This essay analyses the writing techniques tan uses in order to express the struggle between parent and child. The second page contains short answer questions that guide students to actively analyze the works plot, figurative language, point of view, and authors style. Crosscultural teaching csusb maeducationtesol instructor. The short story outlines the main character jingmei june woos childhood and the effects of her mothers high expectations for her life. I found amy tans short story, two kinds, to be an emotional and touching story. Two kinds by amy tan a summary of the passage two kinds, one of the short stories in the joy luck club, by amy tan, first published in 1989, vividly displays a bittersweet relationship between jingmei, the narrator and protagonist, and her mother mrs.
Her presence as a narrator is indicated by the use of the possessive my, noticeable in the first sentence. It occurs between jingmei and her mother over her piano lessons, jingmei doesnt want to play anymore, but her mother wants her to become a prodigy. She receives a lot of pressure from her mother to be a prodigy. Jingmei is a young chinese american girl whose mother experienced tremendous loss as she escaped the communist takeover of china. The book is divided into four interconnected segments with each of them containing a group of stories which can stand alone themselves. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of two kinds by amy tan. Doc literary analysis of two kinds by amy tan victoria. Chong, lindo jong or waverly jong are secondary and they are only relevant in connection to the main characters, as they trigger several reactions from their part. Two kinds summary two kinds is a short story by amy tan that presents the conflict between a girl, june, and her mother, suyuan. This story is about a conflict between a chinese woman and her american. 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. Two kinds is an excerpt from her first book, the joy luck club, which received high acclaim.
Amy tan s story, two kinds, works independently or as part of her novel, the joy luck club. Two kinds forms one of the sections of amy tans bestselling novel, the joy luck club. Unfamiliar word meanings will be part of class discussion as well. The short story two kinds by amy tan is structured around the wish of a chinese mother for her child to become a prodigy. Her book of poems, first published by pecan grove press of st. 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. Further reading two kinds is the last story in the second of four sections of amy tan s immensely successful first book, the joy luck club. That way, when we start talking about two kinds, we can better understand what amy tan was doing as a talented, natural writer. Set in modernday san francisco, the story revolves around jingmei june woo as she recounts her childhood and the influence of her mothers lofty expectations for life in america. 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. What happens to jingmeis piano with the piano at the end in two kinds short story from the book the. Through the article,she wants to used the conflict between june and her mom to emerged under the different culture,the contradiction between mother and daughter. Jingmei, the womans daughter, proves to be a mediocre child and disappoints her mother. These themes are common ones revisited in many of amy tan s books.
Two kinds by amy tan 9 september 2016 the story takes place around 1960s, where the narrator talks about her childhood and 1980s towards the end when she had grown up to be an adult about thirty years old. The primary theme of two kinds by amy tan is the motherdaughter dynamic and the clash between traditional and contemporary values. There are many literary elements in this short story. The mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, while the daughter like most children with immigrant parents seeks to find herself in a world that demands her americanization. Amy tans two kinds is a short story about the relationship between a chineseamerican mother and her american daughter. Two kinds amy tan sacremento, california jingmei self jingmeis mother wants her to play the piano, but she does not want to. 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. A teacher was quoted as saying the little boy could also pronounce the names of the foreign cities correctly. Many of amy tan s stories feature a mother who grew up in china and a daughter who is born in america and rejects many of the traditional. The first night she brought out a story about a threeyearold boy who knew. Amy tan demonstrates a childs struggle for identity in her story two kinds. Originally published in 1989, two kinds is a short story written by chineseamerican author amy tan. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection.
We didnt immediately pick the right kind of prodigy. What is the summary of the novel two kinds by amy tan. 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. Jingmei assumes the role of narrator in the novel and takes readers on a deeply personal journey that exposes the societal, generational and cultural differences that distance jingmei and suyuan. Two kinds by amy tan is a story that shows a battle that starts with the narrator and her mother, for control over the narrators life. In my analysis of two kinds, a portion of tan s larger work, the joy luck club, i look at how the emphasis on the american dream in jingmei woos life hinders her. In it, june and her mother suyuan come into conflict when suyuan becomes determined to make june into a child prodigy. Sep 21, 2019 i do not own the audio recording of this short story or any of the publication rights. Teaching two kinds by amy tan connected teaching and.
Villarreal 2 48 paper 3 two kinds amy tan in amy tan s short story two kinds jingmei, the story s main character, takes a stand against her mother. In two kinds by amy tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance. 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. May 22, 2019 two kinds is the last story in the second segment of amy tans highly popular debut book, the joy luck club. The following worksheetshandouts are an anticipation guide to prepare readers for the conflicts and themes in amy tan s short story two kinds.
Jingmeis mother boasts about her talented daughter jingmei performs terribly at the talent show. A writers memoir at the 2018 national book festival duration. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection of interrelated stories, but it is often referred to as a novel. The story has actually a poignant failure of both motherdaughter relationship. An analysis of two kinds, a chapter in the joy luck club. May 26, 2010 character analysis on jingmei in two kinds two kinds, by amy tan is a story in which a chinese mother believes that her daughter can do anything in the united states as long as she puts her mind to it and decides to push her daughter, jingmei, into being a prodigy.
