1) The story explores the relationship between Jing-mei Woo and her mother who has high expectations for her daughter's life and wants her to become a genius. 2) As a child, Jing-mei rebels against her mother's pressure by refusing to practice piano lessons seriously, leading to a disastrous performance. 3) Years later, Jing-mei understands that the two halves of the piano song she plays represent her conflicting relationship with her mother throughout her childhood.

1. Two Kinds --Amy Tan
Presented by: Claire Gui

2. About the author
 was born in 1952
 an American writer
explore mother-daughterrelationships
the Chinese-American experience
 Best-known work is TheJoyLuckClub
 a movie adapted by the book was made

3. About the story
 a short story in TheJoyLuckClub
 It was first published in 1989
 Jing-mei Woo’s childhood
 the effects of her mother’s high
expectations forherlife
 the events in the story reflect events
that happened in the author’s life

4. The Characters
 Jing-mei Woo
narratorand protagonist
After being pushed by her mother to become a genius,
she develops a rebellious attitude toward hermother.
 Jing-mei' mother
has high expections forherdaughter
 Mr. Chong
piano teacher deaf and has pooreyesight.
 Lindo Jong Uncle Tin Jing-mei's mother's friend
Waverly Jong is a Chinese chess champion and brags
about it to Jing-mei

5. When and where is the story set?
 Time:
 In 1949, the Communist Party seized control of China
. A lot of Chinese move to the Untied States
 Where: California
Theirlives in the United States

6. What is the story main conflict?
 Jing-mei began taking lessons with Mr. Chong. Because
he is deaf and his eyesight is not good, she does not
study carefully.Her mother shows false-pride to another
children's mother. She plays the piano badly in the
show. Because of the show,she does not want to
continue playing. Jing-Mei exclaims "I wish I had never
been born; I wish I were dead!" The piano lessons had
stopped and she didn't have to do any of the trivial
tests hermotherhad forced herto do before.

7. What are the main developments?
 When she was thirty, hermothergave herthe piano.
The mother told her she had natural talent and could
have been a genius if she had wanted to be.
 When she played the song for her contest easily,
noticing that its name was “Pleading Child” and the
opposite page was called “Perfectly Contented.”She
understood that this song was the two halves of the
song and also represented life with hermother.

8. What is the main message of the story?
 The mother wants Jing mei‐ to be famous.
 Jing mei‐ refuses to do what her mother wants.
 This leads to an argument
 Jing mei‐ realizes that she wants to follow her own
path