Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Unit 1
Title: Two Kinds from the Joy Luck Club
Suggested Time:

2-3 days (45 minutes per day)

Common Core ELA Standards: RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.7.10, W.7.1, W.7.4, W.7.9,
SL.7.1, L.7.1, L.7.2

Teacher Instructions
Preparing for Teaching
1. Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students.
This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key understanding that students should take
away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings
Two Kinds addresses the question almost everyone has while growing up; Who am I? This quest for
self-identity is often discovered through struggles for independence.
Synopsis
This is a story of an American-born Chinese daughter, her immigrant mother and their very different
beliefs and hopes. The daughter struggles to conform to, and then break free of the American
Dream expectations of her demanding mother by clinging to her right to be herself, even in the
face of failing and disappointing, shaming and hurting her parents. Years later, the daughter finally
accepts herself the way she is despite her mothers efforts to push her beyond her abilities, or at
least beyond her wishes.
2. Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

3. Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Tier
II/academic vocabulary.

During Teaching
1. Students read the entire selection independently.
2. Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along or students take turns reading aloud to each
other. Depending on the text length and student need, the teacher may choose to read the full text or a
passage aloud. For a particularly complex text, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1
and 2.
3. Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions,
continually returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to structure the reading and
discussion (i.e., whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent written response, group work,
etc.)

Text Dependent Questions

Text-dependent Questions
1. In the beginning of the story, how did the beliefs and
hopes of Jing-meis mother contribute to her desire to
see her daughter succeed?
Cite details from the text to support your answer.
(p. 17)
2. The narrator says the mother never looked back
with regret. There were so many ways for things to get
better. What does this indicate about the character of
the mother? (pg. 17)

Evidence-based Answers
Because Jing-meis mother believed you could be
anything you wanted to be in America, she had high
expectations of her daughter. The mother believed you
could open a restaurant, work for the government, become
rich or instantly famous. She felt her daughter could be a
prodigy. When Jing-mei was 9 years old, her mother told
her you can be best anything.
Jing-meis mother is a strong character, full of hope and
longing for a better life in America. When Jing-mei says
that America was where all my mothers hopes lay, she is
referring to her mothers wish for a new start. After the
mother lost everything in China before immigrating to
America, her mother and father, her family home, her first

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

3. Jing-mei stated, I was filled with a sense that I would

soon become perfect. My mother and father would
adore me. Later on she says, I had new thoughts.I
wont let her change meI wont be what Im not.
How did Jing-meis point of view about being a
prodigy change from page 18 to 19? What happened
to instigate this change in Jing-meis feelings?

4. The last paragraph in section one on page 18 says,

But sometimes the prodigy in me became impatient.
If you dont hurry up and get me out of here, Im
disappearing for good, it warned. Why did the author
choose the word warned and not another word like,
said? What is the effect of this particular word? How
would the meaning of the paragraph be affected if the
narrator used the word said instead?
5. What did Jing-mei find out about her piano teacher
and how did that affect her efforts at playing the piano?

Grade:7

husband, and two daughters, twin baby girls, she is

determined to leave the past misfortunes behind her and
concentrate on rebuilding her life. America represents a
new life with ample opportunity for success. She is
determined to make Jing-mei become a prodigy and live
the American dream.
At first, Jing-mei was just as excited as her mother as she
pictured this prodigy part of her as many different
images, trying each one on for size. Jing-mei was curious
about being a child prodigy. She was filled with a sense
that she would soon become perfect. Her mother and
father would adore her. Jing-meis mother presented her
with new tests, taking her examples from stories of
amazing children As the tests got harder, Jing-mei
was not successful and after seeing her mothers
disappointed face once again, something inside of Jing-mei
began to die. She was struggling with the raised hopes
and failed expectations that accompanied each test. Jingmei came to the realization that she is may not be a
prodigy, I looked in the mirrorand when I saw only my
face staring back and that it would always be this
ordinary face. As she looked deeper, she saw what
seemed to be the prodigy sideangry and powerful. At
that moment, Jing-mei had new thoughtsI wont let her
change meI wont be what Im not.
The word warned foretells a negative event, while said
would be a more neutral word.

Jing-mei found out that her piano teacher was deaf and his
eyes were too slow to keep up with the wrong notes.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

(pg. 22)

Knowing this, Jing-mei was not motivated to learn, I could

be lazy and get away with mistakesI never corrected
myself. She felt that she never really gave herself a fair
chanceI was so determined not to try.

6. How did Auntie Lindo quietly insult Jing-meis mother

on page 23? How does Mother respond? How did Jingmei respond to this exchange between her Mother and
Auntie Lindo?

