Amy Tan's "Two Kinds"

Analytical Essay # 1807

English > Analysis
Literature > American

A discussion of the two kinds of conflict expressed in Amy Tan's book "Two Kinds."

1,045 words () | 2 sources | 2000 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the works of Amy Tan, "Two Kinds," from the perspective of new historical criticism, which looks at the authors life and environment along with the work itself.

From the Paper:

"Amy Tan writes about autobiographical events and circumstances in her life in her works The Joy Luck Club and "Two Kinds." "Two Kinds" is a slice of events from her childhood that shows the conflict between Tan and her mother, the collision of old and new cultures, the past and the present, parents' expectations vs. reality, and obedience vs. defiance. Pairs of opposing elements comprise the whole of the story; the title itself, "Two Kinds," shows the tension that Tan creates. The argument that presents itself is that Amy Tan is the only person who could have written this story because only she experienced those opposing elements. An examination of "Two Kinds" defends this theory. "