Two kinds represents the two kinds of daughters. A daughter who is obedient, who follows her mother's suggestions and a daughter who follows what's on her own mind. This story will help you find your own identity in this complicated world.…
Every southerner from a small town can identify with the close relationship of this community. Yet this small black community in A Lesson Before Dying is brought together by more than just geography. This close neighborhood is kept together by the people struggling to make ends meet helping each other fight the racism and oppression of this white privileged society. This fight against oppression is depicted by an uneducated black man’s journey through mortality when being unlawfully accused of the murder of a white man.…
The initial descriptions of setting and geography influence the purpose of any character, theme or symbol. In the book “A Lesson Before Dying” the courthouse and segregation along with syntactic balance patterns play an important role in influencing those three things…
Two kinds is a fictional story written by the Chinese-American author Amy Tan. She was born in Oakland California. In this story, the writer explains the conflict and the problem of the mother-daughter relationships and also reveals about American life and the American dream. In this story, Nikon is shown as the main protagonist and the whole story is all about the writers feeling towards event during her childhood. The author also tries to explain the mother-daughter relationship and reveals the generational gap in between the mother and daughter. The author also illustrates the feeling of the children when their parents try to force them to be obedient rather than following their path. According to writer's mother everybody can…
Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” is a short, yet powerful story about a simple, rural family that’s changed with the return of one of the daughters. Maggie and “Mama” continue to keep the tradition of a simple and hardworking life that seems to be passed down from generations, but we see that Dee has been a black sheep since a young age and holds resentment toward her family because of their lifestyle. Mama was raised into this lifestyle and has become satisfied and happy with it. With her man-ish skills she readily adopts the chores of the life she’s accepted, but like any parent, wants the best she possible can for her dear daughters. Maggie, like her mother, lacks many natural gifts like beauty or brains, but in her simplicity she, too, can find happiness. Dee is the lucky child of the two. She is the firstborn, and although she holds her disdain towards the surroundings of her youth, she was given what opportunities that Mama could provide, like schooling. However, on the faithful day of Dee’s return, Mama learns that there are sometimes repercussions to kind acts – or perhaps her kindness was wasted. When Dee’s spoiled nature reveals itself as worse than ever, it seems that these three people are no longer a family.…
The novel, A Lesson before Dying, was written by Ernest J. Gaines in 1993. Gaines was born on the River Lake plantation in Louisiana, where he was raised by his aunt, Miss Augusteen Jefferson. Racism was prevalent shown by the whites-only libraries in Louisiana. After 15 years of living in Louisiana, Gaines moved to California, although he states Louisiana never left him. California had libraries available for the blacks also. In California, he lived with his mother and which inspired him to the point of writing about six novels and scores of short stories. In 1953, Gaines was drafted into the Army, and he later went on to study creative writing at Stanford University. While in the library, Gaines…
The use of bad grammar by black characters in A Lesson Before Dying symbolizes the divide between the whites and blacks in the community. The white people try to maintain this divide and their perceived superiority by reprimanding blacks that use proper grammar, such as when Mr. Guidry tells Grant “Maybe you’re just a little too smart for your own good” (Gaines 49). Grant uses proper grammar in an attempt to break down the divide between the two races in his community, for example Grant says “I used the word ‘doesn’t’ again, but I did it intentionally this time” (Gaines 48). The white men seem to view black people using proper grammar as a symbol of disrespect because proper grammar is also a symbol of intelligence and the white people want…
While Miss Brill in “Miss Brill”, Dee and Mama in “Everyday Use”, and Marji in “Persepolis,” are women of different cultures and ethnicities, their roles as women is faced with similar gender inequalities. Some might argue that women are treated as an equal gender with the same amount of opportunity as men. However, Miss Brill, Dee, Mama and Marji share in common psychological, social, and economic issues that women face not only exist today in America, but also Worldwide.…
In "Two Kinds," Amy Tan writes a coming of age story about a young girl in…
At the Gym, written by Mark Doty; has no relation with being at the gym at all; metaphorically speaking it pertains to attending church. The narrative provided is from the author's observation of other people in the church. The primary metaphor of this poem is religiously based in the sense people have determination to release their burdens with the desire of overcoming tribulations through prayer. Many smaller metaphors inside the poem leading the reader to believe there is faith veiled throughout. This metaphor is explained in this essay by many other small metaphors; Salt-stain is really tears, the vinyl is from the pews/benches in the church. How this metaphor references something manmade, the association of grief emotions in this poem such as hopelessness and despair. While more positive emotions of relief and hope are set forth; leading one to happiness. Many hidden religious aspects contained throughout the poem are brought to light.…
There are many essentials to surviving in life. After the basic necessities such as water, food, intimacy, and shelter are met, finding your personal identity is the most significant to the dynamics of life. Personal identity can be defined as the distinguishing character by which an individual is infinitively recognizable or known. Personal identity makes a person who he or she is to be defined as. According to Greek philosopher Aristotle, identity is a concept that refers to the aspect of existence; therefore, the aspect of existence is something in particular, with specific characteristics. Finding who we truly are can aid in loving, identifying, and accepting ourselves. Notary short stories, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie, “Hollow” by Breece D'J Pancake, and “Until Gwen” by Dennis Lehane are great exemplifications of how the struggle with identity hurt or harm the develop of an individual’s character.…
In present-day society, families go through several problems and arguments regarding numerous issues which would have been considered unacceptable in past times. Throughout a variety of different cultures, the level of respect and obedience for one’s parents has diminished while the negotiation of conformity and rebellion has risen. This statement is supported and evidential in two different stories, “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan and “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. Although these stories represent different cultures, they both exemplify the values and importance of family relations; as well as demonstrate in every culture families face social problems. In both these stories, two major topics stood out which allowed me to compare each one to one another. These topics were mother-daughter relationships and obedience as a whole.…
Amy Tan “Two Kinds” My initial thoughts when I read Amy Tan “Two Kinds” was that the daughter had a negative attitude on how her mother is trying to teach her to be something greater in life. She’s trying to better her daughter, but her daughter doesn’t appreciate what her mother is trying to do for her. Amy Tan “Two Kinds” story, I can relate to because my parents just wanted the best for me and wanted me to succeed in life.…
“Two Kinds” Reflection The story “Two Kinds” is written by a Chinese author named Amy Tan. I read the story in class with my table group. In my opinion, reading with my group improved my reading skills. I was able to discuss and analyze the story with my group.…
From hieroglyphics to modern communication, imagery and words have always been total opposites, while simultaneously one in the same. Show and Tell, by Scott McCloud, discusses this natural connection one makes between language, imagery, and words and the methods through which comic artists express this connection. The piece appears in his graphic essay Understanding Comics, prompted by McCloud’s experience as a comic artist and reader. Show and Tell specifically intends to educate the reader on graphic novels. Exploring various comic styles, demonstrating the connection between words and imagery and their connection to communication/language. To express his purpose the author exercises four primary rhetorical…