Auntie Lindo was bragging about her daughters successes

in playing chess. All day long she play chess. All day long
I have no time do nothing but dust off her winnings.
Auntie Lindo continues to boast by saying, You lucky you
dont have this problem.
Jing-meis mother responded by bragging about Jing-meis
talent for music, she hear nothing but music. Its like
you cant stop this natural talent.
After hearing the exchange between Auntie Lindo and her
mother, Jing-mei decided that she would put a stop to her
mothers foolish pride indicating that she was going to
make an effort to silence her mothers bragging.

7. How did Jing-mei feel after her debut at the talent

show? Cite evidence from the text to support your
answer. (pages 24-25)

When Jing-mei finished playing, she wasnt quite sure what

the audience thought about her performance. However,
the weak clapping from the audience and her mothers
stricken face caused her to feel embarrassed and
ashamed. her mothers expression was what
devastated her. Jing-mei felt her whole face quivering as
she held back the tears. Her description of her mothers
eyes burning into her back indicates that Jing-mei could
sense her mothers strong disappointment. However, Jingmei still begrudges her mother and believes her mother is
to blame for the fiasco.

8. On page 25, Jing-mei states, and now I felt

stronger, as if my true self had finally emerged. So this
was what had been inside me all along. What did Jingmei mean?

Although Jing-mei had resisted her mother before, this time

she feels stronger. She seems to have had enough of her
mothers persistence in making her do things she doesnt
want to do. Jing-mei states, And then I decided. I didnt
have to do what my mother said anymore. At this point,

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Jing-mei is finding the courage to let her true feelings out.

9. Describe the kinds of daughters the mother was

referring to on page 26. What evidence indicates
mothers preference?

Mother stated, only two kinds of daughters. Those who

are obedient and those who follow their own mind!
Mother indicates her preference by saying only one kind
of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!

10. On page 26, Jing-mei stated, this awful side of me

had surfaced.
What details from the text support this statement?

Jing-mei shouts and says hurtful words to her mother such

as, Then, I wish I wasnt your daughter and I wish you
werent my mother. She says, It felt like worms and
toads and slimy things crawling out of my chest, but it also
felt good. Jing-mei wanted to see her mothers anger spill
over by bringing up the babies that were never talked
about. Jing-mei shouted, I wish Id never been born. I
wish I were dead! Like them!
These were the most hurtful words Jing-mei could have
used because her mothers face went blank, her mouth
closed, her arms went slack, and she backed out of the
room, stunned, as if she were blowing away like a small
brown leaf, thin, brittle, lifeless.

11. What is Mothers reaction to the magic words on

page 26?

She reacted this way because Jing-mei brought up painful

memories of a past full of sorrow and disgrace that were
left behind in China.

12. What does Jing-meis thirtieth birthday gift from her

mother represent? Use a quote from the story to justify
your answer. (page 26)

13. What is significant about the pieces that Jing-mei

Mother never talked about the disaster at the recital or

my terrible accusations afterward again.
Jing-meis thirtieth birthday gift was the piano. She saw
the offer as a sign of forgiveness, a tremendous burden
removed.
The piano represents reconciliation between mother and
daughter. Jing-mei took it as a sign of acceptance and she
later realized that her mother had never given up on her.
For the first time, Jing-mei discovered that the dark little

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

discovered? (page 28)

Grade:7

piece she had played at the recital, Pleading Child, was

accompanied by another piece, Perfectly Contented.
These two pieces, while one slow and the other fast,
turned out to be two halves of the same song. The pieces
also describe Jing-meis life. Once the pleading child, she
has now made peace with her mother she is perfectly
content.

Tier II/Academic Vocabulary

These words require less time to learn

These words require more time to learn

(They are concrete or describe an object/event/

process/characteristic that is familiar to students)

(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, are a part

of a word family, or are likely to appear again in future texts)

providedMeaning needs to be from contextMeaning can be learned

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Page 17 pursing, instantly, tricky, flooded

Page 18 dainty, lamented, assortment,
remarkable
Page 19 listlessly, crazed, expectations
Page 20 mesmerizing, encore, modest
Page 21 mutter
Page 22 - discordant
Page 23 pranced, scolding
Page 25 accusations, budge, nonchalantly
Page 26 unchecked
Page 28 - lighter

Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page

18
21
22
23
24
25
26
27

reproach, indignity
- sake
conduct, scale, reverie, preludes
conspired, piece
anchored, quivering
vaguely, heaving
snapped
- richer

