The title refers to
Jing-Mei’s epiphany about mother-daughter relationships
. Jing-mei remembers two different songs, when in fact they are part of the same song. The song is a metaphor for childhood, because we are sometimes content and sometimes pleading, and childhood is about balance.
What do the two songs in two kinds symbolize?
The two songs are
different sides of June’s personality
. She realizes that they are two halves of the same song later, as an adult. June’s mother arranges for her to have piano lessons so she can learn to be a prodigy. June does not really have much talent for anything else.
What is the meaning of the story two kinds?
Amy Tan’s story, ‘Two Kinds,’ works independently or as part of her novel, The Joy Luck Club. … The title of the story refers to a statement made by Suyuan, a Chinese immigrant, to her daughter, Jing-Mei, in which
she says there are ‘two kinds of daughters: those who are obedient and those who follow their own minds
.
Why did Amy Tan title this story two kinds?
The mother believes that in America a person can be anything that he wants to be. Furthermore, she believes that her daughter has many talents that she could utilize. … The mother’s response gives the story its name: “
Only two kinds of daughters
,” she shouted in Chinese.
What is the connection of the title two kinds to the story itself?
In “Two Kinds,” “Pleading Child” and “Perfectly Contented” have a double meaning in the story because they represent
the changing feelings of Jing-Mei towards her mother
.
What is the moral of Two Kinds?
The moral, or theme, of “Two Kinds” is that
when parents and their children do not communicate effectively, it causes terrible strife within the family setting and potentially harms relationships for years to come
.
What is the major theme of Two Kinds?
The main themes in “Two Kinds” are
parental expectations, the American Dream, and identity
. Parental expectations: The disconnect between Jing-mei’s desires and her mother’s expectations leads to conflict and resentment.
What does the piano in Two Kinds symbolize?
The piano represents
reconciliation between mother and daughter
. Jing-mei took it as a sign of acceptance and she later realized that her mother had never given up on her.
What Two Kinds of daughters are there?
The title “Two Kinds” is referred to by Jing-Mei’s mother when she states that there are only two kinds of daughters: “
Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind!
” She gives an example of the kind of daughter that she wants Jing-Mei to be, versus the kind that Jing-Mei is being.
What does Jing Mei realize about herself at the end of the story?
The “prodigy side” of Jing-mei makes her finally understand that she is both her identities, and “two kinds” of daughter after all, Chinese and American. She becomes truly herself
when she gracefully accepts her past, rather than fighting it
.
Why does Jing-Mei refuse to take the piano lessons?
Initially, Jing-mei refuses to take piano lessons
because her mother has been trying, for quite some time, to figure out a way in which Jing-mei might be a prodigy
. Jing-mei feels that she has disappointed her mother all these times, and so she feels badly about herself and resentful of her mother.
What is the irony in two kinds?
“Two Kinds” bleeds irony. An example of this irony is the
verbal irony after Jing-Mei’s terrible piano recital when her father exclaims
, “’That was somethin’ else,’ said my father, and I wondered if he was referring to me in a humorous way, or whether he even remembered what I had done” (101).
How does Jing-Mei win the disagreement over the piano lessons?
How does Jing-mei “win” the disagreement over the piano lessons?
She appeals to her father, who takes Jing-mei’s side
. She shocks her mother by mentioning the dead twin babies. … She asks her mom to give the piano to Old Chong as a thank-you present.
Who is the antagonist in Two Kinds?
The antagonist in “Two Kinds” is
Jing-mei’s mother
, as she is the one who opposes Jing-mei, the protagonist, as a major conflict unfolds between mother and daughter.
What does the ending of Two Kinds mean?
The ending of the story suggests that both of these pieces of music are
symbolically related to our lives and the process of growing up
, with the titles being very significant in terms of how we develop and teh various stages of relationships that we have with our parents.
What lesson does the speaker learn in Two Kinds?
It is only after her mother’s death that Jing-Mei begins to
realize what her mother had wanted for her
. This realization brings together the lesson of the story which speaks the tension a parent and child. The mother and daughter are separated by many factors — age, experience, ambition, and culture.
