A short literary analysis of Maxine Kingston’s classic “No Name Woman” As part of the first generation of Chinese-Americans‚ Maxine Hong Kingston writes about her struggle to distinguish her cultural identity through an impartial analysis of her aunt’s denied existence. In “No Name Woman‚” a chapter in her written memoirs‚ Kingston analyzes the possible reasons behind her disavowed aunt’s dishonorable pregnancy and her village’s subsequent raid upon her household. And with a bold statement
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worthless compared to men. Those that committed adultery were tortured and persecuted publicly‚ just like Maxine Hong Kingston’s aunt in her story “No Name Woman.” The aunt was pregnant‚ had her house raided by angry villagers‚ birthed her baby in a muddy pigsty‚ and then committed suicide by jumping into the family well with her newborn. In the essay‚ Kingston incorporated three different genres that worked together to describe the way she felt about her aunt. The first is nonfiction‚ written at the
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For my first choice book‚ I read The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston. In this book‚ there were different chapters‚ which emphasized on different characters. I noticed that all three parts focused heavily on feminism‚ sexuality‚ and success. I noticed it especially in the chapters of “No Name Woman” and “White Tigers”. In the first chapter‚ a daughter listened to the story of how her aunt shamed her entire family. The aunt had an affair with another man after her husband left for America and
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identity if that makes sense. We claim what we say is our identity. Whether it’s being a part of a certain ethnicity‚ cultural backgrounds‚ or religions. Part of our identity is where we come from‚ our heritage. It’s who we are. In “No Name Woman”‚ the author Kingston tells of one of her families most hidden secrets. She never knew she had an aunt until her mother told her after several years. Her aunt‚ had gotten pregnant at a young age and committed suicide because her family disowned her and she
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As the society paved from matriarchal to patriarchal‚ the status of women decreased as time goes. In the Woman Warrior and Waylaid‚ Maxine Hong Kingston and Ed Lin both agree that women in China have been treated badly‚ because they are an inferior gender and have to be obedient‚ but authors have drastically different views on the status of women in the American society. Maxine Hong Kingston argues that after coming to the United States‚ Chinese women have lowered their statuses‚ because the isolations
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living as multicultural people in a world that tends to shame diversity. These stories are extremely important to Cofer and Stone; questioning them would violate all they believe in. However‚ there is another side to this subject. Maxine Hong Kingston reveals to the reader a different side to family stories. A side that is not of love and acceptance‚ but more of hate‚ betrayal‚ and rejection. In some cultures family circles cannot always be of love and protection. In her case she reveals to
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FRAILTY‚ THY NAME IS WOMEN Frailty is defined as being fragile‚ foible‚ and having a moral weakness (Oxford Dictionary). At one point during the play Hamlet‚ Hamlet states‚ "Frailty‚ thy name is women" (i.ii.146)‚ generalizing that all women are frail. During the period Hamlet was written‚ the society was patriarchal‚ therefore‚ the women were very dependent on the men‚ and were unable to exist independently. Through their submissiveness Gertrude and Ophelia are treated as marionettes‚ who are
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“The first thing you have to learn‚” the old women told me‚ “is how to be quiet. (pg. 23).” This is what Maxine Hong Kingston is told as a young girl. Throughout the book young Maxine is told stories where the absence of voice is a factor. Whether it’s affecting her family or her (Maxine) personally‚ the theme of having or not having a voice is an impact in her life. The story starts “You must not tell anyone. (pg. 3).” Her mother is telling her the story of her “forgotten‚ disregarded aunt.” Her
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Wallpaper” and “No Name Woman” “The Yellow Wallpaper” tells the story of the narrator’s personal battle with after-birth depression and the disastrous rest cure treatment she received. Living during the restrictive Victorian period‚ the narrator experienced firsthand the frustrating limitations placed on women in her era‚ many of whom were victimized by society’s complete misunderstanding of postpartum depression and other psychological infirmities. On the other hand‚ “No Name Woman” tells the story
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Matthew Slee Ms. Bailey-Bean ENG3UA Thursday‚ May 16‚ 2013 Frailty‚ Thy Name Is Woman According to Dictionary.com‚ misogyny is the hatred‚ dislike‚ or mistrust of women. In Hamlet’s eyes‚ Gertrude is a whore who married his uncle simply so she could stay in power and not lose any of her riches. He sees Ophelia as a simple-minded girl who does what she says and never questions the motives behind it. Hamlet is clearly a very misogynistic character. In Act 1‚ Scene 2‚ Hamlet has his first
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