amy tan Essay - 1307 Words

Amy Tan’s â€Å"Two Kinds† is an autobiographical look into her childhood that shows the conflict between Tan and her mother, the difference between old and new cultures, the past and the present, and parents’ expectations vs. reality. Couples of opposing elements comprise the basis of the entire story; to another extent even the title itself, â€Å"Two Kinds,† shows the friction that Tan creates. The strongest argument that Tan suggest is that this may not only be a look into her own life, rather it may be the struggles that every child and parent goes through as they come into age. As the story advances, Tan’s journey of struggle through the relationship with her overbearing mother is unraveled. A sense of emotional growth and mutual respect can†¦show more content†¦Such a sad, ugly girl! I made high - pitched noises like a crazed animal, trying to scratch out the face in the mirror.† Tan expresses these emotions, as she is upset wi th not being as good as her mother is expecting. Her mother makes her feel as if she is not as good as she should be, though this strong attack maybe as simple as a failed attempt of Tan’s mother trying to make her realize that she is not fulfilling her own potential. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The most important parts of the story come in regards to the piano lessons that Tan is â€Å"forced† into taking. During the course of the piano lessons Tan and her mother unleash their vented emotions in a strong exchange quot;Why dont you like me the way I am?quot; I cried. quot;Im not a genius! I cant play the piano. Mother slapped me. quot;Who ask you to be genius?quot; she shouted. quot;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,quot; This strong exchange is large basis for argument of the misinterpreted attempts of each character. Tan herself is only trying to be do her best as her mother wants, even though her mother thinks that she is not trying as much as she really can. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The next largeShow MoreRelatedAmy Tan Essay1532 Words   |  7 Pages Amy Tan Amy Tan was born in 1952, in Oakland, California to Chinese immigrants John and Daisy Tan. Her family eventually settled in Santa Clara. When Tan was in her early teens, her father and one of her brothers died of brain tumors within months of each other. During this period Tan learned that her mother had been married before, to an abusive husband in China. After divorcing him, her mother fled China during the Communist takeover, leaving three daughters behind who she wouldRead MoreFish Cheeks By Amy Tan958 Words   |  4 PagesAmy Tan’s short story, Fish Cheeks, outlines the general idea of self-acceptance. As the narrator, fourteen year old Tan declares her love for her minister’s son, Robert, who unlike herself, is â€Å"as white as Mary in the manger† (Tan 1). This crush is anything but healthy, primarily because Tan is reluctant to reveal her true self to him. This hesitance she portrays is strikingly recognizable in the teenagers of today’s world. A my Tan s story, Fish Cheeks, is significant to the adolescents of todayRead MoreAmy Tan: A Brief Biography757 Words   |  3 PagesAmy Tan is an American Chinese writer most notably known for her critically acclaimed novel The Joy Luck Club, amongst many others. Amy Ruth Tan was born on February 19, 1952, in Oakland California to John and Daisy Tan. Both of Amy’s parents were Chinese immigrants who fled from China to escape hardships. Amy’s mother, Daisy, divorced her abusive husband and left behind three daughters before immigrating to the United States and marrying Amy’s father, John. The marriage produced three children,Read MoreThe Age Of Six, By Amy Tan1816 Words   |  8 PagesAmy Tan, a 64 year-old Chinese-American novelist, believed that her life was tough and horrendous as a child. She said, â€Å"‘I remember that starting at the age of six, I had thoughts of suicide†¦The fact that I had those thoughts when I was very young was an indicati on that I was a very gloomy kid. I had some ways of thinking that were not healthy,’† (â€Å"Interview† 2). Her thoughts of wanting to disappear from the world were due to her roots, which were planted in a miserable family history, a hard, strictRead More`` Two Kinds By Amy Tan1460 Words   |  6 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Two Kinds† by Amy Tan is a story that shows a battle that starts with the narrator and her mother, for control over the narrator’s life. Her mother wanted her to become a prodigy, but she wanted to be anything other than that. So, throughout the short story â€Å"Two Kinds† she’s determined to not quit the fight. â€Å"Two Kinds† is filled with different forms of conflict which