Block 1

Mailyn Jaramillo

Xavier Contreras

Kefren Rodriguez

“Two Kinds”

1. Jing-mei’’s relationship with her mother can consist of many different types of

team work and motivation from her mother’s part. For example, “In all of my imaginings I

was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect: My mother and father would

adore me. I would be beyond reproach” (9). This represents how much she knew that

her mother supports her and motivates her to be a prodigy. Her mother also took her to

classes in order to find out what she liked most, like piano classes and beauty training

school ect.

2. In paragraph 15, Jing-mei realized that she did not have to be what they tell her

that she didn’t want to fit into the stereotypes, on the other hand, she was her own self

and that's who she wanted to be. For example, “I had new thoughts, willful thoughts-or,

rather, thoughts filled with lots of wont’s. I won’t let her change me. I promised myself. I

won't be what im not” (15). This represents that she's not going to change what she is

just because of her family. She is a powerful, strong minded, and independent person

that was not going to fit into the stereotypical world, her main goal is to always remain

true to herself.

3. A challenged faces on chunk 3 was an argument between Jing-mei and her

mother about taking piano lessons and her mother not allowing her to be herself. For

example, “When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I
 whined, and then kicked my foot a little when I couldn't stand it anymore” (27). This

shows Jing-mei’s feelings towards her mother pressuring her into the piano lessons that

she did not want. The rift in their relationship is continuing to grow because her mother

not allowing/accepting that Jing-mei wants to be her own self and she will not allow

anyone to take that part of herself away.

4. Aunt Lindo and Jing-mei’s mother have a problem with bragging and pride, this

makes Jing-mei angry at her mother, wanting to put a stop to her pride. For example,

“And my mother squared her shoulders and bragged: Our problem worser than yours. If

we ask Jing-mei wash dish, she hear nothing but music. Its like you can't stop this

natural talent” (43). This means her mother was not going to allow Aunt Lindo portray

that her daughter is better than Jing-mei. Infuriated with what she heard, Jing-mei was

determined to put a stop to her mother’s pride and make her understand that not

everyone has the same interests.

5. The author’s tone tone shifts from confident and fierce too afraid and

ashamed when she goes up to play the piano. “I was so caught up in how lovely I looked

that I wasn't worried about how I would sound… A chill started at the top of my head and

began to trickle down” (49). Jing-mei was very confident in herself believing she had

everything under control and that she would be a prodigy. For Jing-mei this was her

whole life crashing down she could feel all eyes on her, feel her parents disappointment.

What devastated her the most was her mother’s blank expression at that point she felt,

and I quote, “like gawkers at the scene of an accident to see what parts were actually

missing” (56).
6. A shift that occurs in chunk 5 is in Jing-mei’s attitude toward the situation, she

sees that if you don’t put effort into something the outcome will not be good. “But my

mothers expression was what devastated me: a quiet, a blank look that said she had lost

everything”(56). This means that she was so upset about her daughter not becoming

what her mom wanted her to be. Jing Mei feels like she was the shame of her mother

and father she felt awful but she would never change what she is just for them she like

the way she is and she wont change for anything.

7. In paragraph 67, ”two kinds” is referring to the opinion that there are only two kind

of daughters as said by Jing-mei’s mother. Jing-mei’s mother states, “Those who are

obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one type of daughter can live in this

house. Obedient daughter” (67)! This means that her mother's mindset is set to believe

that you are either an obedient daughter or you follow your own mind, and she will only

accept one type of daughter. This relates back to culture identity because her mother

doesn’t understand that she can be both, things are different because they live different.

Jing-mei can be obedient, but she can also be herself an do what she loves.

8. The sentence suggests that the problem is primarily internal because Jing-mei

does believe that she can do anything she wants like her mother. In paragraph 74, Jing-

mei states, “ Neither of us talked about it ever again as if it were a betrayal that was now

unspeakable. So I never found a way to ask her why she had hoped for something so

large that failure was inevitable.” -1This quotation she explains that she believed her

mother’s expectations used to always so high that she was never going to be able to

reach them. Her primary conflict is internal because she doesn't believe she can do

every she wants to.

9. In the final paragraphs Jing-mei discovers that she is not as bad at playing the

piano as she believed and that she can learn to play if she really tries. Paragraph 81, it

says, “It looked more difficult than I remember. I played a few bars, surprised at how

easily the nortes came back to me.” This explains that she is actually talented, but she

just didn’t try because of the lack of confidence in herself. This solved her conflict

because now she understands that her mother was right and she can do anything she

wants, but she needs dedication and effort.