Among the four short stories dealt with in this course, “Two Kinds” appeals to me the most. I shall discuss the reasons in the following paragraphs. One of the aspects in this short story that appeals to me is the characters. I find that Jing-mei in “Two Kinds” is a determined person. I like her determination because she decided not to follow her mother’s rule but to live her own life. This is well portrayed when she starts to disobey her mother who wants her to be a prodigy. At first, she follows her mother’s ways and thoughts without complaining. However, after seeing her mother’s disappointed face for many times, Jing-mei realizes her limitation. “I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” This clearly shows that Jing-mei is trying to resist her mother's domination and control. She wants to be herself and make her own choices. It appeals to me because I believe that in order to achieve success in life, I have to experience things on my own. I would not want to follow the path set by my parents if I myself have no interest at all. Besides, Jing-mei’s mother is also a determined character. I admire her determination in wanting her daughter to have a better life. She has decided that her daughter will be an piano virtuoso, even though Jing-mei has neither talent nor interest in playing the instrument. She makes Jing-mei take lessons and practice faithfully. “Only ask you be your best. For your sake. You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!” This tells us the real purpose and desire of the mother. It appeals to me as it reminds me of my parents who wants me not to be the only one but the better one. I could understand that every parent has the same concern for their children. “Two Kinds” focuses on the theme: the American Dream. ‘Like many immigrants, Jing-mei’s mother believes in America's promise. With hard work and a little luck, Jing-mei can