The Power of Conformity Among Youth in Amy Tan's Novel Two Kinds and Tillie Olsen’s Work I Stand Here Ironing

Despite the modern idealism of encouraging individuals to realize their authentic identities, it is clear that the pressure to conform to external standards remains a significant contribution to self-conflict among youth.

In Tillie Olsen’s “I Stand Here Ironing” and Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds”, the conformity to standards set by contemporary society and family members have major repercussions on the identities of the protagonists. Within the short stories, the development of each protagonist’s sense of self is significantly impeded by the expectation to possess and adhere to specific abilities, familial roles, and appearances which are considered standard. To begin, internal conflict resulting from expectation of abilities is exemplified through Emily’s expectation to effectively learn in school and Jing-mei’s expectation to play the piano.

Next, a conflicted sense of self caused by expected familial roles is evident through Emily’s obligatory chores and Jing-mei’s role as a daughter. Lastly, an erratic sense of self resulting from expectations of appearances is displayed through Emily and Jing-mei’s desire to conform to their enveloping beauty standards. Through the identification of these standards as well as the expectations associated with them, it is evident that the pressure to conform to external standards is a significant hindrance to a clear sense of self and negatively influence individuals throughout their childhood development.

To begin, it is evident that the pressure to conform to expectations of abilities provokes a conflicting sense of self. Within Tillie Olsen’s “I Stand Here Ironing”, Emily’s expectation to effectively learn in school conflicts her sense of self, as it hinders her educational abilities, self-confidence, and contributes to her negative associations with education. Emily’s incapability to successfully comply with the expectation of learning is depicted when her mother states, “To her overwhelmed and exasperated teachers she was an overconscientious “slow learner” who kept trying to catch up and was absent entirely too often” (Olsen 295). As a result of Emily’s inability to effectively learn, her sense of self is obscured, as she deplorably contrasts her inadequacy with the successful students around her. Similarly, as Emily continues to oppose educational expectations, internal conflict is engendered within her, as she attempts to comply with the standards of learning despite her true academic abilities. It is clear that internal conflict is generated as a result of Emily’s desire to conform to the expected standard of learning within her school, as she questions her academic abilities and confidence. Next, within Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds”, Jing-mei’s mother’s expectation for her to play the piano considerably provokes her conflicting sense of self. When Jing-mei expresses her lack of passion for playing the piano, she states, “I never really listened to what I was playing. I daydreamed about being somewhere else, about being someone else” (Tan 3).

It is evident that Jing-mei’s expectation to conform to her mother’s standards evokes repressive internal struggles through her inability to develop her own authentic identity. As she is forced to participate and pursue activities that she does not deem valuable, Jing-mei is conflicted between who she wants to be and the identity that is forced upon her by her mother. As a whole, it is evident that the pressure to adhere to expectations of abilities provokes a conflicting sense of self and supports the destructive influence of conformity of abilities among youth.