allows for the narrator to realize that her mother’s crazy antics were to help her find what she was good at. Which leadsRead MoreA Pair Of Tickets By Amy Tan1651 Words   |  7 Pages A Pair of Tickets Amy Tan was Chinese –American, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants. Amy didn’t set out to be a writer, but she loved writing. When she wrote the Joy Luck Club, it was about stories from four different families that met every week and played mahjong, ate Chinese food, and told stories. Amy didn’t realize how much of these stories she absorbed growing up. Amy never set out to write about her own life, but when she began writing, she realized she had unconscientiously subsumedRead MoreThe Joy Luck Club By Amy Tan1192 Words   |  5 Pages(H) The life of women has drastically changed throughout the ages. (CIS) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan portrays life in America and in China in the 1930’s for women. (GS1) When stories are true, there is more power behind them. (GS2) Novels need accuracy for the book to have feeling. (GS3) A rave-worthy novel needs truth to really draw the reader in. (thesis) Author Amy Tan accurately portrays life for Chinese women i n the 1930’s and it enhances the power of the novel because the stories have trueRead MoreThe Two Kinds By Amy Tan1272 Words   |  6 Pagesrepresenting 11% of the national population. The children of such immigrants in the U.S., also known as second generation immigrants, experience a cultural conflict between that of their parents and that of mainstream U.S. society† (Wikipedia 1). Amy Tan the author of â€Å"Two Kinds†, and the young character in the story both are a second generation immigrants, who have struggled in their life with parents, about the culture they assimilating and their real culture. In the â€Å"Two Kinds† story the authorRead MoreAmy Tan s Two Kinds Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesJing-Mei Woo and her mother are the major characters in Amy Tan’s â€Å"Two Kinds.† The two have a complicated mother-daughter relationship at the beginning of the story, but later, as an adult, Jing-Mei realizes the intentions of her mother. â€Å"Two Kinds† is told from Jing-Mei’s point of view as a mature adult who is reflecting on her childhood. Jing-Mei’s thoughts and feelings are revealed, but she and her mother, the antagonist, have conflictingly opposite desires. Jing-Mei’s mother desires for herRead MoreTwo Kinds by Amy Tan Essay981 Words   |  4 Pages In the short story, Two Kinds by Amy Tan, a Chinese mother and daughter are at odds with each other. The mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, while the daughter (like most children with immigrant parents) seeks to find herself in a world that demands her America nization. This is the theme of the story, conflicting values. In a society that values individuality, the daughter sought to be an individual, while her mother demanded she do what was suggested. This is a conflict within

Discrimination Is An Illegal Act - 1660 Words

Discrimination is an illegal act that happens in Corporate America every day. Workplace discrimination can result from unfair treatment because of an employee’s race, disability, gender, ethnicity, national origin and sexuality. The Workplace Discrimination Prevention Manual is a guide that helps identify and prevent common types of workplace discrimination. The Prevention manual gives an overview of employment discrimination laws and tips on how managers can identify common biased behaviors. Being able to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors are key to a manager’s success. Successful managers understand that discrimination is not always illegal. There is no illegal activity when employees base decisions off characteristics pertaining to job performance and a person-organization/job fit. Employers can also select candidates from standardized testing because there is less flexibility and the numbers are extremely accurate. When giving an employment test managers should make sure everything is even and the data or questions are not flawed. Flawed data can cause biased results which ultimately can lead to hiring the wrong person or maybe the managers pick because his choice is not actually qualified for the job. Illegal discrimination occurs when managers fail to hire, promote, demote or fire an employee because of characteristics they cannot change. Employees have a hard time proving discrimination in the workplace because sometimes managers show noShow MoreRelatedEthics of Workplace Discrimination Essay1434 Words   |  6 PagesWorkplace ethics are standards or codes that determines right and wrong moral behavior in the work environment. Discrimination is defined as â€Å"the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.