a woman warrior
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston presents the story of a girl trapped between the cultures of her surrounding environment and that which her mother and family have forced upon her. Knowing only the Chinese way of life, this girl's mother attempts to familiarize her daughter, whom is also the narrator, with the history of their family. The mother shares this heritage through the use of stories in hopes the narrator will be prepared for her ultimate return to China, which is a life completely foreign to her own. Through these stories and the strong influence of the surrounding American culture, the narrator's life and imagination spin off in a new direction. She is confronted by many obstacles, which cause problems with not only her mother, but also with her attempt to discover her personal identity. Although the narrator's assimilation to the American culture causes numerous conflicts with her mother, she is able to overcome adversity and come of age as a Chinese!-American with the help of her mother's stories. In Kingston's first story, "No Name Woman," the reader is first introduced to the stories of the narrator's mother. This particular tale involves an aunt that the narrator never knew, w
Perhaps this was the reason she had "no IQ-a zero IQ" (183). The decisions are now left to the narrator. This story added on to those her mother told about World War II fighter planes, which terrified the narrator for many years. Contrary to the belief of some, I feel she has her mother to thank for these gains, and that may have made all the difference. She finds it necessary to talk about all she sees going on: the daily routines, the unusual clothing, and the foods and style of eating. Similarly, the narrator could possibly feel the same distance as her uncle, which causes miscommunication and abandonment with the only family she has known. Although this is a key factor in her early childhood, she learns to block out these criticisms as she grows older. You became people in a book I had read a long time ago" (154). Years after hearing of her aunt's misfortune, the narrator realizes that she has carried on this ostracism and is equally as guilty as the others who participated in this punishment of silence. "I don't want to go back anyway," (107) is what her mother says. Perhaps the narrator feels this bond because she herself feels completely alienated from the family and could never be fully connected to her Chinese heritage. There is significant evidence of this growing maturity in "Shaman. These expectations increased when she was in the presence of "great power, [her] mother talking story" (20). In one particular situation, the narrator recalls her mother singing about Fa Mu Lan, the woman warrior. This shows that the narrator does not only disapprove of the Chinese culture, but also feels sorry for those who must suffer in an eternity of exile.
Common topics in this essay:
Reed Pipe,
White Tigers,
Name Woman,
War II,
Knowing Chinese,
Moon Orchid's,
Moon Orchid,
Soon China,
China America,
Mu Lan,
american culture,
woman warrior,
narrator's mother,
chinese culture,
feel sorry,
narrator feels,
chinese life,
moon orchid,
mother family,
leave home,
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Acceptance Essays
