Two Kinds Amy Tan Cultural Analysis

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Amy Tan’s Two Kinds demonstrates the assimilation and cultural preservation through the narrator’s mother, and her ways of depicting the Chinese culture. Although the narrator, Jing-mei does not agree with her mother’s way of living, the loss of faith is found from an enforced task that brought harmony to a mother/daughter relationship. Faith is both lost and found for Jing-mei as she finally stands up for herself against her mother’s commands. Jing-mei was losing faith as she continued to let her mom control her and what she considered a passion. Although Jing-mei standing up for herself is not commonly seen amongst her Chinese heritage, it demonstrates the American side of Jing-mei. “Only two kinds of daughters, she shouted in Chinese. Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!” (Tan, 1989) In addition, Jing-mei sends a wake-up call to her mother about how different it is to live in American and how being your own person is more commonly observed than in China where you have to obey and be the person your parents make you out to be. …show more content…

Jing-mei’s mother mixes the Chinese and American culture by taking advantage of the opportunities presented in America, that could grant her daughter a lifetime of happiness without a worry, that possible she has suffered or gone through. “America was where all my mother’s hopes lay. She had come here in 1949 after losing everything in China: her mother and father, her family home, her first husband, and two daughters, twin baby girls. But she never looked back with regret. There were so many ways for things to get better.” (Tan, 1989) Likewise, Jing-mei mother stays faithful to her countries culture and traditions despite how much her daughter

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