If you got the chance to write a whole book about our life, how would you start, what would you talk about, what memories would you share, and why share anything at all if there is no greater meaning? These are questions I was asking myself when starting my blog post and wondering what to talk about. Most books people read have a beginning, middle, and end but for “The Woman Warrior” by Maxine Hong Kingston she surprised all of us. She did so by starting with sharing a secret story, then sharing an ancient history tale, and recently with the story of her parents. Even with Kingston’s cultural background and harsh expectations she shares stories of empowered women like her aunt, Fa Mu Lan, and her mother because she is a feminist.
In the opening chapter “No Name Women” it is hard to see this idea come to life but if we take a closer look, I believe Kingston started with this story to expose the Chinese culture and share how this story impacted what is important to her. Although, she never met her aunt she ends this chapter by saying “her ghost (aunt) drawn to me because now, after fifty years of neglect, I alone devote pages of paper to her, though not origamied in houses and clothes.” (Kingston 16). Kingston states her connection to her aunt even without meeting her and how she is important enough to be in her book, but she cannot share her photos or story anywhere else because of her culture. The only way Kingston could share her aunt’s story was in her book and that is why she started with the story of how she first learned about her and felt her original bond.
White tigers in the Chinese culture symbolize power and army; in ancient times they were related to military affairs such as the white tiger flag that commanded the army in war. When reflecting on Fa Mu Lan’s story, white tigers was the perfect chapter name because it describes what makes Fa Mu Lan who she is, power. When reading this story, we think about how Fa Mu Lan fought through starvation, exertion, and combat. But as a women what people overlook is how Fa Mu Lan had to hide gender, pregnancy throughout, and secretly give birth and then continue fighting in battle directly after. “When I (Fa Mu Lan) became pregnant, during the last four months, I wore my armor altered so that I looked like a powerful, big man.” (39). Even after faking to every solider in her army that she was a man she continued battling during her pregnancy which made her look more powerful. Fa Mu Lan also accomplished her own goal of having a family and becoming a mother even if she could not tend to her baby right away. “My son stared, very impressed by the general he had seen in the parade, but his father said, ‘It’s your mother’. (45). Everything that the Chinese culture did not allow Fa Mu Lan did better than any man could and all while taking care of her motherly duties. Her son would be able to exist and be raised by a secrete woman leader.
Finally, we have chapter three “Shaman”, also meaning wizard, indicated a person who can mediate with the powers generating things. I think Kingston named the chapter “Shaman” after her mother because she looks up to her like she has superpowers after everything she went through from her life in China to her work in school, and finally in America when she was able created a life for herself. Kingston’s other was dedicated to her studies and schoolwork that she felt appreciated when sharing answers or helping other students. She was qualified in multiple areas and was known as a fearless women after destroying a ghost. But one part that is overlooked in this chapter is how considerate her mother was. During her time in China when the Japanese were attacking, people can get paranoid and blame innocent people, this happened to the crazy lady in Kingston’s mother’s home. Kingston’s mother was the only one who tried to defend the crazy lady and wanted to protect her no matter what majority of people said. The lady was blamed for the planes that would fly over and eventually was stoned to death because of it. The next day the planes came again. “My mother, who had turned her back and walked up the mountain (she never treated those about to die), looked down at the mass of flesh and rocks, the sleeves, the blood flecks” (96). Kingston’s mother forced herself to walk away and look down on the people because they were no longer worth her respect because of their actions and six months later she left China.
In conclusion, Kingston might have her own memoir, but she used it to show the power of woman hood and how woman can secede no matter what standards or cultural beliefs are holding them back. Kingston’s aunt, mother and story of Fa Mu Lan show how powerful women really are and even commanding cultural beliefs cannot stop their impressive actions.
My two discussion questions following my blog post are:
- Do you believe that feminism is an important message throughout this memoir Why or why not, and if so, how can you support this claim?
- What other kinds of messages could Kingston be trying to express through her aunt, mother, or Fa Mu Lan’s stories and how can you prove this?
The Woman Warrior : Memoirs of a Girlhood among Ghosts. New York :Vintage Books, 1989.
