Two Kinds

by Amy Tan

"Two kinds" is a short story from the book The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. It was first published in 1989. The short story outlines the main Jing- Mei Woo’s childhood and the effects of her mother’s high expectations for her life.

Genres: Short Stories, School, Fiction, Classics, Read For School, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Amy Tan (Chinese: 譚恩美; pinyin: Tán Ēnměi; born February 19, 1952) is an American writer whose novels include The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish From Drowing, and The Valley of Amazement. She is the author of two memoirs, The Opposite of Fate and Where the Past Begins. Her two children’s books are The Chinese Siamese Cat and The Moon Lady. She is also the co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of The Joy Luck, the librettist of the opera The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and the creative consultant to the PBS animated series Sagwa the Chinese Chinese Cat.

Tan is an instructor with MasterClass on writing, memory and imagination. She is featured in the American Masters documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and recently received the National Humanities Medal. She serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy.

Her forthcoming book The Backyard Bird Chronicles began as a journal in 2016, when she turned to nature for calm. She also began taking drawing classes with John Muir Laws (The Laws Guide to Nature Journaling and Drawing, and The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds). During the pandemic shutdown, she drew birds only in her backyard, documenting behaviors she found puzzling. Over time she identified 64 species of birds that have visited her backyard in Marin County. By 2022, she had more than nine journals of sketches and notes, which her editor at Knopf suggested she publish. The book, which will be released in April 2024, has already received high praise:

“Much of great writing comes from great interest, and in The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan shows us how the world fascinates her, especially the birds. The result is both unexpected and spectacular.”
—Ann Patchett, author of These Precious Days

“What an enchanting and illuminating book! How lucky for us that Amy Tan has turned her genius, her deep empathy and insight, her keen eye for what is telling, to birds. Every page of these chronicles radiates warm curiosity, wonder, and delight.”
—Jennifer Ackerman, The Genius of Birds

“This is one of the most infectious and convincing books about nature I’ve read. For the bird-watcher, the would-be bird-watcher, or for the bird-watching skeptic, this offers great delight and unexpected intrigue. Through Tan’s ecstatic eyes, what could be a dry treatise on ornithological happenings becomes something far more fun and much more profound. It’s really a book about seeing.”
—Dave Eggers, author of Ungrateful Mammals

“Anybody even mildly interested in birds, or thinking about getting interested in birds (which are, after all, the indicator genus for the health of the planet), will want this book perched on their shelf, if only for the gift of Amy Tan’s eye and the example she gives us of how to pay attention. What a treasure.”
—Robert Hass, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of Summer Snow: New Poems

“Backyard Bird Chronicles is fun reading. It shows how we can become engaged emotionally, literally and artistically with the natural world—to joyfully learn about the most accessible and yet wild animals, the often rare and beautiful birds that choose to come and live near and sometimes with us.”
—Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven

“With this book as your guide, embark into the bird world Amy Tan. This is an intimate view, a sort-of love affair with the birds and their behavior, that Amy has come to know over several years. Within the leafy universe of her own backyard, she has quietly beheld, patiently observed, and taken in-depth notations of an extensive array of bird species. In colorful detail, she describes various bird’s behavior, while capturing their beauty in exquisitely rendered illustrations. Species include fearsome predators and watchful prey, long distance migrants and hometown residents. Through her unique insight and gift as an author and

Reviews

[sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me after logging the short stories i have to read in school to boost the number of books ive read this year

[alyanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

RELATE 1000000000000% GIRL (now watch me cry as i do my literary analysis for this text)

[Joselito Honestly and Brilliantly · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it was the Korean immigrant father who was the source of the tension in Katherine Min's "Courting a Monk," here it is the Chinese immigrant mother. Both were written from the point of view of the Americanized daughters, but I rate this lower because the narrator did not at all take her clothes off (in the story), and there's no sex or romance, although poignant (since the mother dies here) and with a hint of a deeper meaning at the end.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for literature

[Nancy Luu · Rating 3 out of 5]

My opinion on this story by Amy Tan was wonderful because of how she wrote the connection of the two characters, Jing-Mei and her mother. This story was both man vs man and man vs him/herself because this shows the conflict of both Jing-Mei and her mother on wanting Jing-Mei to be a piano prodigy. Jing-Mei did not want to be a piano prodigy so she had a problem with herself of coming to the solution that she cannot and will not be a piano prodigy because she doesn't have the talents to but her mom forced her otherwise. I think this was a really emotional story too because of the conflict between a mother and daughter relationship but soon the daughter realized that her mom only want her to be good. I think the theme of the story is to always be respectful to your parents and always treasure the people around you before they are gone. Jing-Mei realized her mistakes after her mother passed away and gave her the piano as a memory. She became to play the piano again and she got better in the honor of her mom. I think it was a really sweet and bitter story between a daughter and her mother but it was resolved in the end.

[⋆.˚ Ariana ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike my mother, I did not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.

This story oddly reminded me of “I’m Glad My Mother Died” book.

[anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

oke for english class

[Dehryen Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the story "Two Kinds". I enjoyed this story because I liked the personal connections between the daughter Jing- mei and I. I started out in playing the violin 3 years ago and when i first began i wasnt very enthusiastic about playing. But as the years progressed and i improved i am going somewhere with my playing. The story was written in 1st person, told by the daughter. The conflict was man vs. man; the daughter vs. her mother. Amy Tan chose to write this story in first person because readers can paint more of a picture of what life is like when you have a dispute with your parent. You can see and relate to the anger that Jing- Mei feels throughout the story.

[Fatima B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this short story for my Modern Lit class and was instantly attracted to Amy Tan's style of writing. Also, I'm a sucker for immigrant stories. Such a short story, but oh wow, what a powerful punch. Totally going to buy "The Joy Luck Club" to further the Amy Tan experience!

[Leslie Truax]

Two Kinds by Amy Tan is about a young girl named Jing-Mei Woo, an American Chinese girl who grows up in California. The story centers around her mother's quest to find what will make Jing-Mei a prodigy - for in America, you can be anything. On their journey, Jing-Mei's mother takes her through various tests to see what kind of a prodigy Jing-Mei will become, whether it be by becoming an actress like Shirley Temple or knowing all of the capitals of every country in the world. Eventually, they settle on piano playing, though it doesn't turn out the way that either Jing-Mei or her mother hope.

I chose this story for my conflict/struggle unit because of the different types of struggle that students will be able to pick out. Man vs. Self, Man vs. Man, and Man vs. Society are all present within the story, though the perspective of an immigrant child gives the Man vs. Society conflict a different spin than most other stories I have chosen for my final project. I think that this story does a good job of showing conflict, and gives a nice ending in terms of the conflicts that we see within the story. A strategy that would go well with this story is "A Hard Moment" from Gallagher, Chapter 2. I could say that Jing-Mei's hard moment was losing her mother, and this short story is the result of her reflecting on her mother's life, and their relationship. I can use this to help students write about their own hard moments, or their own difficult relationships with people in their lives, to allow them time to self-reflect while they write.

[Patricio · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Two Kinds" is a short story written by Amy Tan. An American writer that mainly writes about mother and daughter relationships. The story Two Kinds is a story about a girl Jing-Mei that starts to have difficult times with her mother. She struggles to find her own path due that her mother wants her to be good at piano. Jing-Mei strongly disagrees and see tries to tell her mother that she might be good at something else.



I think that this story is a great short story. The author clearly describes a relationship between a mother and daughter. I had heard of many real life cases similar to the story. Something I liked of the story is the character motivation of Jing-Mei mother. Jing-Mei mother experienced a difficult childhood full of problems and war. Also Lindo Jong daughter was very good at chess. This gives you a total different point of the story. The mother wasn't totally harsh with her daughter, she wanted for her daughter to be successful and good at something.

In overall I enjoyed reading this story. It is a story that describes a real life situation and I recommend it to any person. The title of the story connects to the whole theme. "Two Kinds" can be used to describe the two different personalities Jing-Mei can have. To be yourself or pretending to be someone else.

""Just like you", she said. "Not the best. Because you not trying." She gave a little huff as she let go of the sound dial and sat down on the sofa."

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does it take for a girl to become a piano prodigy? It may sound easy, but it does require a lot of practice and skill in order to become a prodigy. With a deaf piano teacher this dream might be difficult to accomplish and more if Jing-Mei has lost her hopes in becoming famous. The purpose of this story is to transmit the idea into people's minds that you don’t always have to do what others tell you too. There is nothing wrong in following your mind and doing what actually makes you happy.


Jing Mei’s mother has said it: “ There are only two types of people, the Obedient and those who follow their own mind”. Jing Mei’s mother had higher expectations than other people and that is why her mom decided to move to the United States. Her goal was for Jing Mei to become a famous piano player. Jing-Mei was eager to learn how to play the piano and in some point she actually believed in herself and thought she was good at it. However, her dreams were crushed during a talent show which turned out into a complete failure.


You will navigate through the complicated life of Jing-Mei and how she had to confront her mother until she finally understood that Jing-Mei will never become a piano prodigy. I believe this story deserves a 5 star rating because the message is clearly recognized. People can feel identified while reading the story and this will help them build more self esteem regarding the fact that you don’t have to be good in everything. It is perfectly normal for people to have strengths and weaknesses and what's most important is that people feel happy with what they are doing.

[Mauricio]

The short story "Two Kinds" is written by Amy Tan. This short story is basically about about a girl named Jing Mei that has a very difficult relationship with her mother. Jing Mei's mother always sets her high goals or standards and she wants her to be a prodigy. Jing Mei hates when her mother says that because she doesn't want to be a prodigy. Jing just knows for sure that she doesn't want to be what her mother wants her to be.

