Response Two Kinds short story by Amy Tan

Title : two kinds

This is the fourth literary work that i was assigned to read in prose subject. Short story titled two kinds created by Amy tan.  I was excited because i like reading a story, but the bad news is this story is in english. so i, with my poor english, should open dictionary repeatedly when i read. Nevertheless, it is just for enriching my poor vocabulary. Even i was tired opening the dictionary, but knowing the content of the story is more important. My vocabulary will increase as well, so i can write and express responses about two kinds in this paper.

First of all,  i would like to express my analysis about fiction elements of this short story. As we know, Protagonist is a Character who dominates the story.  jing mei woo has role as protagonist  here. of course her mother is as antagonist because she opposes jing mei’s childish wish that she wants to be what she is. Round characters are old chong (jing mei’s pianist teacher), auntie lindo (friend of jing mei’s mother), and waverly (daughter of auntie lindo). Flat characters are jing mei’s father, lady old chong and uncle tin. Another characters are just as complement.

The setting is in san fransisco, America, which jing mei’s mother thinks that it is the right place to make u become a prodigy easily. Jing mei’s family is originally Chinese who came to America after losing everything in China. The time could be about 1960s, because mother came to san fransisco in 1949 when mother hasn’t been pregnant jing mei, and the story tells that jing mei is a teenager. the plot is chronological plot, because there are no cases which occured in the story as flashback. Everything is going advance.

themes: the American Dream and the tension between mothers and daughters. But i think from the title itself, two kinds, has described the theme. As mentioned by jing mei’s mother "Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!" . it means there are 2 ways of mind that jing mei should choose one of them, to follow her mother or to follow her own mind.

There was a little internal conflict in her mind, a little but make a problem on the story. At first jing mei is obedient towards her mother to expand her prodigy in some attemps like dancing, singing, beaty training. But her mother felt she isnt suitable to go in. So mother tried to make piano lesson and practice for her with old chong who lived on the first floor of their  apartment building as her teacher. Jing mei was joining the lesson, and finally she could join talent show. She played piano quite well on the stage at the beginning, but when she got the first wrong note, everything was going worse and so was jing mei’s life. Ridicules were coming one by one which made her down. She thought it was useless to try the best, so she choose her own way. Her mother was dissapointed of her.

I think Actually jing mei is not a bad girl. She is just tired to try and try to be better after getting down and nobody tried to support her back. She was lost and found herself in the wrong way. As a child who is nearly getting teenager, it is general case. Because teenagers’ thoughts are indefinite, they still need more attention from their environment, especially parents. I also experienced this when i was teenager, even now.

To Jing-mei's mother, America is the Land of Opportunity. She has high hopes that her daughter will be a great success as a prodigy. She's not sure where her daughter's talents lie, but she is sure that her daughter possesses great ability. At first i thought the mother is cruel, enthusiastic, and too much obsession, even i cursed her. Because she forced jing mei to practice playing piano, she doesn’t care whether jing mei had talent of it or not, the important was she had to be a prodigy. But after i read until the end, there was no wrong in mother, but in jing mei herself. All mother has done, was just only for jing mei future. Mother wanted her to try all her best in every effort. So jing mei will be used to fight for her own sake and had bright future.

I like old chang, because he does love music and so do i. even he was deaf, he could play music well. but some parts of story said that he played music in mistakes. So i think he doesnt need to be a teacher of piano practice. How you could teach playing piano if u couldnt play it well? If i had piano and the teacher, i would also practice it. I think Piano and violin are cool instruments to be played. Yet i have not touched them both. But i am learning to play guitar now. I think music is what makes life is life.

Now, after concerning some jing mei’s behaviors, i found some words that i think they are not suitable to be said by a daughter or a child. Here are the words and the explanations :

1.      "I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!"
these words mean that the speaker is lose of hope. Putting out some negative words to her life and they will work. I have ever read that “everything u thought is what u get”. So keep ur thought or words, dont put out the negative one because it will occur as u thought or said. It is better to think and say in positive ways.

2.      "Then I wish I weren't your daughter, I wish you weren't my mother,"
these are badly fatal words i ever heard. I also have ever disliked my mother’s attitude in some reasons, but i never think or put out these words at all. Even she has bad attitude, of couse because she is just a human because nobody/human’s perfect, I really respect my mother. A mother is woman who births us, so treat her well by ur life!

3.       "Then I wish I'd never been born!" “I wish I were dead! Like them."
i think jing mei is never being grateful of what she got. She knew that her twin sisters were dead in China before her mother had been pregnant her. Right after she said these, her mother made a blank face and went leaving her with no words. She has been disappointing her mother.

It is only after her mother's death that Jing-mei begins to realize what her mother had wanted for her. If i was her, i will really regret and curse myself and say why didnt i do my best in that day?

It is good to follow what ur parents say because they know the world more than you. Respect and love them, because without them we will not be in this world. When we have grown up and mature enough to choose our path, let it flow. But when we are still young and do not know anything about this world, trust your parents, they will choose the best way for u.

After reading this story, I remembered my parents who also chosen path for me. Now i thought the path is not suitable with me. But i dont wanna make my parents dissapointed, so i keep continuing their hopes. Who knows, If i find my right path in the future, i will explain it to them and asking for giving me chance. But the point is now i will do and struggle all my best in every way to make my bright future comes true.