How Does Amy Tan Use Situational Irony In Two Kinds

Many times, immigrants seek the “American Dream” for opportunities and success through hard work and dedication. In her short story “Two Kinds,” Amy Tan portrays a mother searching for her daughter’s talent by pressuring her with different activities. With high expectations from the mother, Tan shows the conflicting views between the mother and daughter. In the story, Jing-mei, the daughter, shows disrespect by being lazy and rebellious to her mother. Amy Tan uses point of view, symbolism, and situational irony to illustrate Jing-mei and her mother’s views of high expectations and the “American Dream.” In the story, the point of view is told in first person. Jing-mei narrates the story from her views and opinions. Due to this point of view, Tan elucidates the idea of high expectations that Jing-mei’s mother burdened her with. An example of this would be in the beginning of the story when her mother stated that Jing-mei had promise in becoming a prodigy. “‘Of course you can be prodigy, too,’ my mother told me when I was nine. ‘You can be best anything. What does Auntie Lindo know? Her daughter, she is only best

She uses Jing-mei’s point of view to show her opinion on her being a prodigy which allows the reader to understand what she and her mother thinks about. Tan also uses the concept of symbolism to provide Jing-mei’s substantial change from the beginning through the end. Finally, Tan uses situational irony to highlight the opposing conflicts between her and her mother’s expectations. Through her message of the “American Dream,” Tan distinctly allows the readers to understand the meaning of respect and success by giving the idea of being one’s true self whether it has to do with generational differences or the belief of the “American