The story is based on Jing Mei not following her mother directions not because she doesn't like her but because she is tired of her mother repeating herself all the time about the prodigy thing. Her mother is like that with Jing because she thinks that jing is not going to know what to do with her life once she is older. Jing Mei's mother just doesnt understand how intelligent Jing Mei is and that she can do a lot of thing on her own. An excellent example of her mother doing something that Jing Mei doesn't want to is when she called a Piano instructor so he can teach some lessons to Jing Mei

This story can be related to a lot of cases, a lot of young girls have suffered this problem with their mothers. Mothers sometimes just don't understand that some girls or even boys want to be independent in life and that they don't want to follow their roots or the traditions that their families may have. Some girls just follow their senses and end up being great and famous people in life. "there are only two kinds of daughters: those who are obedient and the ones who follow their own minds."

[Marco]

The short story "Two Kinds" is written by Amy Tan is about a girl named Jing-Mei which is named as the prodigal daughter. She and her mother have a difficult relationship with because Jing-Mei's mother is a dominant mother that has high expectations for her, she thinks that Jing Mei will need to master talents.

The mother wanted her child to be a piano prodigy, but Jing Mei, which has also a strong temper, doesn't submit to her mother's decisions and doesn't want to become one. If Jing Mei doesn't takes the choice she wants her mother will be disappointed at her and if she does what her mother wants for her, she won't be happy.

This short story is a great example of a lot of mother daughter-relationships, there are a lot of difficult relationships like Jing-Mei and her mother, the mother wants her daughter to be something she cannot be, like in this case a "prodigy" and they don't realize how much pressure they are putting or how unhappy she can be.

I really liked the story Two Kinds. I liked this story because the connection between the characters was very strong and the daughter gets to do what she thinks is the best for her. "So maybe I never really gave myself a fair chance. I did pick up the basics pretty easily, and I might have become a good pianist at that young age. But I was so determined not to try, not to be anybody different that I learned to play only the most ear-splitting preludes, the most discordant hymns"

[Mo Malik · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has ample evidence of conflict in the struggle between the girl and her mother. Her Asian mother believes she can be a star and she believes her mother is trying to control and change who she really is. At every turn she gets, she frustrates and ignores her mother about learning the piano. In the end, the mother ceases to try and the girl ends up never learning the piano. A symbol comes at the end of the story when she goes back to the songs she was learning in her childhood and it turned out that their names articulated how her childhood played out. This is evident in the story because the names were " Pleading Child" and " Perfectly Contented" and she rebelled and pleaded to not have to learn the piano and change herself,and then through her series of tantrums and ignorance of her mom, she was contented when her mother finally gave up.

[Michelle Santamaria · Rating 1 out of 5]

It seemed somewhat murky to me, and quite sad, I don't understand why he treated his mother like that !! And why was the mother so intense that she was a genius? Your daughter could be an average person and she would have done well in life anyway, she should have let her be herself

[Prang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two Kinds The Story Of Life

In this story ”Two Kinds”, the main character June is dealing with her mother's expectations because her mother believes America is the place where everyone has opportunities and chances to be a prodigy. June’s mother wants her to be good at things in many different ways, the more she expects from June then the more pressure June needs to handle. June tries hard to impress her mother but in her mother’s eyes, her doing still isn’t good enough. She then started to rebel against her mother and it worked out for a little while but then one day her mother saw a TV show where a girl is playing the piano and then she wants June to be like her but greater so she sends June to learn the piano. The story progresses with what expectations and obstacles that June has to face.

The author uses two different perspectives: June and June’s mother but mostly June.
It’s the perspective of a mother who wants the best out of their kid and the child beholding all of the expectations. In the story, the author uses June's view of everything she experiences. June wants to impress her parents and she’s trying very hard in her view but in her mother’s view, she still isn’t doing anything special or putting in a lot of effort in her doing. The author wants the reader to see through each perspective and decide on their thoughts on their own. The author also wants the reader to relate to the stories by using a daughter-mother relationship. At first, the story seems boring and just a daughter and mother conflict but the technique that the author uses is a powerful weapon, the author makes the story relatable to many different age levels. The kids who are going through things like expectation and pressure can relate to June while the older age group could relate to the mother about how wanting their kids to be successful.

The author did a great job using the techniques on how to make the reader relate back and forth with the characters, some may relate to June while some may relate to June’s mother. The part where it keeps me interested is just thinking about June’s feeling and how I can relate to it but other than that it’s just a pretty normal conflict between a daughter and her mom. “Normal” may not be used because people can think differently about this story, in their perspective June is going through a lot. In my opinion, it’s normal because every family there’s going to be different expectations that each family has. It’s not as interesting as other conflicts that I have read so far because the rising action through to the climax can be guessed and people wouldn’t feel the urge to read it again and again. The mood is shown in the story but other than that it’s pretty frustrating of how the story went and the plot because you could just guess what happened next to the story.

I think that the theme of this story is just expectations, not just normal expectations but parallel or different expectations from two or more people. In this story, the author chooses June’s expectations and her mother's expectations. June expects that she already is hardworking enough and her parents would be proud while her mother expects that June is better than other people and she should try harder. June wants to have her own identity while her mother wants her to walk ahead of everyone else and have the best identified as a prodigy. The parallel expectations also led to many different conflicts and rebelling against one another.