† (Oxford Dictionary) Workplace discrimination deals with issues such as religion, race, gender, disability, age, and sexual orientation. Covering all of these issues is beyond the scope of this paper, therefore, I will focus onRead MoreWorkplace Discrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1588 Words   |  7 Pagestreat others with prejudice because of particular features they possess. Unfortunately, prejudice and discrimination occur even in places which, by definition, should be free of all personal prejudices – specifically, in offices and other business surroundings. This tragedy is called workplace discrimination; not every unfair behavior at work, however, can be assessed as discrimination. Discrimination in the workplace happens when an employee experiences unfair treatment due to their race, gender, ageRead MoreDiscrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1169 Words   |  5 PagesII 10/5/2017 Discrimination Of People in the Workplace Does Discrimination still exist in the work environment? You bet. This paper focuses on discrimination laws that help women and men, who are treated differently because of their sexuality, race, religion and gender identity. Federal and State laws forbid discrimination against race, religion, sexual orientation, sex, and gender identity even though it still happens to many people. (Employment Law Handbook. (n.d.).) Discrimination Laws OrganizationsRead MoreThe Civil Right Act Of 19641134 Words   |  5 Pagesand contrast several discrimination laws from the perspective of the federal government and that of the state of Texas. Following are the Federal and Texas laws that this paper will detail: †¢ The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 †¢ The Civil Right Act of 1964 †¢ The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 †¢ Fair Labor Standards Act †¢ Occupational Safety and Health Act †¢ The Texas Labor Code Anti-Discrimination Provisions †¢ The Texas Commission on Human Rights Act †¢ The Texas MinimumRead MoreRacial Diversity705 Words   |  3 Pagesthrough rule and indoctrination. In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? According to Laws Enforced By Eeoc there are quite a few laws that are put in place to ensure that states follow and enforce discrimination. An example is Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a disability in the privateRead More National Identity Cards Essay614 Words   |  3 Pageslots of frequently ask question about nation General confirmed the black market in phony driver’s licenses exist in that state.† National ID card, I myself believe that national ID card will not only not stop terrorism, illegal immigrants but also create a form of discrimination and increase ID fraud. First, national ID card will not stop terrorism. The new national ID card will contain lots of personal information. Every tine we use the card, the information will appear in theRead MoreThe Issues Of Human Resource Personnel Essay1262 Words   |  6 Pages or even general perception of the company to the public a business is subject to laws that dictate what it can and cannot do in the course of doing business. Although many people are aware that some laws exist in regards to Civil Rights, Age Discrimination, and Equal Pay they may not know the specifics of the law or the consequences of non-compliance. Just like a company needs experts like accountants to manage the money or Quality Assurance departments to ensure a product is produced; this lackRead MoreIllegal Immigrants: The Bad, The Ugly, and The Worst Essay897 Words   |  4 PagesIllegal Immigration is â€Å"the migration of people across national borders, or the residence of foreign nationals in a country, in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country.† (Google). Illegal immigrants are people that cross into boarders illegally. For immigrants trying to come to America, most of them resort to trying to cross the border illegally. They risk getting caught, bad conditions, and some even risk going through the Sonoran Desert. There is no boarder control aroundRead MoreWhen People Think Of Discrimination, They Tend To Think1254 Words   |  6 Pagespeople think of discrimination, they tend to think back to older times of slavery, racism, and an underdeveloped country. Sadly, discrimination actual plays a large role in the workplace of today. Discrimination is defined as â€Å"treating a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their skin color, sex, sexuality, etc.† according to the Cambridge Dictionary (Cambridge University Press 1). Discrimination comes in ma nyRead MoreDiscrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1513 Words   |  7 PagesDiscrimination In today s lesson, you will be learning about discrimination. First off, you have 30 seconds to think of any reasons why discrimination may occur: Write your answers the text box below: Discrimination: Occurs when a person is subject to unfair treatment, based upon a characteristic that is considered to be abnormal, in association with certain individuals or groups, lifestyle choices, or a personal circumstance that is not desired in the workplace. What laws cover non-discrimination

