"Two Kinds"
By Amy Tan
In order to further discuss themes of power within various short stories, a definition of power is needed. Power: the amount of ability to control a given situation.
In Amy Tan’s short story "Two Kinds," the narrator, who is subjected towards various childhood endeavors by her mother, is left powerless to an extent, because her destiny was being planned out for her. First entering beauty school, the narrator left in a worse condition than she had first entered. Having received an awful haircut, she had to have it fixed which made it even shorter than before. She self-described herself as resembling a young male. After watching many TV shows, her mother is inspired to mold the main character into many things. At one point, she wishes to create a pianist within her daughter, but the daughter never practices seriously. At a local talent show she displays a cacophonous array of sounds which reveals her lack of enthusiasm. Through that final exhibition of apathetic disposition towards being a pianist, the daughter begins to think that will be the end of her piano playing. Her mother, however, thought otherwise, demanding more practice from her.
This climax of opposing views leads to the daughter gaining power. She begins to protest her mothers demands. "...I decided I didn’t have to do what my mother said anymore. I wasn’t her slave. This wasn’t China. I had listened to her before and look what happened. She was the stupid one..." This statement by the daughter best demonstrates her seizure of power. By realizing she had the ability to shape her own future, the daughter gained self-power.
--Tim A.
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