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Amy Tan Literary Devices

Decent Essays

The short story “Two Kinds” written by Amy Tan uses many literacy devises in it such as conflict, foil, syntax, point of view, setting, and theme. These literary devices help show the conflict in the story between the daughter and mother and there cultural difference in being Chinese and a Chinese-American. The first two literary devices to talk about go together which are conflict and foil. Conflict being the mother wanting something different then what the daughter wants for herself. Foil going along with that with the mother having a contrast with the main character. The conflict in the story is that her mom thinks since she grows up in America she can be anything she wants and forces her daughter to try and be everything that she wants her to be by what she sees on TV or in a magazine or wherever she sees it. The conflict is that her daughter doesn’t want to be anything her mother wants her to be. This shows the foil in how her mother sees the talent in her daughter and just wants the best for her. On the other hand the daughter doesn’t see the talent in herself which causes the conflict and arguments. …show more content…

She is always going against what her mother wants her to do because her mother sees her opportunity and talent in a different point of view than herself. Going back to the conflict leads to the arguments which shows the literary device syntax. This short story shows syntax in the arguments in how short and to the point they are. The daughter uses this in an argument by saying. “Why don’t you like me the way I am? I’m not a genius! I can’t play the piano.” Using this way of syntax gives the reader a better understanding about the arguments and how the sentences were placed

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