Literary Devices in "Two Kinds"
Ashley Minichiello, August 28, 2012
Setting
This story takes place in San Francisco, California. The Family lived on a street named Sacramento in Chinatown.
Characters
Jing-Mei and her parents moved to America so they could live a better life. Both Jing-Mei and her mom always clashed. Jing- Meis mom always wanted her daughter to be a prodigy, but Jing-Mei could never live up to her expectations.
Plot
Exposition-they move to America. Her mom wants her to be a child prodigy like Shirley Temple. Rising Action-her mom gets her lessions to play the piano. She slacks off while practing. Her mom brags about her "talent" to other moms and tells them shes going to preform in the talent show. Climax-She preforms at the talent show and is aweful! Her mom is very disapointed in her and doesnt speak to her for a while. Resolution- they make up and start talking to eachother. Later on the mom dies and Jing-Mei is left with the piano.
Internal Conflict
Jing-Mei and her mother always fought. She couldnt ever live up to her moms expectations and she always feels like a failure.
External Conflict
Jing-Mei has to some how become a prodigy so her mom will look at her the same.
Theme
The theme of the story was that mother and daughter relationships can be difficult. The mother always wants her daughter to become a better person. Sometimes the daughter will rebel and wants to go her own way.
Symbolism
The piano in the story represented the love/ hate relationship that Jing-Mei and her mother had. The piano also symbolised her mother, when she passed away that was the only thing she had left of her.
When she looks in the mirror
When she looks in the mirror in the begining of the story she sees herself. Bur not just herself she sees failure. She sees someone who wants her mom to be proud of her. Her and her mom are totally different people.
Mom VS. Daughter
The mom always wanted her daughter to be perfect. But Jing-Mei just wanted her to be happy with her. She also justs wants to be a kid.
A diffrent life in America
When her mom was in China she lost 2 of her children. She was sad and just wanted her other kids to be very successful. They moved to America to live a diffrent way. She wanted her daughter to become famous and live better than she did.