Racial Stereotypes In Amy Tan's Short Story

Norms and assumptions comes from racial stereotypes which are automatic and oversimplified ideas that we think about when referring to a particular race. This categorizes the whole race by taking the identity of one. When we generalization people predicated on race, we don’t consider their distinctive difference within the racial stereotypes because it is ingrained in us. We are inclined to ignore whatever data that is not steady with those generalization that we have created in those racial groups. We focus on physical features of the face and body such as skin color, hair color and texture, eye shape. The assumptions related to a specific racial group is shown in the movie Crash. This movie is filled with racial stereotypes and prejudice.

Every character in Crash inflicted or was a victim to racial stereotypes, whether they realize it or not. Even in Amy Tan’s short story she writes about the her life and the stereotypes associated with being Chinese and coming from immigrant parents. Racial stereotyping leads to prejudice and discrimination that reflect human tendencies to act on these assumptions when interacting with members of certain racial categories. While some people believe having racial stereotypes can be positive, the norms and assumptions puts people in position to experience and inflict many forms of racial bias destroying relationship with each

In the beginning of the story, Tan describes the mother as a stereotypical Chinese mother, who can be labeled as very strict. The mother was very determined, to make her child, Jing-Mei a success, “instantly famous...or a child prodigy.” Jing-Mei was forced to take piano lessons by a former piano teacher, who was deaf. Chinese children can be stereotyped as studious and obedient. Many Chinese families may fit into these stereotypes, but not every single one of them does and Tan exposes that in her story. Jing-Mei didn’t fit in the stereotype she, “ was so determined not to try, not to be anybody different, [she] learned to play only the most ear-splitting preludes, the most discordant hymns,” on the piano. So, when she was then entered in a talent show that end disastrously. This was traumatic for both Jing-Mei and her mother; they were both publically embarrassed. Because Jing-Mei was forced into what her mom believed about her, their relationship suffered. With Tan’s story, and the character Jing-Mei, she wrote the anti-Chinese child that chose her own way instead of being the stereotypical studious obedient child. There might be a majority of Chinese families that fit in the stereotypes, but not every one of them are examples of the stereotypes. In