I would rate this story 3 stars out of 5. Even though it may seem interesting for other people that like common lifestyles conflict with two different perspectives and opinions but for me, it’s still uninteresting. The story is just like a speed bump that just went up and down but not fully capable of reaching the top view for everyone to see. It is a pretty good story if you recommend it to the right person who likes to read this kind of book that just went up and down. I wouldn’t recommend this to people I know because they would get bored and wouldn’t be that interested in the story. If someone asks me if I would recommend this story in general then it’s still a no because there’s more than 80-90% of people that would like to read excitement and a real worst conflict in books. If it’s in a small community that likes to read different opinions and minor conflicts then it’s a yes, I would recommend it. Overall, this story is in the rating of 3 stars for me.

[RisaAAAAA AA · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Two kinds” is a short realistic fiction story written by Amy Tan in 1989. This story recounts a young woman's memories of her difficult relationship with her mother because of the high expectation that her mother had for her. June and her mother migrated from China to America because her mother thinks that there are more chances to do different things in America than in China. Her mother is Chinese and as you know the stereotype of most Chinese parents has high expectations toward their kids. This also includes June’s mom, she always wanted her child to be like what she dreams and to be accepted by the outside world, which is a prodigy. As the story continues, June realizes more and more that she is not what her mother wanted her to be.

This story started because her mom wants June to have a good life and to have a good future and to achieve that, her mother believes that June has to be perfect but the biggest expectation from her mother is for June to be a prodigy and focus on something to be good at. June's mother told her to be a prodigy since she was nine years old. This shows that her mother very much dreams toward June because she talks to June about it since she was 9 and that age is about the age that you can concentrate on different things and start to grow. Her mother sent June to learn different things, such as going to a beauty school since her mom wants her to be in the Shirley temple and also going to learn piano but June always uses the advantage that her teacher is blind and deaf to avoid practicing. I think too much pressure is now pushed toward June. This led the outcome of June to turn out to be bad at the talent contest and her mother didn’t accomplish what she wanted. Do you think she failed the contest because she is not good at it or because she wants to stop her mother from forcing her?

During the middle of this short story, June begins to be dissumilate by seeing herself in the mirror and scratching the mirror where she sees her face and says that she is an ugly girl. This shows that she started to feel sad and angry that she isn’t like what her mother would like her to be and her mother wouldn’t stop forcing her. I know this because a normal kid won’t scratch the mirror where they see himself and they won’t say that they are ugly. Therefore, this led June to try to avoid her mother as best as she can. Will June realize that what her mother is doing would be good for her in the future or would she think that her mother is pushing her too much?

In my opinion, I think at first the story was interesting of how a mother wants a child to have a good future and don’t have to be tired when they grow up until it turned out to be a lot of pressure toward each character, this caused the tension of the story to increase. If you don’t like a story that has too much tension and pressure, I do not recommend this book to you since when you read it and you into it, it pressures you too. However, this story will give you the idea of the need to be a mother to their child, that they want to push their child as much as they can because in one day they will die. This story makes the reader see two different character perspectives which is the mother and the daughter, and this makes me connect to my daily lives that our mom wants as to be the best, so what she say for me to do and I can do it, I should do it not reject her because mom gives the best thing to their child.

[Fah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Accuracy in this is Almost Painful

I was surprised by how much I was able to relate to this short story. The realistic fiction short story, “Two Kinds,” is a very accurate depiction of a mother-daughter relationship written by Amy Tan. The story focused on a Chinese mother and daughter pair living in America during the 1980s. Everything was told from the daughter’s perspective as she goes through stressful situations involving her mother.

In the beginning, the daughter strives to become a prodigy with her mother’s encouragement. Sadly, after several unsuccessful attempts in finding any talent, the daughter seems to develop low self-esteem. She no longer believes it’s possible for her to become a prodigy like the people she saw on television. She develops a mindset that all these tests to find her talent are just wishful thinking and forcing her to become something that she’s not. It’s really interesting to see that the daughter herself, didn’t realize that the root of her problem was how she gave up on herself. The story progresses and a reader like me would be able to recognize familiar situations and emotions going through the daughter’s head. It’s the same thought process that I went through at some point. It was the same conflict I saw before many times on my own.

This is a classic case of mother-daughter miscommunication. The mother is headstrong like most mothers are, and thinks that her daughter wasn’t trying enough; which was true, but the mother didn’t handle the situation correctly. She keeps on trying to exert more force which makes the conflicts escalate. With all the effort the mother puts in trying to train and raise her daughter to be talented, it is understandable that she’s mad at her daughter who looked like she was purposely failing. I really appreciate how I could see where the mother’s coming from as a reader while also understanding how the daughter felt. As the daughter’s older self narrates the story and we read from an outsider’s point of view, we will see the bigger picture that both the mother and the daughter doesn’t. The daughter took her mother’s attempts the wrong way and was increasingly frustrated that the mom keeps pushing expectations on her.

