Symbolism In Two Kinds By Amy Tan And Julia Alvarez

In literature, a literary device known as symbolism is used to convey an idea about a subject, person, or place. In the works of Amy Tan and Julia Alvarez, symbolism is influential throughout their stories. The story of ¡Yo! is a great example of how well Alvarez converts the symbol of a haunting folklore to a real-life terror. Although the story of ¡Yo! takes place in the United States, it tells the story of a family that escapes from The Dominican Republic during the time of a terrifying wave of dictatorship. In Two Kinds, as an adolescent, Ni kan doesn’t want to be the prodigy her mother wants. Going by the works of Amy Tan and Julia Alvarez, symbolism can demonstrate to the audience how much of an impact these events in the stories impacted the characters. “El Cuco was the Haitian boogeyman I had told them would come and steal them away if they didn’t behave.” In many cultures, the boogeyman is unnerving story …show more content…
I’m not a genius! I can’t play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn’t go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!” Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” delve deep into the relationship between mother and daughter. For Ni kan, she has the desire to steer away from the expectations her mother places on her as most kids are when pressured by their parents, she has the need to rebel and become her own person. Despite the lack of desire this leads to her mother forcing her to play the piano, something Ni kan is not very good at. During a talent show, Ni kan takes it upon herself to purposely ruin the recital to upset her mother. However, as she plays, she realizes how horrible she does. Something that makes her feel very different than she did when she planned it out. Despite her plan, her mother continues to make her play the piano which causes a fight between the two. After her 30th birthday, her mother offers her the piano to which she refuses. It is only after her mother passes away that she decides to take the piano for