist named jingmei trying to find herself without the influences and pressure of others. Two kinds by amy tan lina alfaro, timothy cobern, jerardo hernandez, jacinda higgins, kevin nelson, and brenda nievas eesl 536. Two kinds summary in the short story two kinds by amy tan, the conflicts of mother and daughter relationships are considered a theme. I was,my mother,i,me my two kinds can mean mom and daughter relationship two parts to the song she had to play it can also mean two types of daughtersonly two kinds. Jan 26, 2016 the short story two kinds is written by amy tan. Oct 11, 2017 in two kinds by amy tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance. Short story notes and background lord of the flies.
A teacher was quoted as saying the little boy could also pronounce the names of the foreign. Two kinds amy tan sacremento, california jingmei self jingmeis mother wants her to play the piano, but she does not want to. Multicultural story, two kinds amy tanjhedit authorstream. Amy tan s story, two kinds, works independently or as part of her novel, the joy luck club.
It is about the relationship of a girl the narrator and her mother. Two kinds summary two kinds is a short story by amy tan that presents the conflict between a girl, june, and her mother, suyuan. Brittany peters professor smith english 102a2c 27 march 20 two kinds summary in the short story two kinds by amy tan, the conflicts of mother and daughter relationships are considered a theme. Narrated in the first person by a woman called jingmei woo the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that. Here, we discuss the setting of the short story two kinds by amy tan. In the story, the mother forces her daughter to take piano lessons and does not tolerate laziness and disobedience. Tans popular stories are informed by her chineseamerican heritage as they explore family ties and understanding, memory and inheritance, generational tensions and conflicting cultures. Suyan is certain that jingmei can become a prodigy if she only tries hard enough. As a vignette, or standalone story, it serves as an illustration of two important themes, or main. This was a time where everyone hunted for success, especially for the mother in this story. At first jingmei is eager to try, but she always falls short of her mothers. Amy tan, whose chinese name, anmei, means blessing from america, was born in 1952 in oakland, california, the middle child and only daughter of john and daisy tan, who came to america from china in the late 1940s. There are many literary elements in this short story. In it, june and her mother suyuan come into conflict when suyuan becomes determined to make june into a child prodigy.
Two kinds is a chapter from tans book, the joy luck club, which is made up of sixteen stories about tan growing up in america with a mother from ancient chinese customs tan, 189. This story is about a conflict between a chinese woman and her american. Find out what kinds they are, and how this view affects a motherdaughter relationship in an excerpt from amy tans novel the joy luck club. These kinds of explanations made me feel my mother and i spoke two different languages. The setting of an american dream amy tans short story two kinds chronicles the childhood memories of jingmei, a first generation american citizen, and her mother suyuan woo, an immigrant to the states. A literary analysis of the short story two kinds by amy tan. In the story two kinds, jingmeis mother believes that children in america can achieve anything they desire. Find out what kinds they are, and how this view affects a motherdaughter relationship in an excerpt from amy tan s novel the joy luck club. Besides amy, the tans also had two sons peter, born in 1950, and john, born in 1954. The short story two kinds was written by amy tan the daughter of chinese immigrants who was born in oakland and raised in california. How does it suggest that the reader should interpret the second paragraph. The story two kinds by amy tan demonstrates all of the elements mentioned above. Suyuan forces june to take piano lessons, but when it comes time for june to perform in a recital.
The short story setting is in china, and the narrative is part of the novel the joy luck club. I fell in love with the ministers son the winter i turned fourteen. Two kinds deals with a clash between a mothers belief of hard work and persistance and a daughters belief that being a prodigy is unachievable. Summary of two kind by amy tan from the novel the joy luck club. This story is actually an episode from tans first novel the joy luck club 1989, which many of you may have seen in its film version. Shirley temple was a pop culture darling in the late 1930s. The short story outlines the main character jingmei. Two kinds by amy tan my mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in america. The short story outlines the main jing mei woos childhood and the effects of her mothers high. Because of her mothers constant pressure for her to play music, jingmeis desire to be a normal chineseamerican girl turns into a search for her own identity and a struggle between her and her mother. Of course you can be prodigy, too, my mother told me when. Essay on two kinds type your essay on two kinds below.
