Tuscano 1
Natalie Tuscano
Professor Rabinowitz
ENGW 1101 3T
31 March 2007
Two Kinds
1. Amy Tan’s mother believed that her daughter had the opportunity to become a
prodigy. The reasoning behind this belief was that her mother thought if one lived
in America they could become anything they wanted. Tan’s mother states, “You
can open a restaurant. You could work for the government and get good
retirement. You could buy a house with almost no money down. You could
become rich. You could become instantly famous” (Tan 465-66.) Tan believes
that it is not possible to change ones destiny. Her mother was trying to change
who she was and she did not that was the right way to go about her future. Tan
believed that if she was meant to be a prodigy, it would happen without her
changing who she was.
2. The “two kinds” in the story relate to two kinds of daughters. Tan’s mother states,
“only two kinds of daughters ... those who are obedient and those who follow
their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient
daughter!” (Tan 473.) There is no way the two kinds of daughters could ever be
irreconcilable, it is one or the other.
3. The story reveals truths about other immigrant families. If you already live in
America you may see past all the great opportunities the country offers to its
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citizen. On the other hand, people from other countries may not be familiar with
freedom and/or several chances to reach their goal in life.
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Works Cited
Tan, Amy. “Two Kinds.” The Blair Reader. Laurie Kirszner, Stephen Mandell.
Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2008. 465-475.