"Two Kinds" by Amy Tan – Plot Element Review – Flashcards
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What country is Jing-Mei's mother from?
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China
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At first, what child prodigy did Jing-Mei's mother want her to be like?
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Shirley Temple
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What hobby is Jing-Mei forced to participate in?
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Piano
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Who taught Jing-Mei?
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Old Chong
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What happens during Jing-Mei's performance?
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She performs horribly and no one applauds
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Who wrote "Two Kinds?"
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Amy Tan
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What does the narrator's mom pressure her to be? Why?
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A child prodigy - she wants Jing-Mei to have the best possible life and opportunities
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Toward the beginning of the story, what happened every night after dinner? Why?
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Jing-Mei's mother quizzed her in hopes she would discover a hidden talent
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Why did Jing-Mei's mother come to America?
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She had lost everything in China and wanted a fresh start
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What causes Jing-Mei's mother to sign her up for the performance?
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She is talking to her sister who is bragging about all of her daughter's chess trophies
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What is so unique about Old Chong? Why did he retire?
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He is deaf and bad eyes, which causes him to retire
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How did Jing-Mei's mother arrange for piano lessons?
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She cleaned for Old Chong in exchange for lessons
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What is the theme of the story?
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Part of growing up is following your own heart and dreams
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What is the climax of the story?
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When Jing-Mei gets into a fight with her mother and says hurtful words
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How does the mother feel about life in America?
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She believes it is full of success and opportunities
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Why does Jing-Mei practice so poorly?
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To get back at her mother for forcing her to play
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Why is Jing-Mei excited at first about her mother's ambitions for her?
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She thinks she will be a ballerina or princess - someone everyone loves
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What is Jing-Mei's attitude going into the recital?
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She is confident
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How does the mother act after the piano recital?
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She is quiet and keeps to herself
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Explain how the relationship between Jing-Mei and her mother changes and develops over the course of the story.
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Answers may vary - transitions from competitive and resentful, to showing caring and forgiveness
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What did Jing-Mei receive for her 30th birthday? How does she react, and what does she do with it?
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The piano she practiced - she is touched, gets it tuned, and sits down to play
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What did the birthday gift represent?
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Forgiveness
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What did Jing-Mei learn when she played the piano at the very end of the story?
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The two songs she practices were two parts of the same song
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Explain the significance of the two piano songs titled "Perfectly Contented" and "Pleading Child," and explain how it reflects the major themes and ideas in the story.
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Direct comparisons to mother and daughter, they eventually came together at the end in forgiveness and understanding
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What inspired the mother to make Jing-Mei a prodigy?
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She saw a girl playing poorly on the Ed Sullivan show - she believed if she could still be on TV while playing badly, so could Jing Mei
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Why doesn't Jing-Mei worry about her mother's piano idea at first?
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She knows they cannot afford a piano
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What does the daughter realize once she looks at herself angrily in the mirror?
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She can be anyone she wants to be
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What detail in the beginning of the story helps you predict Jing-Mei will not be the next Shirley Temple?
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Her hair will not curl
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Define devastated
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Destroyed, ruined
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Define conspired
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To plan together secretly