Page
Page
Page
Page

Page
Page
Page
Page
Page
Page

19
20
24
25
26
27

- bellows
frenzied, reams
- bewitched
- honorable mention
brittle, sense
- sentimental

18
19
23
25

emerged, sulk,
propped
fiasco, dawdled, snotty, squared
- gawkers

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Culminating Writing Task for Two Kinds

Prompt
Two Kinds from the Joy Luck Club is about coming of age and finding ones identity. Jing-meis
mother and Jing-mei had different views on what was best for Jing-meis education and studies to help
Jing-mei come of age and find her identity. Based on your understanding of the selection, do you agree
with Jing-meis sentiments or her mothers choices for Jing-mei? Write a clear and concise argument
supporting one characters point of view. Who has more valid reasoningthe mother or the daughter?
Use the Evidence Chart below to help you organize your support, which must be based primarily on the
text. Be sure to include page numbers.

Teacher Instructions
1. Students identify their writing task from the prompt provided.
2. Students complete an evidence chart as a pre-writing activity. Teachers should remind students to
use any relevant notes they compiled while reading and answering the text-dependent questions.

I support _____the mothers____ point of view.

Evidence
Quote or paraphrase

My mother believed you could be anything you

wanted to be in America.America was where all my
mothers hopes lay. She had come here in 1949 after
losing everything in China: her mother and father,
her family home, her first husband, and two
daughters, twin baby girls. But she never looked
back. There were many ways for things to get
better.

Page
numb
er

17

Elaboration / explanation of how this

evidence supports ideas or argument
The mother has good reason to feel like she does,
because of what she went through. Im sure she
does not want the same heartache for her
daughter Jing-mei. The mother believes that in
America, her daughter will have more choices
and opportunities than the mother had growing
up and wants to give her daughter those
opportunities.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Wed watch Shirleys old movies on TV as though
they were training films.
Soon after my mother got this idea about Shirley
Temple, she took me to a beauty training school

Every night after dinner, my mother and I would sit

at the Formica kitchen table. She would present new
testsfrom stories of amazing children she had read
in Ripleys Believe It or Notand a dozen other
magazines she kept in a pile in our bathroom. My
mother got these magazines from people whose
houses she cleanedShe would look through them
all, searching for stories about remarkable children.

and my mother traded housecleaning services for

weekly lessons and a piano for me to practice every
day
Who ask you be genius? Only ask you be your
best. for you sake.

17-18

18

20

21

Grade:7

Jing-meis mother wanted her to be a successful

child star. So, they watched movies and
television shows to help prepare her for stardom.
Her mother tried to help her look the part by
taking her to the beauty school.
Jing-meis mother picks American magazines for
the quizzes for her daughter maybe because they
represent the American Dream. Maybe she thinks
of the people who employ her to clean their
houses as having achieved the American Dream,
so the quizzes from the magazines will help put
her daughter closer to the same achievement.
Also, the fact that she cleans houses may be
even more of a reason to push Jing-mei to be
successful, since most parents say they want
their children to have better than what the
parents had.
The mother has sacrificed to provide lessons for
her daughter.
The mother wants the best for Jing-mei, not for
herself. She even says its for her sake (Jingmeis)

Only two kinds of daughters She shouted in

Chinese. Those who are obedient and those who
follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can
live in this house. Obedient daughter!

26

The mother is still trying to provide opportunities

for Jing-mei by continuing piano lessons, even
after Jing-mei performed poorly at her recital in
front of friends and family, but Jing-mei has
become rebellious and refuses.

You have natural talent. You could been genius if

you want to.

27

Jing-meis mother never stopped believing that

Jing-mei was talented.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

3. Once students have completed the evidence chart, they should look back at the writing prompt in
order to remind themselves what kind of response they are writing (i.e. expository, analytical,
argumentative) and think about the evidence they found. (Depending on the grade level, teachers
may want to review students evidence charts in some way to ensure accuracy.) From here,
students should develop a specific thesis statement. This could be done independently, with a
partner, small group, or the entire class. Consider directing students to the following sites to learn
more about thesis statements: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/ OR
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/ thesis_statement.shtml.
4. Students compose a rough draft. With regard to grade level and student ability, teachers should
decide how much scaffolding they will provide during this process (i.e. modeling, showing

example pieces, and sharing work as students go).

