Social Discord within Families

Paper Summary:

This conflict of the "two selves" that Asian-Americans confront is illustrated in the short stories of two Asian-American writers, Amy Tan and Kazuo Ishiguro. This paper shows how "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan illustrates the clashing of American and Chinese cultures in a mother-daughter relationship in the American setting, while "A Family Supper" by Kazuo Ishiguro portrays the family tension that arose from the main character/protagonist's decision to live a life in America rather than in Japan.

From the Paper:

"The decision to adopt two contrasting cultures creates conflict for the individual, especially when dealing with people coming from one of these cultures. This dilemma emerged from the prevalence of migration and assimilation of American culture among Asians, who, for want of a better life in the United States, attempted to adapt successfully/ unsuccessfully to the dominant American society. This problem is especially harder to deal with when the individual is confronted by his/her native roots, and since Asian societies are primarily collectivist, preservation of traditional values and conservatism are highly-valued and there is low tolerance for difference that is, individualism."

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