Further down the story, readers could think of many ways their conflict could’ve been solved. I thought that this could’ve ended well if the mother realizes that her daughter just needs more confidence in herself through encouragement and compliments, not an earful of reprimands and the daughter needs to understand that she was hurting her mother’s good intentions through her actions.

This story really struck me deeply because I could clearly use the situation here to understand my own view and desire to rebel against my mother along with my mother’s reasoning and motive. It’s also really nice seeing a situation like this being written as a short story, showing that other mother and daughter relationships are also going through a similar process. To all the mothers that may want to read this story, this might convince you to be a bit softer the next time you need to scold your child. As for the daughter, it would be nice to consider not being so mean.

[Titiiii · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fight between Mother and Daughter

Have you ever had a conflict with your parents? If yes, this short story is a must-read for you because you will get more views on how your parents or your kids actually feel. “Two Kinds” was published in 1981, it is a short story from the collection The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan. She is an American writer and in this story, she works to explore the relationship between mother and daughter name Jing-Mei, and also the experience as a Chinese American. In 1949, Jing-mei’s family moved from China to America because her mother believed that anyone can be a prodigy if you live in America. She’s trying to help her daughter find her talents, firstly, she encourages her Jing-Mei to be like the first Chinese Shirley Temple but they fail. Then, they go over obscure facts, however, they decide to learn piano with their neighbor, Mr. Chong, a middle-aged deaf man.

After a year, there is a talent show where Jing-Mei gets to play the piano. She enters the show full of confidence, but it turns out horrible which makes her parents reveal the disappointed face. This situation leads to a fight and her mother gives up about Jing-Mei becoming a prodigy. When she turns 30, the plot twist, her mother gives her a piano as a present and she says, “You have natural talents, You could have been a genius if you wanted.” I feel like this is a twisted point that makes the tension between Jing-Mei and her mother disappear. If she said this earlier when Jing-Mei was still a kid, I believe that she wouldn’t give up and continue to find her talents.

The theme of this short story is about parental expectations and that to be respectful to your parents. First of all, her mother shouldn’t be forcing her to do things that she is not willing to do. For instance, forcing Jing-Mei to take piano lessons. In addition, I also think that parents shouldn’t compare their kids to other kids because everyone has their own talents and strength. However, even though her mother may not know where her daughter’s talent is, she still helps and supports her daughter to find it which I believe is a good parental expectation. Another theme is you should be respectful to your parents. I think this because where Jing-Mei said, “I wish I weren’t your daughter, I wish you weren’t my mother.” I feel like this is very rude and she shouldn’t have said this to her mother because this must make her mother’s feeling hurt. She should respect her mother more, even though she doesn’t like things she did for you.

My opinion about this story is that it is enjoyable and I would definitely like to recommend this to kids and also adults because it gives us the perspective of mother and daughter, how they feel when they have a serious conflict. On the other hand, I also think that this is an emotional story because the story includes a conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother. When Jing-Mei realizes that what her mother does is all beneficial to her and to help her to be a prodigy. Lastly, the piano that was given as a present by her mother before she passed away makes me feel sad for Jing-Mei.

[Ticha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Kinds: Short Story Review


“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, an American writer who writes about the Chinese-American experiences, has to be the most captivating short story I’ve ever read. The central character, June, is being tested by her stern mother for June to become a prodigy. Since June’s mother lost all her loved ones in China, she had left for America which was where her mother’s hope lay. Throughout the story, it tells the conflicts between parental expectation and child’s desire.

In the beginning, June is just as excited as her mother; however, time proves that things didn’t turn out as she expects. For instance, June’s mother tests her ranging from answering capital of the country names to predicting the daily temperatures in countries. One day, June’s mother see a little Chinese girl playing piano on television. Mother is obsessed with the music and wants her daughter to become proficient in playing the piano. That being so, June is scheduled for piano lessons to live up to her mother’s expectation: June has to perform in the talent show. Since June does not perform well on the production day, she does not meet her mother’s fulfillment, leading to an argument and a breaking point of both characters. For instance, an outstanding dialog from the story is, “ ‘Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!’ ” After that day, until the end of the story, the conflict and bitterness between the two become noticeably tenser.

This short story made me realize how our parent’s teachings are beyond price, and that this gives me--as the reader--a life lesson: “Don’t pretend to be someone you are not; be you, be unique.” It instructed me to see the quality of myself, and that every individual has their own identity and beauty. In spite of that, not everyone sees it because anyone can hold strong beliefs and has the right to view things differently. “Two Kinds” is a thought-provoking novella especially when the author, Amy Tan, ties things up, she ends the story with an open-ended and an indirect literary device which leaves the reader to ponder and want more. Without any doubt in mind, I would commend this short story because the author had accomplished a remarkable dialogue that is realistic and not tedious. Furthermore, this short story might have reflected someone’s life, and that this story had sparked readers to build upon their self-efficacy and sympathy.

