The title "Two Kinds" refers to the cultural conflict and the generation gap between a Chinese immigrant mother and her American-born daughter. The story, written by Amy Tan, is narrated by the daughter, Jing-mei, and is set in San Francisco in the 1950s.
Jing-mei's mother is determined to make her daughter into a prodigy and to fulfill her own unfulfilled dreams of success. She believes that by turning Jing-mei into a successful pianist, she can prove to the world that Chinese people are just as talented as Americans. To this end, she enrolls Jing-mei in piano lessons and pushes her to practice relentlessly, even though Jing-mei has no natural talent for music.
The title "Two Kinds" refers to the two different types of identity that Jing-mei feels torn between. On one hand, she is American-born and wants to fit in with her peers and enjoy the freedoms and opportunities of American culture. On the other hand, she is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and feels a sense of obligation to honor and respect her mother's wishes and cultural traditions.
The conflict between these two kinds of identity comes to a head when Jing-mei rebels against her mother's expectations and refuses to continue with the piano lessons. This leads to a confrontation between the two, in which Jing-mei declares that she will never be the prodigy her mother wants her to be. In the end, Jing-mei comes to understand that she can be both American and Chinese, and that she can find a way to honor both parts of her identity.
In conclusion, the title "Two Kinds" refers to the cultural conflict and the generation gap between Jing-mei and her mother, and the struggle to find a balance between two different kinds of identity. It is a powerful and poignant story about the complexities of family, identity, and the immigrant experience.