His actions show loyalty regardless of how badly Jing-mei played. It is also interesting that Old Chong is the only one that claps for Jing-mei at the talent contest. When the reality is that Jing-mei set the bar too high for herself just like her mother has. To start an argument with her in order that Jing-mei can blame her mother. Jing-mei doesn’t want to accept responsibility for her own actions and the fact that she played badly. It is as though she is forced to after her efforts at the talent contest. It is inevitable that Jing-mei is going to rebel against her mother. Jing-mei’s relationship with her mother is strained due to her mother’s wishes that Jing-mei be something that she either is not or will never be. Which again plays on the theme of identity.
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It is as though she wants to distance herself from the pain of her past and the only way she knows how to do that is by forcing Jing-mei into being something she is not. It is okay to have a child of average ability, which Jing-mei is, however that is not good enough for Jing-mei’s mother. However there does not seem to be any type of reality check when it comes to Jing-mei’s mother. Losing a husband and children while in China. Which is understandable considering that she has had a hard life. It is not so much that she is proud of Jing-mei’s achievements it is more a case that she wishes to be better than others. Jing-mei’s mother also appears to be boastful about Jing-mei’s talents. However the definition for special is different for each parent. Each and every child likes to be thought of as special.
What child would not like the focus to be placed on them? Particularly if the spotlight placed on them is positive. To have the aspirations that they too can be seen to be special or gifted or different from their peers. There is also no doubting that Jing-mei’s mother is a hard working woman however she doesn’t seem to realise that not every child is a prodigy and Jing-mei herself probably understands that she is not a prodigy.
If anything she is living her life vicariously. However she is doing so through Jing-mei. This may be important as Jing-mei’s mother appears to be chasing the American dream. It is also interesting that Jing-mei’s mother believes that once you live in America you can be anything. Something which would play on the theme of identity. She devotes a lot of her energy in trying to make Jing-mei into something that Jing-mei isn’t. She wants her to be famous or at least to be a prodigy. Jing-mei’s mother has hopes for her daughter. Narrated in the first person by a woman called Jing-mei Woo the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Tan may be exploring the theme of hope. In Two Kinds by Amy Tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance.
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