... . At first refuses put forth a solid effort towards her mother's dreams. "I performed listlessly, my head propped on one arm. I pretended to be bored and I was" (717). Taking advantage of the deaf piano teacher was another act of defiance. Since he is unable to hear her mistakes, he is not able to track her progress. "If I hit the wrong notes because I hadn ... only be me" (723). Jing mei is struggling between the cultures of her environment and the values her mother is trying to instill in her. Although she respects her mother's heritage, Jing mei feels her own culture does not deem it ...

• Word Count: 789
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School