Amy Tan Two Kinds Literary Analysis

The coming of age is a theme that we all can identify with. This broad term can encompass many other themes such as responsibility, the pressure to succeed, and the loss of innocence. A theme that is especially prevalent in Amy Tan’s short story, “Two Kinds,” is identity. There is a discernable conflict between who the narrator wants to be and who her outside influences want her to be. Arguably, no greater pressure can come from that of one’s parents. In “Two Kinds,” the mother is the primary source of the narrator’s, or the daughter’s, identity crisis. To develop the theme of identity, the author makes effective use of several literary techniques.
The narrator establishes the setting of mid-twentieth century America in the opening line of the short story. In the same sentence, the narrator describes her mother’s feelings towards America. It is evident that the mother believes in the American dream. She believes that America is a place where all people are given a chance to achieve success. The remainder of this short story describes her attempt to impose this mindset on her daughter.
The opening paragraphs introduce many potential conflicts concerning
Though most symbols are objects that hold deeper meanings, many people have made themselves into a symbol. This is especially significant in “Two Kinds” because the mother and daughter have a tendency to use comparisons to other people as a measure a one’s worth. The mother and daughter often compare themselves to other characters in the story, such as the Jongs. There are also many comparisons made to more recognizable characters such as Cinderella, Shirley Temple, Beethoven, and Christ. Most of the people and characters alluded to in “Two Kinds” are so iconic that their names have taken on meanings. Each of theses characters are synonymous with a positive character traits, none in which the narrator