Jing Mei Alternate Ending

Jing-mei was happy just being herself, but, unfortunately, her mother expected more. Jing-mei’s mother pushed her to become famous. She thought that was what’s best for Jing-mei. “Just like you,” she said, “Not the best because you are not trying.” (Tan, pg. 35) She tried everything in her power to make Jing-mei talented in some way. She pushes Jing-mei right over the edge. Jing-mei soon found her true, aggressive nature. She realized that her mother thinks that she is not good enough so she is trying to change her into a person who is just not her. She feels the need to appease her mother's wishes, but at the same time actively resents it and rebels against it. Jing-mei’s feels trapped between both worlds because she is unable to find happiness in either one. She recognizes that she will never be the piano prodigy …show more content…
"Who ask you to be genius?" she shouted. "Only ask you be your best. For you sake. You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!”? Jing-mei clearly understands that she will not find happiness in outwardly rejecting her mother's wishes. Everytime her mother snapped at her to try harder, she snapped back. “For unlike my mother, I did not believe I could do anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.” (Tan, pg. 41) Because of Jing-mei’s different view she and her mother began to fight a lot. The greater they disputed, the farther away they drifted. Until they realized the piano wasn’t only the root of their problems, but the solution as well.After Jing-mei’s mother dies, in the end, she went back to the piano. Jing-mei began to play the song that caused the breaking point of her relationship with her mother. Then she played the song next to it with great satisfaction. “And after I played them both a few times, I realized they were two halves of the same song.” (Tan, pg. 42) Like the ying-yang and the songs, Jing-mei’s relationship with her mother may seem disastrous and apart, but together they share a strong bond that makes them