Free to be Me: Amy Tan's "Two Kinds" Analytical Essay by Top Papers

The paper looks at Amy Tan's, "Two Kinds," and at how this well-received short story is a thoughtful look at how living one's own life (not the life others wish for you) is the secret to happiness - and also an act of considerable personal courage. The paper explores the constraints placed upon the story's protagonist by her mother, and addresses the notion of courage and how a lack of courage actually brought Amy Tan much pain and suffering in her formative years as she grappled with being something she was not. Lastly, the paper concludes by looking at the Chinese-American experience in America and how this shaped the dynamics of the Tan household. The paper highlights the message that life is about living - and living well means living as oneself.