Two Kinds

            The story is mainly talking about the conflict of Amy Tan and her mother. Her mother is always wanted Amy to be her best and to be a talent girl but Amy didn't want to be like that. She wanted to be herself. The story took place in 1960’s in China Town, San Francisco. The main character in this story is Amy Tan, she is a shy girl, she was born in the US and that’s why she wanted to be American. The other characters in the story are Amy’s mother and Mr. Chong. Amy mother came to the US in 1949 after losing everything in China: her mother and father, her husband, her home and two daughters. But she never looked back with regret. Mr. Chong is Amy’s piano teacher.

            The story was showed as list of the event. At first, her mother wanted Amy to be a Shirley Temple. She took Amy to the beauty training school to cut Amy’s hair. Amy emerged with an uneven mass of crinkly black fuzz but her mother dragged her off to bathroom and tried to wet down her hair.

            In the beginning, Amy was just as excited as her mother, she was filled that she would soon become perfect but she started depressed when her mother told her about the schedule of piano lesson and piano practice. After watching a talent show on TV Amy’s mother wanted Amy to learn piano. Amy’s mother had talked with Mr. Chong, who living in the same apartment with Amy’s family. She had traded house cleaning services for weekly piano lesson for Amy. Amy felt as though she had been sent to hell when her mother told her about the piano lessons.

            Few days later, Mr. Chong and Amy’s mother wanted Amy to play in talent show that was to be held in the church hall. Amy’s parent invited their friends and their family comes to the church to watch Amy’s show. In Amy’s turn, everything was so beautiful until she hit the first wrong note, and then she hit another and another. She could not stop there, she kept playing until she done. Then, Amy stood up and she felt that her legs were shaking because of nervous.

            After the talent show, Amy thought that she would never have to play the piano again. But few days later, Amy’s mother reminded Amy about the time to learn piano lessons. And then Amy decided, she didn't have to do what her mother said anymore because she was not a slave and especially she was not China. Amy’s mother came out the kitchen; she yanked Amy and pulled her off the floor, she half pulling, half carrying Amy towards the piano. Amy shouted that she is not going to play anymore. Amy’s mother was so angry and Amy too. They shouted each other so hard. Everything had happened before made Amy angry and now she decided that she will never be the kind of daughter which her mother wanted her to be.

            After the fighting between Amy and her mother, they both seemed forgive each other. Amy mother never mentioned Amy about playing piano again, she given up hope. Then she surprised Amy when she offered to give Amy the piano for Amy’s thirtieth birthday. Amy took it but she didn't play it again until her mother died. After that, Amy finally playing the piano once again and she felt proud when she saw the piano in her parents’ living room.