Transformation into Two Types of Femininity For many of us growing up, our mothers were an integral part of what made us who we are. They were the ones who forgave us when no one else could. They were the ones who consoled us when the world seemed to be turning towards evil. They were the ones who sheltered us when it rained heavily. And most importantly, they were the ones who loved us when we needed it most. In "Two Kinds," by Amy Tan, Jing-mei is a young daughter of a Chinese immigrant. Growing up she had to endure being raised by an overbearing mother and deal with psychological struggles within herself. She had to learn to become a woman on her own terms. Throughout the story, her mother repeatedly pressures Jing-mei to become something she is not. He wants Jing-mei to somehow become a child prodigy. He has such high hopes for his daughter that he doesn't realize the amount of heartache he causes Jing-mei. Like all good mothers, she only wants the best for her child. Since immigrating to America, she believes that anything can be accomplished and uses her daughter as an outlet to prove it. He continually subjects Jing-mei to numerous tests to memorize Bible passages and capital letters, and eventually forces her to take piano lessons, which become the centerpiece of his "perfect daughter" determination. Jing-mei reacts extremely negatively to this pressure. This is only exemplified when he states, "'I won't let her change me, I promised myself. I won't be what I'm not." She is forced to take a stand against her mother mainly because she doesn't want to be forced to become something she isn't. Jing-mei feels that she must become her true self, a person who she feels her mother will not be able to determine for her. Jing-mei feels uncomfortable with her mother putting so much pressure on her. He is in a constant struggle within himself to discover who he really is. She is constantly wracked by conflicting feelings of wanting to become herself and making her mother proud. However, as time passes it proves better to go against the grain, to go against her mother's wishes. "And after seeing my mother's disappointed face again, something inside me began to die.