Three days after watching The Ed Sullivan Show, my mother told me what my schedule would be for piano lessons and piano practice. She had talked to Mr. Chong, who lived on the first floor of our apartment building. Mr. Chong was a
retired piano teacher and my mother had traded housecleaning services for weekly lessons and a piano for me to
practice on every day, two hours a day, from four until six.
When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I whined and then kicked my foot a little when I
couldn't stand it anymore.
"Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if
you paid me a million dollars!" I cried.
My mother slapped me. "Who ask you to be genius?" she shouted. "Only ask you be your best. For you sake. You
think I want you be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!"
"So ungrateful," I heard her mutter in Chinese. "If she had as much talent as she has temper, she would be famous
now."
Why does Jing-mei refuse to take the piano lessons in the scene above? Think about the context of the scene. You
may need to review the story and your notes on Jing-mei.

Answer and Explanation:

This question is about the short story "Two Kinds", by author Amy Tan.

Jing-mei refuses to take piano lessons in the scene we are analyzing here because she is afraid of failing yet one more time. At first, she too was excited about the idea of being a child prodigy or a genius. She loved the idea of being the object of so much attention. She could see herself being applauded and complimented by her parents and strangers. However, after some failed attempts, it was very clear that Jing-mei was not a genius and not even disciplined enough to get anywhere.

At this point in the story, Jing-mei is tired of trying and disappointing herself and her mother. She has decided to be ordinary, but her mother still seems to have high expectations of her, which only makes Jing-mei even more frustrated.

Read the passage from "Two Kinds.”

Three days after watching The Ed Sullivan Show, my mother told me what my schedule would be for piano lessons and piano practice. She had talked to Mr. Chong, who lived on the first floor of our apartment building. Mr. Chong was a retired piano teacher and my mother had traded housecleaning services for weekly lessons and a piano for me to practice on every day, two hours a day, from four until six.

When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I whined and then kicked my foot a little when I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!" I cried.

My mother slapped me. "Who ask you be genius?" she shouted. "Only ask you be your best. For you sake. You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!"

"So ungrateful," I heard her mutter in Chinese, "If she had as much talent as she has temper, she would be famous now."

Which statement best explains the conflict revealed in the passage?

The conflict is internal within the narrator, who has to choose between playing music and going on television.

The conflict is internal within the narrator’s mother, who cannot decide whether her daughter is talented or not.

The conflict is external and takes place between the narrator’s mother and Mr. Chong over the payment for the narrator’s piano lessons.