Two Halves of the Same Song: Decoding Amy Tan

One of a Kind or One of Two Kinds

“I realized they were two halves of the same song” (Tan 248). By titling her work, “Two Kinds,” Amy Tan is suggesting that the reader should take the story for face value. In doing so, however, she is challenging the reader to do exactly the opposite. Essentially, Tan is inviting the reader to find how Jing-mei is one of a kind, similar to how Jing-mei found that the two songs were actually one. After reading this story a few times, one can realize that the “two kinds” of daughters are actually one in the same. Much like the song name suggests, Jing-mei is both the “Pleading Child” and “Perfectly Contented” (Tan 248).

Just as “Pleading Child” was the first half of the song to catch Jing-mei’s eye, Jing-mei’s

skeptical and disobedient attitude is the first to catch the reader’s eye. These attributes are shown through her lack of faith in herself and her disobedience towards her mother. The first sign of Jing-mei’s skepticism is when she becomes impatient with the prodigy inside her. In fact, she imagines her inner prodigy telling herself that, “‘If you don’t hurry up and get me out of here, I’m disappearing for good”’ (Tan 241). Another instance where Jing-mei’s skepticism becomes apparent is when she looks into the mirror and realizes “that it would always be this ordinary face” staring back at her (Tan 241). Previous to that, she had held out hope that she would become the prodigy that her mother always wanted. Reality finally hit her, though, that she will always just be her ordinary self. Jing-mei’s skepticism appears to be a plea with herself, wondering why she can not live up to her own potential. This skepticism perfectly fits her “pleading child” persona.
Independence is another one of Jing-mei’s “pleading child” characteristics.

Jing-mei’s independence soon followed her skepticism and realization of the ordinary, which stemmed from her hatred of performing tests, and the raised hopes and disappointment that subsequently ensued (Tan 241). When her mother demanded that only an obedient daughter could live in their house, Jing-mei did everything in her power to follow her own mind (Tan 247). As a first act of independence, Jing-mei began to perform lazily and inadequately on her mother’s tests. With her growing defiance, she decided to test her mother’s limits by playing a game to see how long it took before her mother gradually gave up, which did not take long. As a further act of independence, Jing-mei purposefully played the wrong notes at piano practice because she “was so determined not to try, not to be anybody different” (Tan 244). Jing-mei’s independence appears to be a plea with her mother, wondering why she wants her to change. Again, her “pleading child” characteristics pop

up.
Jing-mei’s independence led directly to her strong will, which also shows her “pleading child” qualities. Not only did she want no part in her mother’s forced lifestyle, but she “was determined to put a stop to her [mother’s] foolish pride” (Tan 244). After embarrassing herself during her piano performance, Jing-mei believed that her mother would finally stop forcing her to become a so-called “prodigy.” However, when that did not stop her mother, Jing-mei’s strong will broke through with ruthlessness when she said that she “wish[ed] [she] were dead” (Tan 247). “As if [she] had said the magic words,” her mother finally broke down (Tan 247). That moment did not stop Jing-mei, though. She continued to fail her mother, each time asserting her strong will because it was her “right to fall short of expectations” (Tan 247). Jing-mei’s reasoning behind all of her actions was that she “did not believe [she] could be anything [she] wanted to be. [She] could only be [herself]” (Tan 247). Her actions can clearly be interpreted as a plea to her mother, completely fitting the description of a “pleading child.”
Upon delving deeper into the story, the reader might also be able to notice that Jing-mei is grateful to her mother and is “Perfectly Contented,” just like the song suggests (Tan 248).

These attributes are shown by the love and compassion she shows towards her mother and her belongings at the end of the story. As with the second half of the song, this insight on Jing-mei is easily overlooked. Jing-mei’s first sign of gratitude is when she gets the piano reconditioned after “not play[ing] in all those years” (Tan 247). Although Jing-mei once felt contempt towards the piano lessons, through life experience she learns to be grateful for her mother’s insistent help. Although the help was unwanted at the time, Jing-mei realizes that her mother only wanted what was best for her. Her mother was, in fact, her biggest supporter. She even believed that “[Jing-mei] could [have] been [a] genius if [she] want[ed] to” (Tan 247). Another sign of Jing-mei’s gratitude is noticeable when her mother offers to give her the piano. She feared that she was a failure in her mother’s eyes, so after the offer, it was as if “a tremendous burden [had been] removed” (Tan 247). Jing-mei was so surprised that, at first, she did not take it (Tan 247-48). “After that, every time [she] saw it in [her] parents’ living room, … it made [her] feel proud, as if it were a shiny trophy [she] had won back” (Tan 248). Jing-mei’s contentment was shown at that moment too because when she “opened the lid and touched

the keys,” the piano “sounded even richer than [she] remembered” (Tan 248). Jing-mei even went so far as to say that “it was a very good piano,” accepting the fact that she had once been too hard on her mother. Her gratitude may have come late, but she shows that she is “perfectly contented” all the same.
If the reader takes the story at face-value, they will only notice the “pleading child” qualities that Jing-mei possesses. However, if the reader accepts Tan’s challenge of finding how Jing-mei is one of a kind, they will notice that she also possesses qualities of being “perfectly contented.” “Pleading Child” was the shorter and slower half of the song, whereas, “Perfectly Contented,” was the longer and faster half (Tan 248). This is much like Jing-mei, herself. The shorter half of the song shows how it is easy to see Jing-mei’s skeptical and disobedient attitude. With “Pleading Child” also being the slower half, it makes it sound as if whining is actually occurring. The longer half of the song shows how it is more difficult to see Jing-mei’s grateful and content attitude. With “Perfectly Contented” also being the faster half, it makes it sound as if happiness is actually present. While Tan suggests with her title that there are “Two Kinds” of daughters, it is clear that Jing-mei is not one of two kinds. It takes time, but if pondered long enough, the reader can see that Jing-mei is not one kind of daughter or the other. Just like the song, she makes up both halves to one kind.