ENG 220 Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds,” American Literature Essay

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American Literature
In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds,” the Chinese-born mother is obsessed with turning her daughter into a prodigy. What view of the American dream does the mother have? How does it influence her actions and desires in the story? To what extent does or doesn’t she achieve her goals? What costs do these goals have for her and her daughter?
Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” is a short narrative which takes the credence or certainty in the American Dream to great lengths. Narrated in the first person, this tale recalls the infancy of a young girl who is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant. The mother cleans the houses of wealthy people intending to make her child a genius. She lost a set of twins before departing from war-torn China. Additionally, she endured the privations and terror of war as well as the hardships of settling in a new environment and culture. Hence, this has made her strive to ensure that her daughter, Jing-mei excels in life. However, this comes at a hefty cost because a battle of control ensues between mother and daughter. The mother wants her to become a child wunderkind whereas the child wants to pursue her happiness. Regardless of her attempts, the mother is not able to achieve her goals.
In her perception of the American Dream, the mother believes that her daughter can be anything she wants. She trusts that she can guide her daughter into becoming what she wants. Thus, she strives to prepare, coach, drill, and cajole Jing-mei into becoming a child prodigy. Additionally, she (the mother) has been through a lot, and she only wants the best for her child, just like any other parent. Any child can become a phenomenon. However, such children are born with a natural talent which manifests or exhibits itself with apposite guidance.
Jing-mei’s mother’s perception and belief of the American Dream influence her decisions and actions in this narrative. Unsure of where Jing-mei’s abilities lie, she tries to mold her daughter into different personalities to identify the ideal avenue for her. She tries acting and intellectual testing before settling on playing the piano. Jing-mei trusts in her mother’s dreams of her, thereby admitting that she is filled with a sensation that she would perfect the art. Her beliefs in becoming a child prodigy enable her to share her mother’s zeal. She scours through second-hand magazines for narratives of children who are prosperous genii. To discover her prowess, Jing-mei’s mother relentlessly tests hr every evening.
Her actions and decisions are also influenced when she devotes to work for free to ensure her daughter perfects the skill. The mother’s tenacity and diligence in trying to make her daughter improve the art contribute to the rift between the two. Jing-me...