A Birthday - Imagery and Symbolism free essay sample

The imagery used in the first stanza draws on familiar natural objects but can also be read at another level in the light of Rossetti’s knowledge of the Bible. In the second verse, the focus is on artificial objects hung, carved and worked by human hands. Various images in this verse demonstrate an awareness of traditional Christian art, as well as reflecting and celebrating human creativity. A singing bird To a ‘singing bird’ (line 1), vocal expression is as natural as breathing. By speaking of her ‘heart’ in these terms, the speaker indicates that her song forms a natural part of herself and is an overflow of her identity. The image of the singing bird is one which is often used in Romantic poetry. William Wordsworth emphasised the importance of expressing natural feelings when he argued that it was his intention to create a poetry which was a ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’. (See Literary context gt; Romantic poetry). A watered shoot By having a ‘nest’ in a ‘watered shoot’ (line 2), the speaker suggests that the sustenance upon which she can live and rest has been provided: †¢The word shoot alludes to the first stages of growth of a plant as it emerges from the ground. By describing a shoot as ‘well watered’, the poem conveys ideas of lushness and fertility. However, rather than making a nest in a full grown tree, by making it in a shoot, the singing bird remains in a place of fragility, since it is easy to uproot or destroy a shoot †¢The idea of being watered has biblical connotations. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the believers in Jerusalem are encouraged by God’s promise that he will guide them and provide for their needs: The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs †¦ You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 TNIV An apple tree The image of the ‘apple tree / Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit’ (lines 3-4) would be a familiar sight in an age more in touch with its agricultural roots than today †¢It recalls the imagery in Keats’ Ode to Autumn. This begins by describing fruit ripe and ready on apple trees: Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round he thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the mossd cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; †¢Mention of apples might also lead Rossetti’s readers to think of the accounts of the first humans in the Garden of Eden before the Fall where they lived in perfect peace with nature and one another. It is also likely that Rossetti is alluding to the biblical concept of the Tree of Life. The writer of the Old Testament book Proverbs, declares that those who ‘lay hold’ of this tree ‘will be blessed’ (Proverbs 3:18). Rainbow †¦ halcyon By speaking of her heart as a ‘rainbow shell / That paddles in a halcyon sea’ (lines 5-6), the speaker provides an image of exuberant colour drifting at ease in tranquil waters. †¢According to the Bible, the image of the rainbow refers to the fulfilment of God’s promises, when God helped Noah to escape the flood which wiped out the known world. He then set a rainbow in the sky as a promise that never again would such an event occur (Genesis 19:3) ? It is possible that the speaker perceives that God’s promises are being fulfilled in her life and wants to celebrate this †¢The term ‘halcyon’ comes from the Greek myth of a bird (possibly a kingfisher) which was said to breed about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea. According to ancient writers, it charmed the wind and waves so that the sea was especially calm during the period. For English readers, the phrase ‘halcyon days’ was associated with ideas of joy, prosperity and tranquillity ? The poem’s speaker uses the image of the halcyon sea to indicate the deep comfort and rest she has found. By ending the first verse with the declaration that her ‘heart is gladder than all these’ (line 7), the speaker indicates that descriptions of the natural world are incapable of fully expressing her exubera nt emotional state. Pathetic fallacy The speaker of A Birthday uses the technique of pathetic fallacy when she gives emotions to the ‘apple tree’ full of