Home is the ultimate destination for everyone. For some, it may mean a place of repose or leisure, but for those who have been exhausted by life's inequities and seek refuge from reality, home is a sanctuary that offers solace. The four walls of a home serve as confidants, buffers, and restorers of our tired souls. Home is a sacred space where love, healing, and escape reign supreme. In Amy Tan's Two Kinds, the generation gap and environmental barriers are just a few of the issues at play.
The difference in thoughts, traditions, and beliefs between two generations living in the same country complicates things, especially with Jing-mei's mother being the center of the household and ruling over her own home. Mothers are supposed to support their children's wants and be their protectors and confidants, but Jing-mei's mother is the opposite. Instead
...of allowing Jing-mei to grow as she wants, her mother forces her to do things she dislikes for her own selfish motives and status among Chinese moms.
In her essay on the story, Piedmont-Marton highlights how the mother desires her daughter to become a prodigy, while Jing-Mei seeks to distance herself from her mother's preferences. Both characters ultimately fail to understand the future they hold. The mother aims to mold her daughter into a musical prodigy to compete with other women in their social circle, particularly Lindo Jong, whose daughter is acclaimed as "Chinatown's Littlest Chinese Chess Champion." (Piedmont-Marton, n.)
According to the essay, the mother believed that the social circle she belonged to required her to have a prodigy child, which put pressure on Jing-Mei. Although Jing-Mei initially enjoyed the training, she ultimately realize
she despised it and desired her own separate world. These lines suggest a misunderstanding and strain in the relationship between the mother and daughter.
The protagonist, Jing-mei, quickly creates a basic plan to combat her mother's forceful ways. She thinks to herself, "My thoughts were new and determined - or more accurately, they were filled with refusals. I refuse to be altered by her. I refuse to pretend to be someone I am not." (Piedmont-Marton, n.) The statement is enclosed with .
In spite of Jing-mei's efforts to please her mother, the latter fails to recognize her daughter's positive traits. Rather than accepting Jing-mei as she is, the mother continually criticizes her and manipulates her into pursuing activities she despises. This mistreatment prompts Jing-mei to resent her mother and purposefully thwart her desires, leading to a disastrous piano performance that results in the mother's disappointment. As a result, the mother's behavior falls far short of exemplary maternal conduct.
Being insensitive towards her daughter's needs and wants made Jing-mei's mother a selfish parent who did not consider her daughter's sacrifices. Even though the widening gap between them was a factor, the main reason for Jing-mei's bitterness and resentment stemmed from her mother's insistence on controlling her life. The lack of freedom to make her own choices and pursue her desires infuriated Jing-mei.
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