Answer and Explanation:
"Two Kinds" is a short story by Amy Tan, an American author born in 1959. Tan is famous for her short stories in which Chinese immigrant families are portrayed.
In "Two Kinds," the main conflict is character vs. character, more specifically mother vs. daughter. Jing-mei, also called June, is the daughter of Chinese immigrant Suyuan. The conflict revolves around the differences between the cultures of the two. Suyuan understands tradition and obedience as being essential in the relationship between parents and children. She also believes excellence must be achieved in whatever area or field.
June, on the other hand, was born in America and has already embodied different values from her mother's. She does not understand the need to strive for perfection or to obey blindly. She wants to be free to be herself and to do what she wants, even if it means being mediocre.
<u>The tension between the two starts to build when Suyuan demands that June becomes a child prodigy. At first, June is excited about the idea. With time, she realizes it is no fun to be a prodigy, and that it demands a lot of effort. The main conflict arrives with the piano lessons and the recital. June is forced to learn to play the piano, but she does it halfheartedly. At the recital, all she does is embarrass herself and her family by performing badly. With her performance, she has made her statement: she has the right to be mediocre, and no one can force her to be anything she does not want to.</u>