fruit and the ‘rainbow shell’. This is the treatment of inanimate objects, such as trees and houses, as if they had human feelings, thought or sensations. The term was invented by critic John Ruskin in 1856 when he wrote that the aim of the pathetic fallacy was ‘to signify any description of inanimate natural objects that ascribes to them human capabilities, sensations and emotions’. The Temple Rossetti draws on the imagery used in the Old Testament to discuss the Temple which symbolised God’s presence with his people. For the Jews in the Old Testament, the Temple was the place where they met with God. A Birthday mentions purple hangings, carved fruit and statues of animals, which all figure in the descriptions of Solomon’s Temple given in 1 Kings 6:14, 1 Kings 6:18, 1 Kings 6:29 and 2 Chronicles 3:14 and 2 Chronicles 3:16. More on the Temple: In the teachings of the early church, recounted in the New Testament, the idea of God’s Temple shifts in meaning. Christians generally understand this Temple to be a model of an individual’s heart, where God communicates with the human soul. This understanding comes from the New Testament teaching that every Christian believer is understood as a temple in which the Holy Spirit can dwell. A Dais The word ‘dais’ (line 9) indicates a raised platform. The speaker seems to envisage a structure built in celebration of the return of her love. The ‘silk and down’ from which it is made are materials of softness and luxury, as well as conveying lightness, which adds to the sense of uplifting that the poem conveys †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœDais’ is also a word commonly associated with the raised part of a church upon which the altar and communion table are placed. Rossetti attended a high Anglican church (see Religious / philosophical context gt; Tractarianism) which emphasised the significance and symbolism of the structure of the church building and would have undoubtedly made use of a dais. Royalty and nobility The imagery of ‘vair’, ‘purple’, ‘gold’, ‘silver’ and ‘fleur-de-lys’ (line 10) is imagery traditionally associated with royalty and nobility †¢Ã¢â‚¬Ëœvair’ is an expensive fur obtained from a variety of squirrel with a grey back and white belly. It was often used in the 13th and 14th centuries as a trimming or lining for garments and is associated with heraldry †¢The dye used to create purple tones was so expensive it was only available to the rich and therefore, became a colour associated with royalty †¢Precious metals are associated with crowns and other regalia †¢The fleur–de-lys is a heraldic symbol derived from the lily. It was often engraved on the armour of royalty. Birds Following the description of the singing bird in the first verse, the second alludes to representation of doves and peacocks on the dais. †¢Doves are used in the Bible to represent: ? Reconciliation and peace. This arises from the story of Noah, when a dove sent out from the Ark returns with an olive leaf in its beak, signifying that the storm / flood was over (Genesis 8:11) ? The Holy Spirit, as at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16) †¢The description of ‘peacocks with a hundred eyes’ (line 12) corresponds to a traditional and mythical understanding of the bird as a symbol of all-seeing God. Investigating imagery and symbolism †¢List the imagery the speaker uses throughout the poem ?Why do you think that she moves from describing the natural world to objects that have been man-made? †¢What ambiguous aspects are there in the imagery described? Do you think that the symbolism that is drawn upon adequately reflects the speaker’s joy? ?What images would you use to reflect a state of joy you were feeling? ?Do these images correspond to any in the poem? Themes Self-expression and the natural world A Birthday is concerned with natural and spontaneous expression through song or poetry, beginning with the image of the ‘singing bird’ (l. 1). Poetry provides a natural outlet for the speaker’s emotions. Memory and forgetfulness Memory is a sustaining force in this poem. In A Birthday, the speaker’s joy in the arrival in her love is bound up in the memory of what he means or has meant to her. This hints at the notion that identity is founded upon memory and that self-awareness is constructed by the remembrance of a former self. Earthly life and ‘life after life’ The images of new life in the natural world in A Birthday can be seen to allude to new life after death. Investigating themes †¢List all the allusions to the natural world that the poem makes ? How do these allusions correspond to the speaker’s emotional state? ?What do they reveal about the purpose of the poem? ?What do they reveal about the identity of the speaker?