5. Students complete final draft.
Sample Answer
Jing-meis mother is correct in her belief that anyone can be anything he or she wants to be,

especially in America. People from all over the world come here for that same reason. She believes firmly
in the American Dream, since she has survived her own Chinese nightmare: My mother believed you
could be anything you wanted to be in AmericaAmerica was where all my mothers hopes lay. She had
come here in 1949 after losing everything in China: her mother and father, her family home, her first
husband, and two daughters, twin baby girlsThere were many ways for things to get better. (p. 17) Jingmeis mother is very strict and demanding, but only because of the heartache that she has experienced;
she doesnt want her daughter to ever suffer through anything like that.
As a housekeeper, Jing-meis mother is exposed to items that her employers use for their own
amusement or relaxation, like the magazines from which she was giving her daughter the trivia quizzes.
Jing-mei did not like these tests at all. She says, I hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed
expectations. (p. 19) But perhaps her mother was just thinking that the material would help put Jing-mei
on a path to becoming wealthy and successful herself. The Ed Sullivan Show and Shirley Temple movies

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

are another example of the symbol of success that the mother wants for her daughter in this country. She
even tried to have Jing-meis hair cut in the same style as Shirley Temples, as we see on page 18. The
results were not what the mother expected (You look like Negro Chinese, she lamented, as if I had done it
on purpose.) but her intentions were to prepare her to at least look the part.
She can be harsh in the way she deals with Jing-mei, placing strict guidelines on her for piano
lessons and constantly telling her that shes not trying hard enough. However, this only reflects the
mothers personality. She is a tough ladywe are told right away that she never looked back with regret
(p. 17) so she deals with tasks and challenges in a different way than someone who has never had her
devastating experiences. Jing-mei chooses to rebel against her mothers staunch attitudes, failing to
understand that her mother truly does make sacrifices for her benefit. The mother is also only responding
a way that reflects her own culture and values and is at a loss when Jing-mei rebels. Only two kinds of
daughters She shouted in Chinese. Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only
one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter! (pg.26). Years later, Jing-meis mother
gives Jing-mei the piano and tells Jing-mei that she (the mother) always believed Jing-mei was talented.
She told Jing-mei, You have natural talent. You could have been genius fi you want to. (p.27)
Possible responses if choosing daughter:
Although the mother may have been doing her best for Jing-mei, Jing-mei had reason to rebel. The
mothers pressure on her daughter to be special actually had the opposite effect in that Jing-mei felt like
she could never please her parents.
Possible quotes:
Page 18: Jing-mei is still cooperative but only because she is seeking the approval of her parents In all of
my imaginings, I will filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would
adore me.
Page 19: Jing-mei begins to believe she cannot satisfy her mother And after seeing my mothers
disappointed face once again, something inside of me began to die. I hated the tests, the raised hopes
and failed expectations.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Page 20: Jing-mei begins to resist her mothers next plans for Jing-mei to play piano I felt as though I had
been sent to hell. I whined and then kicked my foot a little when I couldnt stand it anymore.
Page 21: Jing-mei expresses her frustration with her mother Why dont you like me for the way I am? Im
not a genius! I cant play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldnt go on TV if you paid me a million
dollars!
Page 22: Jing-mei rebelled and sabotaged her own piano lessons that was how I learned I could be lazy
and get away with mistakes, lots of mistakesmaybe I never really gave myself a chance.
Page 25: Jing-mei decides her mother has tormented her enough, especially after her mother wants her to
continue piano lessons when Jing-mei performed so poorly at the recital. And then I decided. I didnt
have to do what my mother said anymore. I wasnt her slave. This wasnt China. I had listened to her
before and look what happened. She was the stupid one.
Page 26: Jing-mei tries desperately to communicate to her mother you want me to be someone that Im
not!...Ill never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!
Page 27: Jing-mei continues to do what she wants and not what her mother wants as she grows up I did
not believe I could be anything I wanted to be. I could only be me.
Page 28: Jing-mei comes to realize that she and her mother where both only doing what they thought was
right, as she looked through an old piano book and noticed the song next to the one she struggled with as
a child And after I played them both a few times, I realized they were both two halves of the same song.

Prentice Hall Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes 2002

Grade:7

Additional Tasks
o Students compose an essay in which they compare and contrast young Jing-mei with her mother.
Use a Double Bubble for organization.
raised in
Am er ica

break in g
away
fr om
Chinese
past

fr ust rat ed

break in g
away
fr om
Mom

st ro ng
willed

Jing-mei

Mot her

raised in
China

Chinese
confused
proud

to r m ent ed
p ast
want ed to
be herself

want ed
Jing-m ei
t o be a
success

Note to Teacher

Some of the vocabulary is tricky because they may seem like common words to students, but the
author uses them in a way that me be less familiar to students, such as rich, sense, lighter and scale.