“Two Kinds” is an eloquently narrated tale, the story is a complement of independence, responsibility, and acceptance. The characters took the readers to explore a section in the asian society. For instance, this story gave readers a preview of Asian families and the relationship between parents and children. I would certainly recommend this novella to those who appreciate character-driven stories as it is both fascinating and it gives the reader a better understanding of life.

[Benz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Truth About June’s Mother

“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan is a realistic fiction short story which comes from her well known book, “The Joy Luck Club”. Amy Tan, a Chinese American writer and novelist, her books implies the relationship between Chinese women and their Chinese American daughters. In the text, we have the main character as our narrator, June. June expresses different thoughts and emotions in different scenes while dealing with her mother’s high expectations. The short story does a good job of introducing the relationship between moms and daughters while leading us through different plots in the story. As the story progresses, I’m sure that readers will develop some relationship between the stressful thoughts going on in June’s head as well as how she developed her own understanding about her mom’s intentions.

“Then I wish I weren't your daughter, I wish you weren't my mother!” June shouted, before she regretted it but it was too late before her mother replied with silence and she knew she did something wrong. This was one of my favourite scenes in the short story. It’s the moment June gets to express everything out and be herself. She doesn’t have to hold all the tensions alone anymore because now she exposed all her feelings towards all her mother’s actions. This relates with another concept I really like about this short story, the moral. The story’s moral is that all parents love their children, want them to be successful in life, and believe that with enough determination and hard work, they could reach their dreams. This was represented in the ending, when June truly understands her mother’s purpose and progresses her mindset which led her to living a successful life.

I would rate this short story a 4 out of 5. The narrator maintains a good balance between telling the readers the conflicts that’s happening and the thoughts towards those conflicts. The main conflict in this story is the struggle between what June wants to be and what her mother wants her to be. Moreover, the author definitely made sure that she didn’t give out any hints towards the story’s climax and the ending. For example, throughout the whole story, June made sure that she explained every detail that happened during the story, including her own thoughts and feelings about different scenarios in the story.

Would I recommend this short story? Yes, especially teenagers who are most likely to be facing the same kind of pressure the main character is going through in the short story. Consider this as an opportunity for them to explore how each individual deals with their parents’ high expectations. I’m sure that a large group of readers will have some thoughts about my personal favourite scene. Therefore, if you’re looking for a book that’s relatable, fun and interesting at the same time, I’d highly recommend “Two Kinds”.

[Tiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story the “Two kinds” by Amy Tan could be just a common short story in some reader sights (like me), But This short story surprises me and change my mindset about this story at first impression after I finished reading the whole paragraph. This could be the most emotional and intense development in the feeling of the protagonist at the same time. The strong bond between daughter and mother that hard to understand, Their relationship that will develop along with the stories and conflict.

The story is about the American chinses girl name June (Jing-mei) who lived in California. The story focusing on June and her mother seeking for June talented to make her become a prodigy. Prodigy isn’t an easy path, The conflict between June and her mother that will lead to development in emotion and feeling of June herself to her mother and the meaning of becoming a prodigy.

In my personal opinion, This story hits me very hard when Junes start to reveal her true feeling more throughout the event. I liked how the conflict involves, and the author using two perspectives between June and her mother. They got their reason to argue with each other. I think the author tries to message us about this situation are common in some Chinese family that flees from China to America. Everything needs to be done in order and perfect, Who can’t follow parent instructions or expectations are a failure. Even you lived in America that is free in rights and jobs. It can’t help you when you’re still in the same environment every day, that when you strongly believe that your daughter would become a prodigy someday and come back to help the family. I could understand when you put your own attitude and expectation to someone, which that person didn’t accept or agree with because It refers to my own experience, I’m the person who got pretty high expectations from my parents(sometimes), and When I can’t do it as my parents expected, the feeling of bored and disappointed will start automatically after can’t reach the expectations for multiple times. Until you give up. Then realize this isn’t at all in the first place. Thinking on the other hand, As a parent who sets high expectations because they want you to have a good life in the future that your lifestyle wouldn’t rough and hard like them. Everything that they did is for you. In my own thinking, June’s mother would really love her, but treat June in different actions.

I would rate this short story about 4/5 stars and I recommended you to read this short story once if you have time, Then thinking about your own experience with your parent or you can compare and contrast your experience, Thinking, and feeling of yourself and June. This book are the first time I really enjoy reading other people’s biographies stories. It reminds me of my old day at my old school which is rough but still fun.

[Rosa Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Two Kinds" is a short story written by Amy Tan. Amy Tan is a writer that focuses and writes a lot about mother-child relationships. "Two Kinds" talks about a mother-daughter relationship and the struggles that immigrant families have when they arrive in America.

