FREE ESSAY ON DAVID MAMET'S "THE RAKE: A FEW SCENES FROM MY CHILDHOOD" AND AMY TAN'S "JING-MEI WOO: TWO KINDS

DAVID MAMET'S "THE RAKE: A FEW SCENES FROM MY CHILDHOOD" AND AMY TAN'S "JING-MEI WOO: TWO KINDS

In David Mamet's essay "The Rake: A Few Scenes from My Childhood" and Amy Tan's story
"Jing-Mei Woo: Two Kinds," the authors describe their personal experiences. The essay and
story are based upon the authors' childhood memories. There are many similarities and
differences in Mamet's and Tan's works. Both authors describe a childhood conflict;
however, Mamet does not resolve his conflict whereas Tan does resolve it. 
The conflict between Tan and her mother occurs because her mother pressures her into
being a prodigy, and Tan cannot do that. When Tan rebels against her mother, Tan's mother
says, "Only one kind of daughter can live in this house! Obedient daughter!" This proves
that Tan's mother is concerned with her daughter's obedience toward her. It is
impossible, however, for Tan to become a prodigy. Tan is frustrated because she cannot
live up to her mother's standards and she disobeys her mother's wishes because they are
unachievable.
Mamet and his sister conflict with their parents as well, because of an abusive
relationship within the family. Mamet's mother, like Tan's mother, does not want her
daughter to rebel. For example, when Mamet's sister does not eat dinner, the mother
prohibits her from performing in her school play. Mamet's sister is not hungry because
she is nervous, and her mother punishes her severely for something that is
uncontrollable. This unfair treatment is similar to Tan's because both Tan and Mamet's
sister are unable to fulfill their parents' standards. 
Although the conflict and parents' responses are similar, Mamet responds to his childhood
in a different manner from Tan. Mamet learns from his abusive childhood that it is
acceptable to use violence toward women. When Mamet's sister says something that makes
him angry he throws a rake at her face and severely hurts her. There is no resolution to
Mamet's conflict because Mamet leaves the house without making up with his family;
instead of resolving his conflict, Mamet escapes from it.
In contrast, Tan does resolve the conflict with her mother. Her mother offers her the
piano when she becomes an adult, and she describes it as a shiny trophy she won back. Tan
also has the piano tuned and reconditioned, and even tries to play it again. The piano is
a symbol for her childhood, and when she restores the piano, she overcomes her childhood
conflict with her mother. The song that Tan uses to symbolize her adult life, "Perfectly
Contented," is evidence that Tan settles the conflict with her mother. It proves that Tan
does not blame her mother; rather, Tan forgives her mother for the childhood conflict Tan
dealt with. 
Mamet and Tan describe their childhoods similarly, because they have similar
disagreements with their parents. However, the major difference between the two authors
is the way they grow out of their childhood conflicts. Mamet does not resolve the
conflict with his family with his family whereas Tan makes up with her mother in the end.
Whether or not a person settles a conflict is not reliant on the nature of the conflict
itself. Resolution depends on the personalities and morals of the people involved.