Thesis: "Two Kinds" clearly illustrates that parents cannot control their children's lives; they can only guide them in the right direction and let them make their own decisions.

I. First of all, Amy Tan shows that Jing-mei's mother attempted to dominate and control

her daughter's life.

    A. Jing-mei can be a prodigy too.

    B. Her mother persists with piano lessons.

    C. " Only one kind of daughter, obedient daughter."

II. Amy Tan shows that Jing-mei resented her mother's decisions

and resisted her control.

    A. "I won't let her change me, I promised myself."

     B. "When my mother told me this, I felt like I was sent to

      hell."

     C. Jing-mei does not appreciate opportunities her mother offers.

III. Eventually, Jing-mei and her mother reconciled their

differences.

    A. Jing-mei was given the piano for her thirtieth birthday.

    B. Jing-mei realizes the piano piece was titled,

"Perfectly Contented Child, Pleading Child".

The story, "Two Kinds," by Amy Tan describes the struggle between a dominate mother who tries to protect her daughter, Jing-mei, from the devastating losses that she suffered by convincing Jing-mei that she might become anyone she wants to be. Jing-mei resents her mother's control and wishes only to be herself. "Two Kinds" clearly illustrates that parents cannot control their children's lives; they can only guide them in the right direction and let them make their own decisions.

First of all, Amy Tan shows that Jing-mei's mother attempted to dominate and control her daughter's life. The mother does this by telling Jing-mei that "'. . . you can be prodigy, too'" (491) and insisting that she work toward this goal. Jing-Mei is then sent down a path of endless tests and lessons. These include tests on capitals of the states; multiplying numbers in her head; finding the queen of hearts in a deck of cards; trying to stand on her head without using her hands; predicting the daily temperatures in Los Angeles, New York, and London; and looking at a page from the Bible for three minutes and reporting everything that she remembers (492).

Although Jing-mei quickly loses interest in her mother's dream of being a prodigy, her mother persists. She arranges for Jing-mei to take piano lessons. Her mother does not ask her if she wants to play the piano or to explore another art form. She arranges a complete schedule of lessons and practices that take over not only her daughter's physical existence but also dominate Jing-mei's thoughts for most of her free time. Her mother wants to control not only her actions but also her dreams and aspirations, and she will not tolerate disobedience. She clearly says that "Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter" (497).

Amy Tan shows that Jing-mei resents her mother's decisions and resists her control. After many failed tests in knowledge and skills, Jing-mei asserts to herself, "I won't let her change me. . ." (492). This clearly shows a child resisting parental domination and control. The piano lessons evokes a response of "...I felt like I was being sent to hell" (493). With this attitude she responds to this attempt to make her a success by lazily drifting through endless practices and lessons.. She performs the tasks without enthusiasm or interest. She only goes to the lessons at her mother's insistence.

Jing-mei never appreciates that she has been give an opportunity to to explore music and enrich herself. Jing-mei's concern with her beautiful dress and the way to give a proper curtsey, rather than the way to play, show that she does not realize that the purpose of the recital is to demonstrate competence that comes after hard work. Therefore, her performance is a failure because she never tried to learn her lessons and she wasn't prepared for the recital.

Jing-mei's battles with her mother do not end with the recital disaster. She confides, "It was not the only disappointment my mother felt in me" (497). She continually disappoints her mother as she grows up because she asserts her own will to be who she wants to be, not who her mother wants her to be. She does this even at the price of throwing away the real opportunities her mother gave her.

Eventually, Jing-mei and her mother reconcile their differences. This is symbolized when her mother gives Jing-mei the piano for her thirtieth birthday. This reconciliation makes Jing-mei feel like a tremendous burden has been removed. Her mother still sadly insists that she can play because she has natural talent. All that stands in her way is that she is "just not trying" (498). Jing-mei's mother realizes that it was her dream for Jing-mei to become a prodigy, but Jing-mei had never accepted that dream as her own. The mother's actions show us that she forgives Jing-mei for all the failures and is content that Jing-mei has become successful in her own way.

The two piano pieces called the "Pleading Child" and "Perfectly Contented" parallel Jing-mei's life. When she was young and controlled by her mother's dreams, Jing-mei was a pleading child. She pleaded with her mother to let her find her own dream. When Jing-mei becomes older, she is contented because she follows her own dreams.

Parents and children will eternally struggle over control. Amy Tan shows us through this story that parents never can truly control children. Children come to us with their own minds and spirits, and develop their own hopes and dreams that parents can not silence. She also points out that even obedient children who do as they are told still have willful thoughts. In the portrait of Jing-mei, we sympathize with these young minds. Jing-mei shows us that good children will disappoint their parents over and over; not because they're bad, but because they can only be who they are, themselves.