The story takes place in San Francisco's China town. Jing-Mei is a girl who lacks talent and has little to none self-confidence. Her mother is a persistent, strong woman who has suffered a lot in her past. Jing Mei's mother wanted her to be a successful child, but Jing-Mei just kept failing. Jing-Mei's mother had placed high hopes in her daughter, who she hoped would turn out to be a prodigy. Even though she was not sure what her talent was, she expected her to have one. First, the mother tries to convert Jing-Mei into a child actress, but she fails. Jing-Mei's mother attempts several times to find her daughter's talent before she decided that she was meant to be a piano prodigy which she would not be after all.



After a fiasco in a talent show, Jing-Mei concluded that she would never be a prodigy. She was tired of all the expectations her mother had on her. Jing-Mei started an argument that made her mother stop with the whole prodigy thing. Jing-Mei quit playing the piano, but many more disappointments followed her. Jing-Mei says "It was not the only disappointment my mother felt in me. In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, my right to fall short of
expectations." Years later, and after an important event occurred Jing mei's mother died , Jing-Mei played the piano for the first time in many years.

This short story focuses on two themes: The American Dream and mother-daughter relationships. Amy Tan reflected how most people see America as the "Land of Opportunity."In this case, Jing-Mei's mother believed that everyone in America with hard work and a little luck would be successful. Jing-Mei, as many young people, believed that what their parents want for them in the future would not become real. As a result, she refuses to cooperate with her mother.

What I liked about this story is that it reflects how most mother-daughter relationships are. Most of these relationships are complicated since each person has their own tastes, expectations, and plans. People can feel identified with what Jing-Mei is feeling, as well as with the relationships that Jing-Mei and her mother have. I myself related to this story and finally understood that I am not the only one feeling this way.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Two Kinds" is a short story from the book "The Joy Luck Club", written by Amy Tan. This story centers around the life of an American-Chinese young girl, called Jing-Mei, and her struggle to live up to her mother's standards. "Two Kinds" is a story with a complex plot that is supported by various literary devices such as similes and metaphors. Furthermore, it has different types of conflicts and gives symbolism a very important role throughout its progression.

The story's plot unfolds when young Jing-Mei notices her mother's great desire for her to become a prodigy in something. From the moment the story starts, her mother puts a lot of pressure on the young girl and pushes her to her limits, to the point where Jing-Mei breaks. Once this happens, the climax of the story begins to approach as Jing-Mei's rebellion against her mother increases.

Jing-Mei felt as if she was never good enough for her mother; I can relate to this on a personal level. Sometimes, no matter what we do or how hard we try, we may not be good enough. When this happens, disappointment rises through our chest and crushes it; I know, it is a terrible feeling. I think this is what Jing-Mei felt constantly: not being good enough. Despite being able to tell her mother does what she does out of love when reading the story, it is still clear that young Jing-Mei is not able to sense this, and she is constantly hurt by the feeling of being a disappointment.



As I mentioned before, symbolism is a very important factor in the story; even the title "Two Kinds" has a deeper meaning to it. However, if you wish to know what this is, you will simply have to read it for yourself.

"And after seeing my mother's disappointed face once again, something inside of me began to die."

[Andres Gutierrez]

Two Kinds a weird but interesting story. When I started reading this book, I thought it was really boring because it did not have any theme that amused me but as I kept reading I started to find interest in the main character's reasons or motives to stop changing like her mother wanted her to. I found this story unique due to the way it builds up the tension through the whole story and then releases it in a particular way that is very enjoyable.

Two Kinds is a story about a daughter and a mother who have different opinions on what Jing Mei, the daughter should do with her life in their current situations. The anger between both of them increases through the story until it gets out of control and the conflict finally comes to an end by a spoiler: significant discussion that occurs near the end.

There are not many characters in this story but the most interesting character to me is Jing Mei due to her way of thinking and the way she interacts with the other characters. She is a very interesting character because she ends up being a different person at the end of the story making it interesting to see how she changes in the story.



I gave this story a 4 out 5 star rating because I think that it had a good trauma, and a good ending that helped the story show its meaning not only from the title but also from the story itself and what it wanted to project. The story in general teaches you that you have appreciate whatever you have because it can be gone at any moment and that you should take any opportunities that come your way.

"You could be a genius if you wanted to"... "You just not trying"

[Romina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two Kinds is a short story written by Amy Tan. It is based on the life of a Chinese girl living in America called Jing-Mei. Jing-Mei and her mother are constantly fighting because she is not who her mother wants her to be. However, towards the end of the story, Jing-Mei makes a choice about who to be.

Jing-Mei's mother, because of the tragedies she went through in the past, went to America to seek for better opportunities and a better life. She only wants the best for her daughter and is hoping she becomes a prodigy and the best version of herself in whatever she does. Nevertheless, Jing-Mei is tired of trying to please her mother and live up to her high standards.

Jing-Mei had to live with her mother's pressure every day and she started to feel like she wasn't good at anything. This is why she decided to just be herself, even if she wasn't good enough, at least she was herself and not someone she wasn't. Jing-Mei told herself, "I won't let her change me, I promised myself. I won't be what I'm not". She wasn't going to be someone she wasn't just because of her mother.