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Hi Luella, I really enjoyed this post. I like how you tied in the idea of feminism which is a very significant concept in the book in my opinion. Even in class when we were analyzing the book covers, and book title, I think that helped create a better understanding for how the author, Maxine Hong Kingston is really trying to display the message of women empowerment throughout many aspects of her book. Each of the book covers we have analyzed have an image of a woman on it, and the title speaks volumes by being named, “The Woman Warrior.” The book follows the story of Kingston’s aunt, Fau Mu Lan who is an extremely strong woman and goes against some stereotype’s society has created by proving a woman had an immense amount of strength. Fau Mu Lan during her training was set out to survive on her own for many years of training to become a warrior. I think that Kingston may be trying to express the possible competition people women felt they were involved in by either not doing enough or doing too much. It seems as though during this time period; women were always not doing the right thing according to society. “When we Chinese girls listened to the adults talk-story, we learned that we failed if we grew up to be but wives or slaves. We could be heroines, swordswomen.”(Kingston 20). This quote feels it is up to interpretation based off each individual reader. This quote could be interpreted by thinking women failed in life if they were not wives or slaves, it could also be interpreted in the way that they failed if they were only wives or slaves. Or that being a wife is the equivalent to being a slave.
Hey Luella, great post. To answer your first question, I believe feminism is a big part of this memoir. To start, the title of the book itself is The Woman Warrior which gives the impression from the beginning that this is a feminist book. As you pointed out, all three stories we have read so far signify female strength both in her family and personal experiences, and through Chinese folklore. I see Kingston doing this by pointing out first how women struggle in China and are looked down upon. In “White Tigers” Kingston says, “I read in an anthropology book that Chinese say, ‘Girls are necessary too’; I have never heard the Chinese I know make this concession.” (Kingston 63). In her culture there is a clear misogynistic mindset, and by calling out these views and counteracting it by showing examples of strong women in Chinese culture like the stories we have read, the book is pushing a heavy feminist message.
February 27, 2023
Plate Tectonics and Volcanoes continue
Divergent boundaries
Particle melting of ultramafic rock => eruption mafic magma
EX: basalt
Intraplate Volcanism (hotspots)
Mantle plumes of hot rock rise
Decompression melting at top of mantle ( O-Hotspot C-Hotspot)
Oceanic hotspot
Ex: Hawaii
Initial particle melting => mafic magma
Rises thru mafic oceanic crust
Erupts mafic lava
Basalt
Continental hotspot
Ex: Yellowstone
Initial particle melting => mafic magma
Can erupt:
Mafic
Intermediate & Felsic (assimilation)
Yellowstone Volcano
Magma chamber
Subduction zones
Slab sinks
Increase T & P drives off volatiles
Partial melting of mantle
Mafic magma rises
O-O subduction (similar to ocean hotspot)
O-C subduction
O-O Convergent subduction:
Rising magma moves thru mafic oceanic crust
Erupts mafic lava
Basalt
O-C Convergent Subduction
Rising magma moves thru felsic continental crust
Assimilation
Erupts intermediate or felsic lava
Andesite, Rhyolite
March 1, 2023
Mountain Building
Rock deformation
What is it?
All changes in shape, position or orientation of rock mass
When does it occur?
Stress > strength
Fold
Fracture
Flow
Stress first applied
Elastic deformation – reversible
If pass elastic limit – permanent changes
Ductile (plastic) deformation – flow
Brittle deformation – fracture, cracks
Factors that influenced rock deformation
Temperature & confining pressure
1. Brittle
Low T & P
Near surface
2. Ductile
High T & P
Great depths
3.Rock type
Brittle behavior
Crystalline rocks (hard and solid)
EX: granite, basalt
Ductile behavior
Rocks with zone of weakness
EX: foliated metamorphic rocks
Weakly cemented sedimentary rocks
Generally weak rocks
EX: rock salt, gypsum, shale
4. Time
How long subjected to stress?
