Amy

The cultural differences described by Amy Tan in her short story, "Two Kinds", stand out boldly. There are two main themes described throughout the story, which would be conflicts between mother and daughter, and cultural differences. Both play a big part to contribute to the other. Therefore, in this essay, the focus will land on the cultural differences. Such a bold statement to readers is clear when Amy Tan uses sentences such as " "You look like a Negro Chinese," she lamented, as if I had…

the essay “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, it shows how Chinese-Americans are affected with the proper english language than Americans. In this essay, Chinese-Americans are represented as human beings who do not have those same high abilities educationally as Americans do. Chinese-Americans have the chance of not being understood, which is a thing that can affect them in life. To show how Chinese-Americans do not have the same high abilities as Americans, educationally, Amy provides an example of an…

The essay “Mother Tongue” written by Amy Tan tells readers that she had two different types of languages that she speaks. One is used for the public and the second used at home with her mother. During a large conference she was telling about a book she had written and was using Standard English. Suddenly she remembers that her mother was there and never heard Ms. Tan speak this way. When Ms. Tan was at home with her mother they spoke in the same way and fashion. Many times, in the writer’s…

We Can All Relate Somehow As Amy Tan shows embarrassment over her mother’s English, my parents didn’t know any English. They could understand more of it over the years but they couldn’t get themselves to speak it. I have always felt limited by my English skills, especially in school. In the reading by Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue” I relate to the whole essay. Has I was reading along in my head I was remembering all my own experiences as she mentioned in “Mother Tongue.” With my limited English I had…

families in California was published by Amy Tan. One of the final stories in the novel is titled “Two Kinds”, which follows a young girl named Jing-Mei and her mother. The two had just recently moved the San Francisco, CA in the 1950’s. Throughout the story Jing-Mei struggles with living up to her mother’s high expectations while keeping herself content as well. Mei’s mother repeatedly damages their relationship while she tries to push her daughter to fame. Amy Tan had lived a very similar life…

Though at a glance one may act as if they know everything, they are often not wise enough to see where they truly stand. Sometimes a good fall is necessary for an individual to acquire such wisdom. The short story, “Rules of the Game,” written by Amy Tan, demonstrates how easily one can assume their stance in a struggle for power. Waverly Place Jong, a young girl not yet ten years old, finds herself in a struggle for power with her mother when she becomes a national chess champion. When the…

by a friend or a significant other, and it can even go as far as feeling betrayed by the entire world. The song that I chose for this assignment is “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse. In this song Winehouse talks about how her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil and how he betrayed her by leaving her and going back to his ex-girlfriend. Amy Winehouse, a depressed alcoholic, met Blake Fielder-Civil, an addict to several hard drugs, in 2005. When they met Blake Fielder-Civil was already in a…

Reading Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue", I came across the idea of language being "fractured and broken". In the essay, she provided examples of how her mother's limited English caused her to be given poor service at department stores, banks, and restaurants; stating how people would usually consider a lack of depth in their thinking due to their "broken" or "limited" use of language. Conversely, she thinks that her mother's English is "vivid, full of observation and imagery". Indeed, Chinglish is…

In the short story Mother Tongue by Amy Tan, the author, Tan, has a positive attitude towards her mother’s identity and language. We meet an author who, while being ashamed of her mother’s abilities in speaking the English language, is very proud to be her daughter. Tan’s mother’s limited English is humiliating for her during certain parts in the story. She learns to appreciate it more however, as she grows up. Her mother’s different use of the English language, is what shaped her into who she…

The Motifs of Amy Tan in “The Joy Luck Club” Often, Tan writes about struggling mother-daughter relationships and the Chinese- American experience. In Amy Tan’s novel “The Joy Luck Club,” she cultivates her life throughout the novel by illustrating connections between the characters in the novel and her own life. Equally important, Tan is the daughter of two Chinese immigrants, this is where her inspiration for writing about these differences comes into play. Tan and her own mother had…