Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast essay

Often times, when children are young their parents set expectations of success to be achieved during their lives. This concept is evident in the lives of both Amy Tan in "Two Kinds" and Mark Mathabane in "Kaffir Boy". The expectations of success and reasons for them both children's mothers can be compared. However the responses and relationships can be contrasted.

Both Amy Tan's mother and Mark Mathabane's mother share reasons behind the expectations of success they set for their children. In the reading "Two Kinds" Amy Tan's mother immigrated from China to provide her child with a good future full of opportunities. Likewise in the reading "Kaffir Boy" Mark Mathabane's mother works tirelessly to hunt down the paper work needed to send her son to school. In addition both mothers pushed their child to do the best they could. In "Two Kinds" Amy Tan's mother put her through various tests ranging from knowledge to skill to pursue a prodigy career. Similarly Mark Mathabane's mother tied her son up all in the name of education. Both Amy Tan's mother and Mark Mathabane's mother show a relentless attitude towards their children achieving the expectations and goals of success they have set.

Although both children's mothers share similar reasons for the expectations of success they pose for their children, the initial responses between the two short stories "Two Kinds" and "Kaffir Boy" can be contrasted for various reasons. One example of this is how in the beginning of the story "Two Kinds" Amy Tan is very enthusiastic about her future as a child prodigy. She says that she is almost as excited about it as her mother proves to be. On the other hand Mark Mathabane, in the story "Kaffir Boy" does not show any excitement when he is told that he will begin to attend school. Mark wants to live his life according to what his gang tells him is good for him, which does not include attending school. According to Amy Tan, in the beginning of her story, she was excited about the bright future becoming a child prodigy would bring to her. She was willing to work hard, and to prove this Amy Tan went along with dozens of her mother's daily quizzes. These questions tested her knowledge and skills on everything, but Amy was persistent. She wanted her parents to be proud of her, and acknowledged that a prodigy lifestyle would banish the idea of ever having to sulk again. However Mark wanted nothing to do with improving his life. He was focused on the adventurous and exciting gang life. He was plagued by the gang's philosophy on school which was hatred and a seemingly pointless waste of time. Too caught up in it all to recognize that what his mother was trying to do was help.

Along with differences in the initial response, the change in response between the two main characters can also be contrasted. As Amy Tan's mother begins to quiz her harder and harder, with more advances material, she started to feel her self confidence diminish. She began to give up on her original dream of becoming a prodigy. Feeling as though she had been a disappointment, Amy Tan felt the need to rebel against her mother. Amy Tan felt as though she was not being loved for whom she was, and therefore reminded herself that she did not want to be changed by her mother. In contrast Mark Mathabane starts to reevaluate his objection to