Fast vs. gradual
Folds
Flat lying sedimentary or volcanic rocks
Compressional stress
Shortening and thickening of crust
2 main types
1. Anticline
2. Syncline
Faults
Dip-slip
Vertical movement
Hanging wall
Footwall
2 types
1. Normal
2. reverse/thrust
Depending on which one moves, it gives us normal
Normal Dip-Slip fault
Hanging wall moves down with respect to footwall
Extension of crust = tensional stress
Accos. With uplift
(side of the wall slide down makes it “normal”)
Common in divergent plate boundaries
Reverse Dip-Slip fault
Hanging wall moves up with respect to footwall
Dip > 45
Compressional stress
Convergent boundaries
Subduction zones
Thrust fault
Dip-Slip
Dip volcanic island arcs
Most found on margins of ocean basin
EX: mariana arch
2. Subduction zones: andean-type
Stage 1
Passive continental margin
EX: east coast US today
Thick wedge of sediment (accretionary wedge)
Stage 2
Margin becomes active
Deformation and metamorphism
Particle melting -> volcanism
Plutons
Emplaced at depth = thickens crust
Uplift and erosion expose them
Batholiths
Accretionary wedge
Sedimentary and metamorphic rock
After prolonged subduction stands above sea
Stage 3
Two roughly parallel mountain belts
Volcanic arch
Mixed volcanoes and plutons
Uplifting accretionary wedge
3. Collisional mountain ranges: cordillera type
Terrane
Crustal fragment with geologic history different from adjoining rocks
Collision and accretion of island arcs, microcontinents
3. Collisional mountain ranges: alpine type/continental collisions
Shortening and thickening of crust
EX: himalayas, appalachians
Example: Himalayas
Subduction of ocean plate under Asia
“Ocean” consumed
Collision with india 45 million years ago
Uplift
High T & P, partial melting -> igneous and metamorphic core
Hi Luella! I really enjoyed your blog post! I totally agree with how Kingston is educating us on her Chinese culture and what really goes on within their culture. To answer your first question. I do strongly believe feminism is one of the strongest messages to reach the audience in this memoir. When I first saw this title, I was really excited to read the book because I knew it was going to be a strong feminist memoir. On page 20 of White Tigers, Kingston states, “She said I would grow up a wife and a slave, but she taught me the song of the warrior woman, Fa Mu Lan. I would have to grow up to be a warrior woman.” Not only is Kingston showing signs of their culture by her needing to grow up to be a wife and a slave. Kingston shows feminism by stepping out of the culture norms. She is taking that chance of possibly ruining her family to become the “women warrior”.
Luella,
Great blog post! I was drawn to your introduction paragraph because of the questions you asked yourself before writing your blog. I was also shocked that Kingston started her memoir about someone other than herself. However, this might lead up to a big ending to the memoir about her life and decisions. I think that these stories that she is telling us will make sense when we finish the book. I believe that Kingston is telling us these stories because they helped her make important decisions throughout her life. The following quote has stuck with me throughout the entire memoir, “Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like one, a story to grow up on” (Kingston 10). To me, this quote explains the entire memoir so far because all we have read about are stories that she has been told and none of herself personally.
Hi Luella!
I will be answering the first discussion question you raised, asking wether or not we believe the idea of feminism is important in the novel. I would answer with an astounding yes. The entire point, so far, of the novel has been to explain all the ways female inequality and female empowerment were expressed to the author in her formative years. Her aunt giving her an idea of what “not” to do in the words of her mother, while the story of the woman warrior gives the author a everlasting idea of empowerment that she never lost, even 50 years later writing this novel. A quote, very early on in the story, perfectly captures the idea of feminism on both sides in the novel. “You must not tell anyone what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born” (page 5). This quote, pushes both female empowerment and inequality in one breath. It gave Kingston her earliest memory of learning of the limitations of her gender based purly on the society they lived in at the time, but also a burning desire to change the way things once were, and live in a world were both females and males can be 100% equal. The quote tells us that the entire family of her aunt completely forgets she even exists because of a baby had out of wedlock. But it is never explicitly shown how they felt about the circumstances surrounding that baby. There is no remorse shown from the father, or the brothers about how her aunt really wanted to part in the man, and that he forced her to do these things and then organized the raid after her once he found out she was pregnant with his kid. This, to me, shows the complete lack of common sense over raw ego and old world culture Kingstons family comes from, giving a little bit more nuance behind some of the statements her mother makes to her.
