“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

What is a hero? A hero can be anyone, but just like any hero there had to be something that made them who they are today. Also like many heroes especially fictional ones like Batman or Superman there had to be heartache and trials that they had to go through for Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent to find their purpose. Besides comics there are also stories that includes a hero’s journey. In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” there is evidence of the hero’s journey due to sacrifice, conflict of person vs. self, and emotional transformation.

In the story there is evidence of sacrifice.Throughout the story Amy sacrificed a normal childhood where she could enjoy being a kid because all she wanted was to please her mother by showing her that she was good at something. “In the years that followed, I failed her many times, each time asserting my will, my right to fall short of expectations.” (Tan 5) Her mother would often take control of her daughter’s life by putting her through so many tests to see if she would be a perfect prodigy. In another research article called “The Hero’s Journey as a Developmental Metaphor in Counseling” by Gerard Lawson this helps prove that this is part of a hero’s journey because he mentions“In myth and legends, they may be victims of the whims of gods or fortune, but they no longer have ultimate control over the events of their own life.) (Lawson135).

In the story there is a conflict of person vs. self. For example, in two parts of the story Amy talked about how she would fight with herself because she felt like she was not good enough and that “She will always be nothing”. (Tan 1)She also had felt like there was another part of her that did want to be a genius. “And then I saw what seemed to be the prodigy side of me – a face I had never seen before. I looked at my reflection, blinking so that I could see more clearly. The girl staring back at me was angry, powerful. She and I were the same. I had new thoughts, willful thoughts – or rather, thoughts filled with lots of wont’s. I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” (Tan 2) This is proved as part of the hero’s journey, because due to challenges and trials the person is tested by often going against themselves by thinking the what ifs, this is also mentioned in the research article by Lawson when he mentions “The external challenges are overcome by activating internal resources only.” (Lawson 137)

The story also contains an emotional transformation. This is told when the mother made Amy play the piano one last time and Amy got real upset and yelled at her saying “I’m not going to play anymore.” (Tan 5) She also mentioned her sisters that had died and said “I wish I were dead! Like them.” (Tan 5) After hearing that her mother ended up leaving her alone which made Amy feel as if she stood up for herself. Towards the end when she is older Amy went back to her childhood home and played the piano only to notice that the two songs that she had played were part of the same song. In Lawson’s article this is shown when he mentions“But if the hero crosses the threshold returning home, and if he or she is able to understand the meaning of the experience and communicate the benefits of the journey to the community, then the hero’s journey is complete.” (Lawson 135 – 136)

In Amy Tans “Two Kinds” there is evidence of the hero’s journey due to sacrifice, conflict of person vs. self, and emotional transformation. The sacrifice is shown as Amy sacrifices her childhood to try and be a prodigy. Conflict of self vs. self is mentioned when she kept fighting with herself by thinking she was not a genius. Towards the end due to an emotional transformation she was able to stand up for herself and to her mother by proving she was fine just the way she was. Thanks to the articles it was proved what the story was about and how it was related to a hero’s journey.

Works Cited

Lawson, Gerard. “The hero’s journey as a developmental metaphor in counseling.” Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, vol. 44, no. 2, Fall 2005, p. 134+. Gale General OneFile, https://link-gale-com.aclibproxy.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A139299061/ITOF?u=txshracd2904&sid=ITOF&xid=9ce6ad3e. Accessed 29 June 2020.

Tan, Amy. “Two Kinds.” Atlantic, vol. 263, no. 2, Feb. 1989, p. 53+. Gale General OneFile, https://link-gale-com.aclibproxy.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A6975882/ITOF?u=txshracd2904&sid=ITOF&xid=46838074. Accessed 29 June 2020.

Formal Paper 3 Outline

“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

Thesis: In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” there is evidence of the hero’s journey due to sacrifice, conflict of person vs. self, and emotional transformation.

Sentence 1: In the story there is evidence of the sacrifice.

Sentence 2: In the story there is a conflict of person vs. self.

Sentence 3: The story also contains an emotional transformation.

Conclusion: In Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” there is evidence of the hero’s journey due to sacrifice, conflict of person vs. self, and emotional transformation. The sacrifice is shown as Amy sacrifices her childhood to try and be a prodigy. Conflict of self vs. self is mentioned when she kept fighting with herself by thinking she was not a genius. Towards the end due to an emotional transformation she was able to stand up for herself and to her mother by proving she was fine just the way she was.