THE UNIVERSAL CONFLICT IN “TWO KINDS”

In the story, “Two Kinds,” by Amy Tan, the narrator is a maturing girl who is trying to find her identity. However, she is not the only one doing so; her mother is trying to find her an identity as well. Hence, the universal conflict of this story forms when the identity sought by the narrator for herself is not the same as the identity sought by the mother for her daughter. Therefore, the story deals with the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship; by examining the characters of both the mother and the narrator, a clear understanding about why this conflict occurs can be attained.
Since the beginning of the story, the nature of the mother’s character is established. The very first sentence of the story reads: “My mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America.” Such perception of the United States prompts the mother to encourage her daughter to take advantage of the opportunities this country has to offer. The mother wants her daughter to succeed for two main reasons: because she wants the best for her daughter and because she wants her daughter to succeed in a way that the mother herself never could. Because she grew up in China, the mother did not have the opportunities the narrator has. Naturally, the mother looks for ways that can potentially prompt her daughter to stardom. So great is the mother’s determination for her daughter to succeed that the mother is even willing to clean someone’s house in exchange for piano lessons for her daughter. However, the mother soon forgets the real purpose of trying to find success for her daughter. By nearly forcing her daughter to do everything that could perhaps bring the daughter success, the mother forgets she wants her daughter to be content in reaching such success.
Unlike the static nature of the mother, the narrator’s character is dynamic, for she is initially thrilled by the idea of being a prodigy. She practices and practices; but, as time progresses, she realizes it is probable that she will not become famous. However, the narrator is not disillusioned because she feels that by giving up on being someone else, she has found herself. The narrator states: “I had new thoughts, willful thoughts, or rather thoughts filled with lots of won’ts. I won’t let her [the mother] change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” Afterwards, any attempt by the mother to have her daughter be a prodigy is seen as a threat to the narrator’s individuality. Because the narrator is satisfied with who she is, she no longer feels the desire to pursue other identities.
Consequently, a century-old conflict emerges between these two women who have a complex bond and an opposing view. As the piano lessons progress, each woman’s passions grow more powerful; the mother can taste her daughter’s future success, while the daughter longs for the day she will reveal her true identity to her mother. After the talent show incident, the climax of the story occurs in the emphatic argument between the two women. Words are said, emotions are expressed, and frustrations are released, all of which converge to form a silence that will not be broken for decades. Eventually, the mother offers the narrator the piano that she had used to practice. When they have an exchange regarding whether the narrator remembers how to play the piano, the mother says: “‘You pick up fast. You have natural talent. You could have been genius if you want to. You just not trying,’ said my mother. And she was neither angry nor sad. She said it as if to announce a fact that could never be disproved.” Although the mother still believes that her daughter could have succeeded, she is no longer affected by their conflict because the narrator has found her own realm of success. Thus, the mother realizes that her belief that one could do anything in America has been vindicated. As for the narrator, she feels as though the present has turned out the way it was supposed to happen.
In conclusion, the universal conflict of this story refers to the unique relationship between mothers and daughters. In this story, both the narrator and the mother want the same thing: success for the narrator that will lead to her happiness. Nevertheless, each woman holds a different approach to achieving success, such difference in approach stemming from their opposing characters. Although, in the end, the narrator finds success and the conflict that exists between the mother and the daughter is resolved, both women still hold the curiosity as to what would have happened if the narrator had really been dedicated to becoming a prodigy.