7Two KindsAmy Tan

Amanda Brathwaite, Lindee Janzer, Alyssa Ungrue

Mr. Chong

Mr. Chong is Jing-Mei’s partially blind and partially deaf piano teacher. Jing-Mei tricks him into thinking that she does well when she plays piano, but at the recital Mr. Chong is the only one clapping enthusiastically.

FatherFather only made one appearances in this short story. The only time he arrives is at the piano rehearsal where you don’t really know if he is pleased or sickened by her performance.

MotherMother and Jing-Mei

have a relationship in this short story as a struggle with piano lessons. Jing-Mei and her mother are always in a constant battle to live up to her mothers expectations of her perfect child.

Jing-Mei

Jing-Mei is a child who is caught in between her mothers culture and the American culture that she is around everyday. Jing-Mei is constantly battling her mother about the piano lessons her mother forces upon her.

Conflicts Jing-Mei vs. Mother:

Jing-Mei vs. her mother is a major conflict because they have a constant battle over the piano lessons.

Jing-Mei vs. Jing-MeiJing-Mei has a conflict with herself by being sad after her mother dies and wishes she took more pride in what her mother wanted her to do.

QuotesI won’t let her change me, I promised

myself. I won’t be what I'm not. This quote relates to the theme by taking pride in

yourself and not hanging yourself for anyone else.

I also learned I could be lazy and get away with mistakes, lots of mistakes.

This quote relates to the theme by doing whatever she can to not change and that meant not playing the piano correctly.

Only two kinds of daughters, she shouted in Chinese. Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind.

This relates to the theme because her mother is saying that she is the Chinese young who follows her own mind not the one who is obedient.

Setting

The setting of this story takes place in Sacramento, California, in China town. More specifically it takes place at home watching TV, her piano lessons, and her piano recital.

First Person Point of View

This story is First Person Point of View because Jing-Mei tells the story through her point of view.

Anger, Annoyance, Frustration, Hatred

This story shows anger by Jing-Mei saying “I wish I wasn’t your daughter, I wish your weren't my mother.”

This story shows annoyance by Jing-Mei’s mother pushing the piano lessons so much.

This story shows frustration by at the talent show after her performance seeing all the disappointment in her mothers’ eyes, and she couldn’t prove herself to her mother.

This story shows Hatred by Jing-Mei not even liking her mother because their not the same so there is a personality conflict.

Figurative Language

A simile in this story is “you look like negro Chinese.” This is explained by her mother wanting her to be like Shirley Temple, but instead she looked like she had an afro. (pg 90)

A flashback in the story is at the very beginning when Jing-Mei talking about her mother moving to America to experience all of her hopes and dreams. (pg 90)

Our Opinion

After reading the story we decided that it wasn’t a typical story that we would chose to read for fun. This story if it was longer it would be harder to read and comprehend. We would recommend this story who like Personal Narratives because this story is based off of events in Amy Tan’s life.