Jing-Mei Character Analysis

Last Updated: 21 Mar 2023
Pages: 2 Views: 1712

Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” illustrates a young girls struggle with her highly opinionated mother and finding her own way. Jing-Mei’s mother continually enforces Jing-Met to carry out 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-Mei’s journey she begins to develop negative thoughts of herself and displays the attributes of insecurity, stubbornness and cruelty.

Jing-Mei’s stubbornness encourages her to believe her mother is being unfair and cruel, “when [her] mother had told [her] this, [she] felt as though [she’s] been sent to hell. ” When in reality, all her mother is doing is guiding her so she won’t 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 mother’s dreams of her becoming successful, Jing-Mei neglects her studies as well as the piano.

Jing-Mei believes her mother is trying to change her, Jing-Mei states “I won’t let her change me… I won’t be what I’m not…” despite her mother’s real intentions of her becoming successful (Page 3). Jing-Mei feels she must reject her mother in order to find herself “right 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).

Order custom essay Jing-Mei Character Analysis with free plagiarism report

feat icon 450+ experts on 30 subjects feat icon Starting from 3 hours delivery
Get Essay Help

Suyuan Woo’s constant criticism hands Jing-Mei the idea of lack of affection, which results in Jing-Mei’s insecurity. Suyuan’s values of family obedience, concealment of unnecessary emotions, and criticism as expressions of love contrast with Jing-Mei’s American ideas of independence, self-esteem and open expressions of love guide Jing-Mei’s belief of never fulfilling her mother’s 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 mother’s intentions (Page 3). Her mother’s high expectations and criticism are her way of expressing love and faith in her daughter. Jing-Mei misunderstands her mother’s 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 question of “why don’t you like me the way I am? I am not a genius! ” (Page 10,5).

Related Questions

on Jing-Mei Character Analysis

What is Jing-Mei character analysis in two kinds?
Jing-Mei is a young Chinese-American girl who is struggling to find her identity and place in the world. She is constantly trying to please her mother, who has high expectations for her, but she also wants to find her own path in life. She is determined and resilient, but also vulnerable and insecure.
What does Jing-Mei realize about herself at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, Jing-Mei realizes that she is capable of achieving her own goals and dreams, and that she does not need to live up to the expectations of her mother. She also realizes that she is strong and resilient, and that she can make her own decisions and be her own person.
Is Jing-Mei a flat or round character?
Jing-Mei is a round character. Throughout the story, she undergoes significant changes in her attitude and outlook on life, which is indicative of a round character. She starts off as a rebellious and stubborn child, but eventually learns to accept her identity and embrace her talents.
What does Jing-Mei struggle with?
Jing-Mei struggles with her identity and her relationship with her mother. She is constantly trying to find a balance between her mother's expectations and her own desires. She also struggles with her feelings of inadequacy and her inability to live up to her mother's expectations.

Cite this Page

Jing-Mei Character Analysis. (2017, May 06). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/jing-mei-character-analysis/

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

plagiarism ruin image

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Save time and let our verified experts help you.

Hire writer