Jing-Mei Character Analysis

Amy Tans short story Two Kinds illustrates a four-year-old girls struggle with her highly opinionated become and finding her own way. Jing-Meis go continually enforces Jing-Met to drip step up tasks the way she wants her to, her way. Therefore Jing-Mei is unable to grow as her own person and carry out the choices she wants to. Throughout Jing-Meis journey she begins to develop negative thoughts of herself and displays the attributes of insecurity, stubbornness and cruelty.Jing-Meis stubbornness encourages her to believe her bewilder is being unfair and cruel, when her mother had told her this, she felt as though shes been sent to hell. When in reality, all her mother is doing is guiding her so she wont have to go through the hardships she herself had gone through (Page 5). Jing-Mei has no desire to cooperate with her mother. She fights with her every way she can, determined to extinguish her mothers dreams of her becoming successful, Jing-Mei neglects her studies as well as th e piano.Jing-Mei believes her mother is trying to miscellany her, Jing-Mei states I wont let her change me I wont be what Im not despite her mothers real intentions of her becoming successful (Page 3). Jing-Mei feels she must reject her mother in order to find herself the right way then and there, she was determined to put a stop to her foolish pride. however, in doing so, she is rejecting her heritage and identity (Page 7).Suyuan speak tos constant criticism hands Jing-Mei the idea of lack of affection, which results in Jing-Meis insecurity. Suyuans value of family obedience, concealment of unnecessary emotions, and criticism as expressions of love contrast with Jing-Meis American ideas of independence, self-esteem and undefended expressions of love guide Jing-Meis belief of never fulfilling her mothers expectations. Therefore, Jing-Mei constantly puts herself down she looked in the mirror she began to cry, such a sad ugly girl due to misunderstanding her mothers intentions (P age 3). Her mothers high expectations and criticism are her way of expressing love and faith in her daughter. Jing-Mei misunderstands her mothers actions which lead her to the conclusion that she will never be the kind of daughter her mother wants her to be and leads her to the doubtfulness of why dont you like me the way I am? I am not a genius (Page 10,5).