The Woman Warrior
Throughout the book, The Woman Warrior, by Maxine Hong Kingston, the generation gap between the narrator and Brave Orchid is evident. The narrator feels that her mother’s culture values have no relevance in America. In the chapter, At the Western Palace, Brave Orchid sends for her sister, Moon Orchid, to come to America and urges Moon Orchid to confront her sister’s husband. The ideas that Brave Orchid has are bold and they conflict with Moon Orchid’s nature. Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid are two Chinese women who live in two different countries. They are separated by a cultural gap rather than a generation gap. This gap between Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid has created two inimical viewpoints on the value of physical appearance, necessity versus extravagance, and modesty in manner. Physical appearance is very important in America’s society whereas women in Asia only dress-up on special occasions. Most of the time, Asia’s women are cooking, cleaning, and sewing, which is manual work. In America, when women go out in public, they try to look presentable, pleasing to the human eye. After Moon Orchid arrives, one of the first things that Brave Orchid does is point out that Moon Orchid is fa
Brave Orchid knows that in America, one needs to let everyone know how good they are. She felt that her appearance would not play a factor is whether her husband chose her or not. In America, obesity is often times something to be ashamed of. People who live in Asia, work long, hard hours to support their family. “Why didn’t you teach your girls to be demure?” Moon Orchid expects the girls to be modest. Many of the values that China holds were altered and some ignored by Chinese descendants presiding in America. Brave Orchid thinks that how Moon Orchid looks would play a factor in whether Moon Orchid’s husband took her back. America’s culture has influenced immigrants and therefore causing this clash between these two women. She felt that Moon Orchid would be no competition unless Moon Orchid tried to be as pretty as the second wife. She chooses every opportunity to point out that her children are so wonderful.
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Acceptance Essays
