DO NOW What kind of factors go into the decision to obey or to reject the advice offered to us by our parents? Describe a time when you refused to follow the advice of one or both of your parents. Why did it happen? What was the end result? Journal 23

Characterization Characterization is the way in which a writer makes a person in a book, film or play come to life. Class Notes 29

Methods of Characterization A writer uses these methods to create characters. There are 4 methods of characterization: Motives – why someone does something Actions – what a character physically does Dialogue – what a character says or what others say about that character Qualities – what a character looks like; look for physical descriptions

Thank You, Ma’am “Roger looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.” Roger is being characterized by his… “The woman said, “You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?” Mrs. Jones is being characterized by her… “She carried a large purse that had everything in it but hammer and nails. It had a long strap, and she had it slung across her shoulder. It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse.” Mrs. Jones is being characterized by her… “I believe you’re hungry—or been hungry—to try to snatch my pocketbook.” “I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes,” said the boy. Roger is being characterized by…

The Cat in the Hat “But we can have / Lots of fun that is funny!” The Cat is being characterized by his… “So all we could do was to sit! Sit! Sit! Sit! And we did not like it. Not one little bit.” The Cat is being characterized by his… “The cat engages in “UP-UP-UP with a fish” an activity that involves the cat standing on a ball while balancing seven objects.” The Cat is being characterized by his… “The Cat was tall and lean with a striped hat on his head that just about touched the ceiling.” The cat is being described by his…

“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan BACKGROUND During the 1930s and 40s, China was invaded by Japan and racked by political upheavals that led to a bitter civil war. Some Chinese citizens escaped these dangers by emigrating to the US. To many Chinese immigrants, life in the US was so different from life in war-torn China that anything seemed possible.

Parents had high expectations for their children and wanted them to pursue the American dream of success, but without sacrificing the traditional Chinese values of obedience and respect for one’s elders. “Two Kinds” is narrated by a young woman, who like Amy Tan herself, is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant. “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

Words to Know WRITE THESE DOWN! Immigrant - Someone who enters another country to live there permanently Prodigy - A young person who has a great natural ability in a subject or skill

Summary In “Two Kinds” a conflict arises in a Chinese American family when a strong-willed mother bent on seeing her child succeed is confronted by an equally determined daughter, who simply wants to be herself. As her mother pushes her to be a prodigy, Jing-mei is motivated to please her but becomes demoralized and angry after several failures. When her mother signs her up for piano lessons, Jing-mei gives the appearance of going along with her mother’s wishes, but privately she resists and her performance at a local talent show is an embarrassing disaster. At the climax her mother demands that she practice more and Jing-mei rebels lashing out cruelly. Jing-mei clings to the right to fail and be unexceptional until at age thirty, she gratefully accepts the family piano from her mother as a peace offering.

“Two Kinds” by Amy Tan Partner read for the next 40 minutes

After We Read How can you tell that the mother is determined? Why is the narrator so angry with her mother even though her mother works so hard for her? Why might the mother feel she had lost everything? Who is more to blame for Jing-mei’s misery? How is the mother-daughter conflict resolved?