Luella, I love your blog post! The introduction drew me in and made me want to continue reading. I am going to answer your first question about feminism.
Kingston focuses on feminism but also in the way that women are treated in her heritage. In the first chapter, she tells the story of her aunt who was killed by the villagers for a pregnancy out of marriage. However, the villagers were not just men. Kingston describes, “One woman swung a chicken, whose throat she had slit, splattering blood in red arcs about her” (Kingston 4). This shows that the women of the village are taking part in shaming the aunt and not just the men. Another example is Kingston’s relationship with her mother. She tells her stories of Fa Mu Lan who is a great women warrior which is used for motivation but also tells Kingston that she would, “grow up a wife and a slave” (Kingston 20). She tries to motivate Kingston through some stories but then reminds her where she stands in their heritage. In America, the difference in accomplishments of the heritages are shown. Kingston states “I got straight A’s Mama” in which her mother responds by saying, “let me tell you a true story about a girl who saved her village” (Kingston 45). No matter what Kingston accomplishes it is never good enough for her mother. Chinese culture carries the idea that little girls are disappointments for their families and throughout the memoir Kingston shows how this goes against the idea of feminism
Hi Lucella, great blog post! I love that you asked the question about feminism. To answer your first question about feminism it is clear that Kingston refers to feminism throughout the book so far. In the first chapter she starts off telling us about her aunt’s story, and how she was killed by the villagers for being pregnant. While reading this in chapter one Kingston expresses that women were involved in killing her aunt also. “One Woman swung a chicken, whose throat she had slit, splattering blood in red arcs about her.” (Kingston 4) After reading this and annotating it in my book it is clear that violence was going on all because a woman got pregnant. This is showing how women were not supporting each other because it is clearly stated that women were taking part in the violence. This is a clear-cut example of how Kingston is sharing her story with us and how it is going against feminism.
Luella, I think it is great that you chose to do your discussion on feminism and womanhood. I also find it interesting how Kingston has chosen to include stories of other women in her family in her own memoir. I am glad she is including these stories. I do believe that feminism is an important message throughout this memoir. In the chapter “Shaman”, Kingston creates an even better picture of her mother for us. This chapter showed me basically all about how brave, strong, and empowering Kingston’s mother was during a time when women were not very respected. She did what she wanted, and did not want anyone to see her as weak while doing it. Kingston says “She could make herself not weak. During danger she fanned out her dragon claws and rifled her red sequin scales and unfolded her coiling green stripes. Danger was a good time for showing off” (Kingston 67). Kingston’s mother did not need a man’s help when getting things done because she has never gotten help or support from men anyways. Women were barely supported and not respected. If she was in danger, she protected herself and stood tall while doing it.
Hi Luella! I really enjoyed reading your blog post, especially how you emphasized the numerous examples of feminism. I think one of Kingstons main goals in her memoir is to show how her culture and ethnicity impacts the women in her life. To answer your first question, I believe feminism is a very important message throughout the memoir. Obviously, the title of the book is a great example of feminism because it supports the idea that women can also be warriors. Another idea that supports feminism is the ongoing story telling from Kingston’s mother. Her mother tells Kingston these stories of her aunt to warn her about what could happen if she embarrassed the family. She says, “You must not tell anyone what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born” (Kingston 5). This quote shows how corrupt their ways of life are and how they can easily just forget a family member. Kingston’s mother expresses feminism by warning her daughter not to make the same mistake.
Hi Luella! I really enjoyed reading your blog post, and think you made an excellent point about the empowerment of women seen in this novel. I also appreciate how you touched on an example of this from each chapter we have read as to further emphasize your claim. I would like to answer your first question, “Do you believe that feminism is an important message throughout this memoir? Why or why not, and if so, how can you support this claim?” I do agree with your point and I do think that feminism is an extremely important message throughout the book. All these stories of powerful women and their perseverance despite difficulties proves as much. This can be seen in the quote “I did not plan ever to have a husband. I would show my mother and father and the nosey emigrant villagers that girls have no outward tendency. I stopped getting straight A’s” (Kingston 160). Her straying from the typical norms of a woman only existing to please her husband and wanting to not get married is an extremely feminist mindset to have, which further argues your point.
