Introduction
Literature has undergone several dynamic shifts as a field relating to how information is conveyed and structured in a written piece. Character choice is a vital step in narration as it determines the length, style, tone, and literary devices used. In essence, in any work of literature, the relationships between characters give the piece a specific direction. This results in different genres playing different roles in society, such as education, moral and cultural instruction, and, in some cases, technical information. This essay unravels the connection between the main characters in the story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, identifying individual views and interrelations. Ms. Tan writes the story directing it to the American audience who believe in the American dream. She demonstrates the reality of hard work and success while showing the challenges borough about by generational differences. Jing-Mei and her mother represent contrasting viewpoints, with none willing to compromise their stand to connect with the other.
Character Identification
The roles played by characters in a work of literature determine whether they are the primary or minor characters. In this story, the author uses Jing-Mei and her mother to portray the story’s themes, making them the main characters. Other characters, such as Jing-Mei’s aunt, play minor roles in the story. Tan chronicles the characters’ activities, statements, and looks from the beginning of her novel and shows how they change throughout the story demonstrating the impact of individual choices on each other (132). She expresses her aspirations for Jing-Mei and her mother, both in themselves and in each other’s characters.
The story portrays how Jing-Mei and her mother grow up and the world in which they live. Jing-Mei’s changing mindsets to become her unique person is revealed by the author. Jing-Mei’s mother, according to Tan, is not entirely supportive of her daughter’s trip (135). The reader learns about the disparities between the two characters and how one fails to impress the other.
Mother-Daughter Conflict
Daughters are believed to emulate their mothers’ characters, although this is not always the case. Jing-Mei differs from her mother in the views of life and the extent to which they are willing to work for their dreams. While the mother is ambitious and focused on taking the initiative, Jing-Mei goes through her life unconcerned about her future goals. This is mainly influenced by the different social and economic backgrounds from which they grew up. According to Ewaidat, the literature demonstrates real-life occurrences wherein the characters chosen interact according to their feelings, attitudes, and perceptions (3). At each point, the mother plays the role of a caring, futuristic parent guided by tough love. Through rigorous learning at every opportunity, Jing-Mei understands that her mother expects perfection. Although many would expect the mother to accommodate her daughter as she is, there seem to be higher stakes in the future for which she hopes to prepare her daughter.
Generational differences defined by the cultural distinction between American and Chinese backgrounds between the two characters are vital in determining how each approaches life situations. Although Jing-Mei does not have a different cultural experience, as she is born in America, her mother has lived through the Chinese culture and can detect the differences (Tan 140). Jing-Mei’s mother desires a child who blindly follows her and excels in her endeavors, but Jing-Mei is frustrated by her inability to satisfy her mother’s expectations. She also does not understand why, instead of pressing her to improve, her mother can’t embrace her for who she really is, making it hard for the two characters to connect. This conflict continues until Jing-Mei changes her attitude towards life and shapes her own destiny. Clearly, a parent may wish the best for their daughter, but, at some point, they would have to leave the decision to them.
Differences in Life Perspectives
A person’s actions tell more about the inner battle in their mind than the environmental conditions determining specific behavioral trends. In this story, the mother’s attitude towards her daughter’s intellectual ability shows how she sought to cover her inadequacies by demanding excellence from her child (Ewaidat 3). She wants her to be a child with extraordinary talent or ability, and Jing-Mei tries everything to please her mother, but the mother’s tests become more challenging, and she decides to give up. The characters could also represent cultural and generational differences and the resulting challenges. Jing-Mei’s mother, who has lived in China for part of her life, views success differently from Jing-Mei, born in the United States. Tan shows the mother’s character and intentions right at the start of her short narrative (135). Her mind is bent on achieving the American dream regardless of her Jing-Mei’s personal preferences.
After reading the novel, one may observe the world in which Jing- Mei’s mother grew up and the one in which she now lives. After losing everything in China, she relocated to California for her child to get a better quality of life than she had. Her mother has no regrets about her previous life and trusts in all the benefits that come with living in America. “In America, you can be anything you want to be,” she believed (Tan 138). She believes that everyone can have a good job, purchase a home, and become wealthy and famous. Her hopes and dreams are communicated to her daughter, but they are ignored after Jing-Mei gets a different picture of who she should be.
Attitudes and Identity
Amy Tan used the narrative viewpoint throughout her short story to illustrate Jing- Mei’s desire to avoid being a genius. She was “just as delighted as [her] mother, maybe even more so” when the notion initially came to her (Tan 139). However, her attitude towards herself changes later on in the story, as shown by Ewaidat (4). The change has more to do with her growth and need for personal expression than her mother’s desire for perfection. It can be assumed that Jing-Mei is in her mid-20s or early 30s, where she experiences a deep longing for self-actualization. Throughout the story, the author shows that identity is determined by a person’s effort to actualize their potential.
She finds a flaw in who she must be after living through a period of self-hatred. Rather than changing who she is, she alters her mindset in order to avoid “dying” inwardly and emotionally (Tanritanir and Görürüm 10). For her to create her own person, she defies and opposes what her mother requires her to be. Her mother settles on the prospect of her daughter being a gifted pianist. Jing-Mei felt as though she had been “consigned to hell after hearing her mother say this-When she couldn’t take it any longer, she whimpered and kicked her foot a little” (Tan 137). Jing-Mei and her mother became enraged as a result of the former’s non-conformity.
This demonstrated how she no longer did what her mother instructed her to do and instead expressed her own thoughts on the subject. She gets disobedient at first but soon obeys her mother when she is called “ungrateful” and told that “if she had as much talent as she has a temper, she would be renowned now.” (Tan 138). Jing-mei’s mother commands her daughter to perfect in piano to beat Aunt Lindo’s daughter.
The main conflict between the two principle figures is over Jing-Mei’s identity, who she is, and who she will become since Jing-Mei’s mother aspired to live an American dream through her daughter (Tanritanir and Görürüm 12). If Jing-mei fails at this, her mother would be disappointed because Auntie Lindo’s daughter is good at these games, making her mother proud. This shows that Jing-Mei’s mother is full of envy through comparing her daughter to another. The narrator later feels that her mother’s dream will end after her performance, and she will no longer have to practice since she hated it. She tells her mother she will never be the daughter that she wants her to be but would follow her own path. Although they both have resolutions, their motivations and approaches differ significantly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tan’s story is directed to the young generation who wish to follow the American dream and the population of immigrants who have different cultural backgrounds. Through Jing-Mei and her mother’s character portrayals, the author shows how generational differences can limit the ability of children to develop their talents. Although the mother wants the best for her child, she approaches life differently, making it hard for Jing-Mei to comply or benefit from the instructions.
Works Cited
Ewaidat, Hala. “Reconstructing the Mother-Daughter Relationship: Lydia Davis and Amy Tan.” AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, vol. 5, no. 1, 2021, pp. 2-7.
Tan, Amy. “Two kinds.” The joy luck club, 1989, pp. 132-48.
Tanritanir, Bülent Cercis, and Gamze Görürüm. “Struggle for an Identity in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club.” Journal of International Social Research, vol. 10, no. 48, 2017, pp. 10-21.