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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