The time setting of the short story can be deduced from the clues that jingmei offers about her mother. We start this story with a mother, a chinese immigrant to the united states, telling her american born daughter, jingmei, at a very young age that she can become anything she wants to become in. What insight into jingmeis mothers faith in america does the third paragraph provide. Two kinds of characters two kinds, a short story by amy tan, opens with jingmei june woo, the narrator, reflecting on her mothers life after shes dead. In the short story two kinds, amy tan explores the clash of cultures between a firstgeneration chineseamerican daughter, jingmei, and her mother, suyan, a chinese immigrant. He was not chinese, but as white as mary in the manger. An analysis of two kinds, a chapter in the joy luck club. In the short story two kinds, by amy tan,there are both internal. Shes not precisely sure where her daughters talents lie, but she is sure that her daughter possesses great ability it is simply a matter of finding the right avenue for jingmeis talents. Amy tans two kinds is a short story about a secondgeneration chinese american woman reflecting on her life when her mother had high expectations for her to become the next prodigy. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection of interrelated stories, but it is often referred to as a novel. Amy tans two kinds is a short story about the relationship between a chineseamerican mother and her american daughter. The story two kinds, by amy tan is just one of the stories about the relationship between mothers and daughters in the book, the joy luck club. She immigrated from china to america because of the chance of success.
Dec 23, 2009 the story two kinds, by amy tan is just one of the stories about the relationship between mothers and daughters in the book, the joy luck club. The authors mother was looking for a talent in her daughter which she didnt find and jingmei was getting frustrated and she ended up rebelling against her mother. Short story notes and background lord of the flies finals 9th honors. Sep 25, 2011 two kinds by amy tan symbol in amy tans short story two kinds, jingmei is an american born daughter who had a mother who wanted her daughter to become a child prodigy. Further reading two kinds is the last story in the second of four sections of amy tans immensely successful first book, the joy luck club. Two kinds is the last story in the second of four sections of amy tans immensely successful first book, the joy luck club. Tans short story is gives the reader an example of how personalities that are so different can cause brawls that are between a child and their parent. Narrated in the first person by a woman called jingmei woo the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that tan may be exploring the theme of hope. We didnt immediately pick the right kind of prodigy. Amy tans essay is organized into a series of paragraphs. The first night she brought out a story about a threeyearold boy who knew the capitals of all the states and even most of the european countries.
The conflict between jingmei and her mother is caused by her mother pushing her into being a prodigy. Conformity and two kinds amy tan s two kinds is a story that, like some of her relationships in the joy luck club, is concerned with the conflict and complexity within the relationship between mothers and daughters particularly those mothers who are firstgeneration immigrants, born in china before the communist revolution. The mother wanted the narrator to be a successful child prodigy like the ones they see on tv. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Two kinds forms one of the sections of amy tans bestselling novel, the joy luck club. The storys main events take place in chinatown throughout the 1950s and perhaps early 1960s. Author introduction two kinds by amy tan amy tan is an american born chinese that grew up in the san francisco bay area. A storys setting is usually described in the beginning of the story, giving an explanation of. Woo tries to mold her daughter into a child actress, but. Rules of the game amy tan i was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. The cultural differences between a mother and her daughter, jingmei, really take a toll on their personal relationship. There are two different kinds of conflicts, internal, which are inside the body like feelings, and external, which are outside the body. To jingmeis mother, america is the land of opportunity.
English and literature submitted by bamr words 846 pages 4. Just like many short stories, two kinds is comprised of five traditional plot elements. About the author was born in 1952 an american writer explore motherdaughterrelationships the chineseamerican experience bestknown work is thejoyluckclub a movie adapted by the book was made. Since two kinds is a relatively simple story with a relatively clear beginning, middle and end, lets go over what makes up a short story. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of two kinds. The short story outlines the main character jingmei june woos childhood and the effects of her mothers high expectations for her life. You could work for the government and get good retirement. With hard work and a little luck, jingmei can be anything that she chooses to be. In the short story two kinds, amy tan utilizes the narrators standpoint in order to share a mothers effort to control her daughters ambitions and dreams. Literary analysis there are many key elements which together make up a story, namely a storys setting, its main characters, the plot, and the symbolism it contains. Two kinds is a short story from the book the joy luck club by amy tan. In two kinds by amy tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection of interrelated stories, but it is often referred.