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Essay / Analysis of the narrator and her mother in the two types of Amy Tan
Amy Tan is a prolific Asian American writer who has successfully portrayed the feelings of the children of Chinese immigrants in the United States. Most of her work has focused on the relationship dynamics of mothers and daughters, inspired by her own conflicting experiences with her strict Chinese mother. His bestselling novel, The Joy Luck Club, was made into a film of the same title. The short story “Two Kinds” is derived from this work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In “Two Kinds,” the narrator is also the protagonist as she recounts her own stressful relationship with her overbearing mother. This reflects the vast difference between two generations, one from a traditional Chinese upbringing and the other strongly influenced by Americanized values. The title itself reveals polar opposites that seem to be the theme of the story, which often clash and lead to damage in the mother-daughter relationship. The mother subscribes to her own beliefs that girls should be obedient and blindly follow what their parents tell them to do. However, the girl's rebellious side prevented her from fully complying with all of her mother's demands. At first, the girl complied with her mother's wish to be a prodigy, because she also wanted it for herself. However, after a harsh revelation that she is not the kind of prodigy her mother wanted, as demonstrated by her disastrous piano recital, she has taken a step back from her role as the dutiful daughter she was supposed to be. and decided to follow his own path. This inner courage that she displayed in speaking to her mother perhaps comes from the strong American influence which allowed the children to assert their independence. She didn't want to be a genius pianist because she didn't believe she had what it took to be one, much to her mother's disappointment. She said hurtful words to her mother, as if opening a Pandora's box of painful memories from her mother's past that had not been brought up until that fateful confrontation. From then on, her mother stopped pushing her to realize the dreams she had for her daughter... which were also for herself. The mother's desire for her daughter to be a prodigy was deeply rooted in her own past misfortunes. She left China devastated, losing her entire family, including her twin daughters. She came to America in 1949 to pursue the American dream she believed in so much. Perhaps it was her own optimism that pushed her to dream for her own daughter, and that includes shining as a child prodigy, just like Shirley Temple. She even had her daughter's hair cut like the child actress' iconic hairstyle so she could look like her in some way and maybe her child prodigy genius could rub off on her girl. Even though she has already set foot on American soil, she has retained her Chinese values, one of which is raising a respectful child who must obey her every command. She felt the need to control her child's life in order to achieve the American dream. The track “Two Kinds” presents deep themes of duality and opposition. The mother mentioned two kinds of girls: “those who are obedient and those who follow their own minds!” ". She decided that her daughter must be the obedient type. The girl refused to accept it and stubbornly clung to her decision to "follow her own mind." It was then that the mother finally backed down and lost the fight. She continued to be disappointed in her daughter, with all her failures in her life, however, the daughter.