Jing-mei

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Inner characterization

Jing-mei appears even from a young age to be rebellious, with a strong need for independence. She sees the “prodigy side” of herself as someone who is angry, powerful, and willful. This suggests that she is unwilling to make compromises and does not want to change even a little of what she perceives to be her true self.

Her stubborn resistance to change, which is linked to her unwillingness to obey her mother, is often repeated throughout the story: “I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” This suggests that Jing-mei sees change as something inherently bad and contrary to her nature. In the end, Jing-mei does undergo a change, even though she is unaware of it, when she is able to play the piano piece which she could not as a child, despite not having practiced for many years. This could mean that Jing-mei has started to accept herself as she is and …