Hi Lucella, I love how you talked about the importance of feminism. It is so sad that women have to continue to prove themselves to men over and over. As you can see women have been looked down upon throughout history. It’s even told in the folk story of Fa Mu Lan. Feminism also comes up in the introduction by Robert Nemiroff in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In the Sun where he says “ the outspoken ( if yet unnamed) feminism of the daughter,” That daughter being Beneatha. In a Raisin in the Sun Beneatha’s Character is spoken to by her brother Walter. He says “ I’m interested in you. Something wrong with that? Ain’t many girls who decided to be a doctor.” There Is nothing wrong with a woman wanting to become a doctor, but back then there weren’t as many. Even more, there ain’t as many black women becoming doctors. In my opinion Beneatha is on a mission to show everyone that a woman can do anything they put their mind to. Exactly like Fa Mulan, she was on a mission to not only defend her people but also to show men that she is more than capable of fighting in a battle, even more so she did it pregnant.
Hey Luella. Great stuff here. I’d love to answer your first question. I believe feminism plays a very significant role in the book. As we read, we can see that the stories that are told are very feminist based. We can see in the story of Fa Mu Lan. In this story, a woman takes the place of her father, in war, and it is an inspiring story of feminism. Also, if we look at the title of the book, Woman Warrior. The fact that the title of the book is feminist related shows that it is the most important message of them all. Very early on, we can see Kingstons mother tell Kingston the stories of her late Aunt and the disdain they had for her. “We say that your father has all brothers as if she was never born.” (Kingston, 5) This shows that if you do not respect family ideals and messages, they will cast you out as if you never existed. If you bring dishonor to your family, they will treat you like a stranger. Especially if you are a woman and you do such things, you will be excommunicated. This is a warning from her mother. Do not become disgraced and unspeakable.
Hey Luella nice job on your post. I think feminism is extremely important to this book. We see it within Kingston, her mother, Fa Mulan, and even Kingston’s aunt. For Kingston’s Mother specifically, I think she is a true representation of that as well. Even with her name “Brave Orchid” speaks for itself too. I looked up what an orchid represents and it means love, many children, thoughtfulness, and matureness. So her mother is a very strong representation of feminism. One quote that really stuck out to me is “she is not thinking about her appearance” (Kingston 57). When she finally gets her diploma, nothing else in that moment matters but that great achievement she accomplishes.
Good Afternoon, Luella, I will answer your first question about feminism. There are many themes in this book but the one that is the most intriguing is this one, the memoir plays a big picture in feminism. As we discussed in class the three different covers we first started with the name of this book, The Woman warrior. This is screaming feminist. I feel as we read the last book, with the younger family mama always talked about how woman always struggled with their lives and wasn’t treated as equals. As we are reading this book talks about how Chinese women are mistreated and are not welcomed in the traditions at this time. I found this quote “Not many women got to live out the daydream of woman-to have a room, even a section of a room, that only gets messed up when she messes it up herself.” (pg69) I think this quote is perfect for this theme of feminist and it’s true how the woman wasn’t treated equal and could live out their dreams. Hopefully this helps with your work.
Hi Luella, I enjoyed your blog post and thought that your title fits it well. I wanted to answer your first question regarding if feminism is an important message of the memoir. I believe that the message of feminism is woven throughout the work and that is a core part of it. Kingston talks of how she would hear the stories from the elders in her life about how Chinese girls “failed if we grew up to be but wives or slaves ‘(Kingston 19). While there may be many different interpretations of this line the one that I see it as is that she is expected to be anything but a wife or a slav. That she is expected to be more than that in life and she is expected to be something great. She directly says this is directed toward Chinese girls and that this is what is expected of them, which is a message of female empowerment and strength. Making sure they can achieve something more than the simple housewife.