Moon Orchid In Kingston's At Western Palace
Another voiceless character who neglects to detach herself from the Chinese diaspora is Kingston’s aunt, Moon Orchid. In the story "At Western Palace," Moon Orchid struggles to confront and speak with a husband who abandoned her in China. When Moon Orchid reluctantly faces her Americanized husband, her silence denotes how virtually voiceless a Chinese woman is who lives in a traditional patriarchal society. Although Brave Orchid provides a chance for Moon Orchid to question her husband, Moon Orchid asserts her years of frustration “without any words coming out" (Kingston 153). Instead, Moon Orchid retreats behind her sister to shield for her. In the light of her silence, Mood Orchid realizes that she must have become “a ghost from China” in
the American society (Kingston 153). Her identification as a “ghost” embodies that she remains in silence without ever assimilating into the American culture around her. Defining herself as the “unknown” of the American society, Moon Orchid not only alienates herself from the sheer possibility to escape from the Chinese diaspora but also abdicates her voice for the rest of her life.
Contrarily her aunt, Kingston allows her personal voice to prevail against the traditional Chinese values finally at the end "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe." Young Kingston creates a list of things she desires to tell her mother to reveal her individuality. Eventually, when Kingston can no longer resist the urge to tell everything to her mother, she launches a verbal tirade upon her mother (Kingston 201). In effect, her rant becomes the watershed of her life; Kingston finally channels her personal voice out of silence and confronts the symbol of Chinese diaspora, her mother. That very strength in which Kingston draws the power to speak out against her mother comes from the constant inner struggles to discern her true character. While challenging her conformity to Chinese culture, Kingston audaciously decides to leave her family and “see the world logically” (Kingston 204). Indeed, since Kingston was not able to assimilate into Chinese-American community, she commences to explore beyond her diaspora to search for personal place as a Chinese-American woman in society. Therefore, her salvation from strictly obeying to the values of Chinese traditions allowed Kingston to uncover her hidden voice and also enlighten herself of American society outside her community.
the American society (Kingston 153). Her identification as a “ghost” embodies that she remains in silence without ever assimilating into the American culture around her. Defining herself as the “unknown” of the American society, Moon Orchid not only alienates herself from the sheer possibility to escape from the Chinese diaspora but also abdicates her voice for the rest of her life.
Contrarily her aunt, Kingston allows her personal voice to prevail against the traditional Chinese values finally at the end "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe." Young Kingston creates a list of things she desires to tell her mother to reveal her individuality. Eventually, when Kingston can no longer resist the urge to tell everything to her mother, she launches a verbal tirade upon her mother (Kingston 201). In effect, her rant becomes the watershed of her life; Kingston finally channels her personal voice out of silence and confronts the symbol of Chinese diaspora, her mother. That very strength in which Kingston draws the power to speak out against her mother comes from the constant inner struggles to discern her true character. While challenging her conformity to Chinese culture, Kingston audaciously decides to leave her family and “see the world logically” (Kingston 204). Indeed, since Kingston was not able to assimilate into Chinese-American community, she commences to explore beyond her diaspora to search for personal place as a Chinese-American woman in society. Therefore, her salvation from strictly obeying to the values of Chinese traditions allowed Kingston to uncover her hidden voice and also enlighten herself of American society outside her community.