Comprehensive guide to short stories, critical edition. It is clear that some of the events in the short story reflect events that happened in the authors. Literary analysis there are many key elements which together make up a story, namely a story s setting, its main characters, the plot, and the symbolism it contains. 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. Two kinds by amy tan with free interactive flashcards. What is the climax of the story two kinds by amy tan. In fact, in the beginning i was just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so. Two kinds is a short story by amy tan that presents the conflict between a girl, june, and her mother, suyuan.
What is the climax of the story two kinds by amy tan answers. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection of interrelated stories, but it is often referred. You could work for the government and get good retirement. A mistakable understanding of a child prodigy in amy tans two k. Students will read and analyze amy tans short story, two kinds. The short story outlines the main character jingmei. Two kinds by amy tan essay example topics and well. In the short story, two kinds by amy tan, a chinese mother and daughter are at odds with each other. Shirley temple was a pop culture darling in the late 1930s. Author introduction two kinds by amy tan amy tan is an american born chinese that grew up in the san francisco bay area. Her mother wanted her to become a prodigy, but she wanted to be anything other than that. Amy tans two kinds anticipation guide and guided reading. Aug 21, 2019 amy tan is a chinese american writer and novelist. Scaffolded reading experiencetm for fostering higherlevel.
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. Read the excerpt below from two kinds by amy tan and answer the question that follows. Suyan is certain that jingmei can become a prodigy if she only tries hard enough. Typical in asian cultures, tan describes the parents desire for a child prodigy through strict discipline and expected child obedience. The short story two kinds was written by amy tan the daughter of chinese immigrants who was born in oakland and raised in california. Oct 11, 2017 in two kinds by amy tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance. What insight into jingmeis mothers faith in america does the third paragraph provide. Browse two kinds amy tan resources on teachers pay teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. They will complete a graphic organizer which will then be used for both turn and talk collaboration and class discussion. Born in the us to immigrant parents from china, amy tan failed her mothers expectations that she become a doctor and concert pianist. How does it suggest that the reader should interpret the second paragraph.
Woo, and explores conflicts between a chinese mother and her disobedient americanized. Amy tan 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. I pictured this prodigy part of me as many different images, and i tried each one on for size. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Character analysis two kinds by amy tan is a short story about the relationship between a daughter and her chinese immigrant mother.
Two kinds is the last story in the second segment of amy tan s highly popular debut book, the joy luck club. After i read this essay i realized if parents and their kids could compromise as much as possible,perhaps. This is an extract from the short story two kinds written by amy tan. A literary analysis of the short story two kinds by amy tan. Suyuan forces june to take piano lessons, but when it comes time for june to perform in a recital, she fails miserably. To jingmeis mother, america is the land of opportunity. 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. A story s setting is usually described in the beginning of the story, giving an explanation of where and when the story. 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. With hard work and a little luck, jingmei can be anything that she chooses to be. Jingmei knows some of her mothers story, yet the tragedy of her. In 1985, she wrote the story rules of the game, which was the foundation for her first novel the joy luck club. 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.
In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content. The novel two kinds by amy tan explores the complex motherdaughter relationship between jingmei, a chinese american girl, and her mother, suyuan. Your question touches upon a wide range of techniques that amy tan uses in this short story mapping the intergenerational conflict between a first and second generation immigrant. Two kinds is a short story from the book the joy luck club by amy tan. Amy tantwo kindsmy mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be. Ni kan feels like she always disappoints her mother and will never be able to live up to her expectations. The first night she brought out a story about a threeyearold boy who knew the capitals of all the states and even most. Multicultural story, two kinds amy tanjhedit authorstream.
She has high hopes that her daughter will be a great success as a prodigy. I am going to look at one of the motifs which is used by the author throughout the story, though it. Dec 23, 2012 quick look at character and theme in amy tan s two kinds by a college prof like rebecca. Rules of the game amy tan i was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. At first jingmei is eager to try, but she always falls short of her mothers. Summary of two kind by amy tan from the novel the joy luck club. Woo tries to mold her daughter into a child actress, but. Two kinds by amy tan 9 september 2016 the story takes place around 1960s, where the narrator talks about her childhood and 1980s towards the end when she. Amy s mother wanted her to become a prodigy she decided to settle for a chinese shirley temple. The mother had lost everything including her home, husband and children in china before immigrating to the united states in hopes of a better life.
As a vignette, or standalone story, it serves as an illustration of two important themes, or main. The most important characters in two kinds by amy tan are jingmei woo and mrs. The short story two kinds by amy tan is a firstperson narration told from the perspective of jingmei woo, the daughter of a chinese immigrant. Bite back your tongue, scolded my mother when i cried loudly, yanking her hand toward the store that sold. My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in america. Two kinds is a short story that explores these same themes common in tan s larger works. The short story setting is in china, and the narrative is part of the novel the joy luck club. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games. In the spring of 2001, i read amy tans two kinds for an evening class in the craft of fiction. The story opens as she describes her childhood, which was full of pain and resentment caused by never becoming the prodigy that her mother desperately wanted her to be.
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