Paul's Case And Two Kinds: A Comparative Analysis

Growing up and finding oneself is never easy, especially when outside sources pull one in various directions. Adolescence is a time where children search for their identity, to discover who they are and who they are meant to be. Many young people rebel and reject everything they are told they should do. In Paul’s Case and Two Kinds, both main characters feel pressure from others on how to live their lives. These stories examine two extremely different outcomes of the search to find oneself. Paul is a rebellious teenager, with many different layers. His personality consistently changes, suggesting he is unsure of who exactly he is. Jing-Mei is a normal child who feels the need to be perfect in order to satisfy her mother. Both Jing-Mei and Paul do not fit into the example set for them. Two Kinds and Paul’s Case are about adolescents trying to find themselves; however Jing-Mei’s story ends in triumph, while Paul’s ends in tragedy. …show more content…
He loathed his home, his neighborhood, his school, and his family. Throughout the story, Paul’s motives remain unclear. It is equally puzzling why he takes such drastic measures in everything he does. . He does not seem to have any positive role models or friends in his life. All of his teachers despise him, and his father is barely in the story enough to judge his relationship with Paul. He does not seem to fit in anywhere. Although all of his educators were eager to criticize him, none of them seemed to be willing to help or see what was going on in his life. Paul’s various layers show how confused he was about his