Jing Nei's Mother Came To America Characters

Single Character Analysis Jing-nei’s mother was from China, who lost all her family. She came to America and never looked back with regret. There are all kinds of ways for things to get better for her. Jing-nei’s mother believed anyone could be anything they wanted to be in America. She believed you could be a prodigy of any kind. Jing-nei mother was adamant about Jing-nei becoming a prodigy, and become instantly rich and famous (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013) In the story Jing-nei is a nine-year-old girl that was born in America, she is a narrator in the story, she also is a dynamic character that tells of her like as a child growing up. She is a reflective character in the story. Jing-ne’s mother wanted her to be a prodigy. The first prodigy
she wanted her to be was a Chinese Shirley Temple. Her mother really believed she could be what ever she wanted to be. They would watch old Shirley Temple moves on TV as though they were training films Jing-nei mother got the idea that she needed a hair cut like Shirley Temple and took her to a training school were the student messed her hair up and she looked like a negro Chinese. The instructor had to make it even again and cut it in a Peter Pan cut, which was very popular in those days (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). In the beginning Jing-nei was excited as her mother, even more so. She would picture herself as all kinds of prodigy images. In all of her images she felt like she would become perfect. She thought her mother and father would adore her, but then the prodigy in her would become impatient, wanting things to happen in a hurry, and if it did not then she thought she would disappear, then she would be nothing (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). For months after dinner Jing-nei and her mother would sit at the kitchen table, her mother would read from magazines about amazing children and the things they did to become extraordinary. Time after time of trying these different things her mother thought she could do what these remarkable children did, her mother soon found out that Jing-nei was not that extraordinary child she wanted her to be. Seeing her mother’s disappointment of her once again, something inside of her began to die. “She hated the test, the raised hopes and failed expectations”. (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). One night before bed Jing-nei was looking at herself in the mirror she saw only her face staring back, and it would always be just and ordinary face, she tried to scratch out the face in the mirror. For a moment she then tried to see the prodigy side of her, but all she seen was a girl that was angary. She told herself “I wont’ let her change me, she promised herself”. “I won’t be what I’m not” (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). Two or three months had past and no mention of Jing-nei being a prodigy.
Then her mother was watching The Ed Sullivan Show on TV one day, her mother was fascinated by the music that she was hearing form the Chinese girl that was playing a piano. Jing-nei was not worried she knew they did not have a piano and they could not afford to buy one. Few days after watching the little girl play on TV, Jing-nei’s mother told her she would be taking piano lessons and piano practice. When her mother told her this, she felt as though she had been sent to hell. Jing-nei ask her mother why she didn’t like her for the way she was? She was not a genius, and she couldn’t play the piano. She told her mother even if she could, she wouldn’t go on TV if they paid her a million dollars Her mother told her she wanted her to be her best (Kirszner, Mandell,
2013). Mr. Chong was a retired music teacher he taught piano lessons, he was deaf and blind. Once Jing-nei figured out he was deaf and blind she would play what was given her and then add nonsense that sounded really bad. She made many mistakes, lots of mistakes, and old Chong never new any different. Jing-nei never gave herself a fair chance, she picked up the basic really quick. “She was so determined not to try, not to be anybody different that she learned to play only the worst preludes, the most discordant hymns” (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). One day she over heard her mother and Aunt Lindo bragging on her and her cousin Waverly she was a Chest champion. When Jing-nei heard her mother she was more so determined to put a stop to her foolish pride. Weeks later old Chong and her mother sat up a talent show for her to play in. she was to memorize “Pleading Child” for the talent show. Jing-nei did not practice much at all, she never listens to what she was playing. She was always day dreaming of being some where else. When it was time for her to play in the talent show she sounded horrible, she was caught up in how good she looked more than playing the piano. Her mothers face was what devastated her. She looked like she had lost everything. Jing-nei felt the same way her mother did. Jing-nei’s mother never said a word to her about the talent show. She so hoped she would say something so she could shout at her and blame her mother for all her misery. (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013). Jing-nei’s mother still insisted she still play the piano after the talent show.
But they fought over her playing the piano. Jing-nei said mean things to her that hurt her. Her mother said there were “only two kinds of daughters the ones that are obedient, and those who followed their own mind”. She told her only obedient daughter live in this house. She told her mother she wished she was not her daughter. Her mother was very angary seeing this she told her mother she wished she was dead like them. Hearing this her mother was hurt and left the room. After this she never played the piano again. They never talked about the recital or her terrible accusation afterwards at the piano bench. She never found away to ask her why she had hoped for something so large that failure was inevitable (Kirszner, Mandell,
2013). Conclusion In years to following Jing-nei seem to disappoint her mother often, each time asserting her own will, her right to fall short of belief. Jing-nei did not make straight A’s in school, she didn’t get into Stanford, she dropped out of college. She did not believe she could be anything she wanted to be. She only could be herself. But Jing-nei’s mother believed anyone could be anything you set your mind to do. She believed you could be a prodigy of any kind. She was adamant about Jing-nei becoming a prodigy, and becoming instantly rich and famous (Kirszner, Mandell, 2013).