The title of this short story Two Kinds, symbolizes two things. The first symbolism is the two kinds of daughter there are: obedient daughters and rebellious daughters. The second symbolism is emphasized towards the end of the story, which you will have to read to find out.

Personally, I think the best message this story is trying to give is to be yourself. Even if you're not enough for someone else, the important thing is only to be enough for you. Don't try to be someone you're not just to live up to someone else's expectations.

[Daniela]

Amy Tan’s story, Two Kinds, portrayed a mother to daughter relationship. I couldn't relate with it, my relationship with my mother is very different. In my opinion, this story was boring and interesting at the same time. It left me with very interested in many parts of the story. Jin-Mei being the narrator made the story even more interesting. The two stories Amy Tan created are written by Americanized daughters.

The story was mainly about Jing-Mei's mother wanting her to become a prodigy. Plenty of conflicts arise through the story. At the beginning Jing-Mei supported her mom’s idea to become a prodigy, she even imagined herself as a ballerina. As the story goes on, Jing- Mei realized that her mother wanted her to be a pianist and not a ballerina. From this moment on, the problems began. Jing-Mei refused to play the piano, she didn't like it. After hearing Jing-Mei's words "Then I wish I weren't your daughter, I wish you weren't my mother” (Amy Tan, 1989), Jing-Mei's mother was really disappointed at her, couldn't believe it.

Amy Tan actually wanted to make the reader realize that mothers always want the best for their children because they love them. Even Though mothers sometimes get disappointed at their children, they will always see the best from them. Jing-Mei's mother wanted Jing-Mei to be the best at piano. The title “Two Kinds” represents the two types of daughters, the obedient one and the one that disobeys her mother. Her mother wanted Jing-Mei to be an obedient daughter.

[Sohailla Noor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Kinds, written by Amy Tan, is a very intriguing short story, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great story. It is centered around a mother and daughter that have moved from China to America. The mother is very persistent on having the daughter follow the American Dream and making her a prodigy. The daughter eventually snaps at the mother, which changes their whole relationship. I really liked this story because it is related to Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club and shows the difference between American and Asian cultures. But because they have moved to a place with more opportunities, there is more of an expectation of her to become someone important and be the best. I also appreciated how Amy Tan’s stories highlight some parts of her life in her writing. For example, Tan had some feuds with her mother in real life, just like how in The Joy Luck Club and Two Kinds has these recurring themes. The one thing I really like about Amy Tan’s writing is the emotion she puts in her writing. Every time I read one of her stories, I feel the emotion and can relate in some way to the characters, which makes reading the story a whole other experience. Lastly, I also appreciated how Tan wrote the mother’s english in a broken way because it shows contrast between the mother and daughter and enriches the writing. Overall, I would really recommend anyone to read this story, especially if you have read The Joy Luck Club.

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Comp II)

In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds,” the conflict between Jing-mei and her mother shows how love can turn into pressure when a parent’s dreams do not match a child’s sense of identity. Jing-mei wants the freedom to choose her own path, but her mother believes discipline and hard work can create success. As these opposing beliefs clash, their relationship becomes a struggle over control, and Tan illustrates how this tension shapes the way Jing-mei understands herself.
Jing-mei begins to resist her mother’s expectations because each new attempt at making her a prodigy makes her feel overlooked. Her mother keeps searching for hidden talent, but Jing-mei sees these tests as proof that she is not good enough. Since this feeling grows stronger over time, she starts to push back to protect her independence. She refuses to participate fully in the lessons because she wants to hold onto her own identity. Tan uses this pattern to show how resistance grows when a child feels unseen or unheard.
The piano recital exposes the conflict in a way neither of them can ignore. Jing-mei plays without preparation, and the failed performance reveals the gap between them. Her mother believes hard work can create excellence, while Jing-mei has been quietly trying to escape those expectations. After the recital, the silence between them shows how deeply the moment hurts both of them. Jing-mei realizes that her rebellion carries real consequences, and her mother realizes that hope alone cannot create skill, and that her dreams cannot be forced. Tan uses this moment to show how a single event can force a family to face their emotional distance.
Much of this pressure comes from the mother’s past, which makes the conflict more complex. She believes in opportunity because she immigrated to America after losing everything in China, and she wants Jing-mei to succeed in ways she never could. Her intentions come from love, but Jing-mei feels the weight of those expectations. I understand this feeling because my parents are immigrants too. They remind me that I have opportunities they never had, and even though they do not say it directly, I still feel the pressure to succeed. Their sacrifices motivate me, but they also make me feel torn between honoring their hopes and staying true to myself. Like Jing-mei, I often try to balance gratitude with independence.
By the end of the story, Tan shows that identity is shaped not only by what families want for us but also by the choices we make for ourselves. Jing-mei’s conflict with her mother demonstrates how important it is for support to allow room for personal choice. Each part of the story builds toward this understanding, revealing how love, pressure, frustration, and personal growth shape their relationship. In the end, “Two Kinds” suggests that finding yourself is not about rejecting family or giving in completely, but about learning to understand where their dreams end and where your own start.