How I Met My Husband free essay sample

The story of â€Å"How I Met My Husband† by Alice Munro (1974), is a story about a young naive farm girl that had very little education or money, she was hired as a worker for a wealthy family. She finds love where and when she least expected to, all the while she was maturing into a lady. Edie get her first encounter with men and romance. The story is told in first person point of view, through the eyes of Edie and in some points in the story it is a more mature Edie telling the story. Edie is a fifteen year old girl that did not fare very well in school, so her parents decided to take her out of school after she finished the last in the class. Edie went to for Dr. and Mrs. Pebbles where she took care of the two children and cared for the home and the cooking. We will write a custom essay sample on How I Met My Husband or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The plot is the dynamic element in fiction, a sequence if interrelated, conflicting actions and events that typically build to a climax and bring about a resolution (Clugston, 2010). The plot in â€Å"How I Meet My Husband† is how a young innocent farm girl waiting for a gypsy pilot to write her a letter. She never hears from him again but still manages to find love while maturing and learning a life lesson. The plot seems to thicken when Alice Kelling showed up, who was the finance of the gypsy pilot (p. 94). I found the symbols in the story â€Å"How I Met My Husband† (Munro, 1974) to stand out very well. The first few paragraphs talk about the plane landing and the kids getting excited because they have never seen a plane close us. They also state the plane is red and silver and red symbolizes passion and danger according to our text book (Clugston, 2010). The story quickly changes. â€Å"All right,† said Mrs. Peebles, snappy as she always was when she got on her nerves. â€Å"Let’s go back in the house. Let’s not stand here gawking like a set of farmers (p. 6). † In paragraph 26 Edie talks about the light, how she loved the light and that the kitchen was not as dark and dingy has the one that she was used to. To me this symbolized that she was learning and growing into a young woman. Edie also speaks about the bathroom, the pink flamingoes, the warmth and softness of the mat, to me that symbolized happiness. â€Å"I put on rouge and lip stick and eyebrow pencil for her dresser. † That symbolizes excitement, growth, and beauty all of which Edie was feeling at that present moment (p. 31). The tone in the story â€Å"How I Meet My Husband† (Munro, 1974) changes all the way though. In the first few paragraphs, the tone is excitement, everyone is excited to see the plan land as they have never seen one that close before. In paragraph 6 the tone seems to change more to a dramatic tone, Mrs. Peebles is getting snappy with Edie, and Loretta Bird is being disrespectful (p6). When Loretta Bird arrives, Edie shows some prejudice, she speaks about what the Peebles thought about Loretta Bird â€Å"was a country woman† and that her husband was known for being a drinker and how they could not get credit at the â€Å"HiWay Grocery Store† (10). Loretta Bird states â€Å"People are going to be coming out her in their cars raising dust and trampling your property, if I was you I would complain† the tone changed there to a more annoyed character (p. 20). The theme of the story â€Å"How I Met My Husband† starts out as secrecy but then takes a twist to a love and heartbreak. Edie starts out succeeding at her job with the Peebles because she hides information from them. â€Å"The only thing that I didn’t like about working there, in fact, was feeling half hungry a lot of the time. † â€Å"I used to bring back a box of doughnuts made at home, and hide them under my bed. † â€Å"The children found out and I didn’t mind sharing, bit I thought I better bind them to secrecy (p. 26)†. Edie also shows secrecy again â€Å"I was disappointed to see no wedding dress (p. 30)†. The story takes a turn to a love story when Chris says to Edie â€Å"Well, I just wanted to tell you you look very nice. I was so surprised when I looked in the door and saw you. Just because you looked so nice and beautiful (p. 45). † The story becomes more of an intense love story when Chris put the cake away carefully and sat besides Edie and started kissing her all over her face, neck, eyelids, and neck. Chris wanted it to be a nice long time of saying good bye. â€Å"When we said good-bye I wasn’t all that sad, because he held my face and said, â€Å"I’m going to write you a letter. † This is where the story theme turns to heartbreak; Edie goes to the mailbox for what seems years waiting for the letter to come from Chris. â€Å"No letter was ever going to come (p. 199)†. In conclusion life has many twists and turns and you never know where they might lead you. In this story Edie thought she found her true love and she wasted so much time waiting for Chris to just write her the letter that she did not even realize the mailman was interested in her. If Edie would not have waited for the letter she may not have ever found her true love.