The title of Maxine Hong Kingston's novel The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts suggests, in its use of the definite article "the," that this memoir is about one particular woman warrior, not a woman warrior but the woman warrior. Who is the woman alluded to in the title? (Justify your answer.)Monday, July 11, 2011
Woman Warriors
The title of Maxine Hong Kingston's novel The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts suggests, in its use of the definite article "the," that this memoir is about one particular woman warrior, not a woman warrior but the woman warrior. Who is the woman alluded to in the title? (Justify your answer.)
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I believe that the woman warrior alluded to in the title of the novel is Maxine Hong Kingston. I say this because the novel is a memoir. It is not a story made up to entertain, even though the story itself is entertaining. My definition of a woman warrior is a woman who tries to stand up for herself and her beliefs to anyone that tries to challenge them. A woman warrior does everything she can to make herself the best she can be and to achieve her dreams and aspirations. I think that this definition would be similar to what Kingston defines as a woman warrior. From my point of view, Maxine Hong Kingston is the woman warrior referred to in the title because she embodies everything that I have said a woman warrior is in my definition. I also think that many women in the novel can be considered warrior women, at least by my definition. Kingston’s mother, Brave Orchid, could be seen as a woman warrior for a few reasons. She fights for her family and her rights to a job and a new life in America, and also does the same for Maxine. She helps Maxine along her way to womanhood, as does another woman warrior mentioned in the novel. No Name Woman, Kingston’s deceased aunt, could be seen as a woman warrior by my definition because she fought for a better life for herself instead of just waiting for her husband, whom she did not love, to come back for her. She wanted to be able to choose her destiny and most definitely tried to do that, but was unsuccessful in achieving everything because of her death. I absolutely think that Kingston succeeds in becoming a woman warrior during the course of the novel. I say this because throughout the whole novel she is trying her best to be herself and follow her dreams, and the battle to become a woman warrior is what actually makes you a woman warrior in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Woman Warrior title is alluded to any women that overcomes adversity. Kingston herself had to overcome many adversities; we can conclude this from her memoirs and ultimately say that Woman Warrior was solely about the author if these other stories about women warriors had not inspired her. My definition of a woman warrior would obviously one be a woman, two, overcome some obstacle for the greater good, and three, help out those less fortunate in the face of danger. I think Kingston would agree with my definition of the woman warrior. Women warriors are not uncommon but I do believe that they are extremely under represented and that I do believe Kingston would agree with me. Many other women in the book could be classified as a woman warrior, sadly though, some women warriors fought a good fight like Moon Orchard but in the end fell to hardships, an unusual land, a different culture, and failing mental disorders. Another woman warrior that did strive to excellence could be Mulan, pending if her existence and story is really true, and of course Kingston herself. These women that influence Kingston’s journey into womanhood helped her get past the Chinese-American stigma of not belonging by setting an example of true hardships and different cultures that classify women into different social statuses. I believe that Kingston herself does succeed in becoming a woman warrior. She grew up in a very different culture than what is supposed to be the norm in America. Her culture places woman into a category that is not too high up on the food chain so to speak. She barely escapes this stigma and strives to become more American than Chinese. Even though she is of Chinese descent she adopts American culture and rises to become great. In sum, she is a warrior because she made something out of herself, even with all the labels and stigmas placed on Chinese women, Kingston persevered.
ReplyDeleteThe woman warrior in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is no other than Maxine Hong Kingston herself. The title alone is an excellent indication of the identity of the woman warrior. It says “Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts”. The narrator, or Kingston, is the only character that has stories told as a girl. Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid, who are the only other characters that Kingston goes in depth about, are only talked about when they are in adulthood. Kingston also has overcome many obstacles in her life, as a woman warrior would. She was determined to break out of the norm for young American Chinese girls. Those girls mostly went to typing school, but Kingston followed her dream to be an author. She went to Berkley, and is now a most successful author. Kingston also had to grow up as with hybrid cultures. Through most of her girlhood she had to go to public school during the day, and then she had to attend Chinese school at night. As we have learned throughout this semester, it is most difficult to grow up with hybridity like many of the characters did in The Indian Killer. Kingston also was able to overcome herself. As a child she had a problem with speaking in front of people, no matter the language. As she grew older, she still was nervous of public speaking, but she overcame her fear. She even pointed out the fear in Woman Warrior. Finally, one can tell that Kingston is the warrior woman because at the beginning of the chapter “White Tigers”, Kingston blends her own voice with the voice of Fa Mu Lan. Kingston is obviously not the weapon-wielding warrior that her tale alludes to, but she is her own example of a present day woman warrior.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of a woman warrior is someone who overcomes obstructions, not necessarily physical but mental, that are put in her way. She also knows who she is inside, and she can pinpoint what she wants out of life. My woman warrior admits to herself her weaknesses, and she is not afraid to share her troubles and fears with others. Most importantly, my woman warrior is able to live independently without the assistance of a man.
I feel that Kingston and I have similar ideas when it comes to a woman warrior. The only difference I can find is that Kingston never really shows her point of view of women living independently other than when she has an argument with her mother at the “laundry”. She stated while ranting that she would never get married, but the point is never brought back up.
The only other character that I can determine to be a warrior woman is Brave Orchid. Moon Orchid was to unsure of herself to be a warrior woman. Brave Orchid plays a major role in the life of Kingston. Kingston, who was born in America, had never been to China, and her mother was a door to look into the world of Chinese culture. I believe that it was difficult for Kingston to find her true American identity as a child because her mother has such as strong influence over her children, and because of Brave Orchid’s hold on Kingston, Kingston was caught in between two worlds. I also believe that Kingston began to gain a grip on her American identity as she grew older because she feared the man dominating world of China.
Kingston most definitely was able to obtain the status of “the woman warrior”. She worked hard in life to get to where she is today, and she believed in herself all the way in order to accomplish the goals she had made when she was young.
Blog for: Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts.My definition of a woman warrior is the following: A woman warrior is a woman by nature. She can be in female clothing or male clothing, or a combination. A woman warrior seeks a goal to assist her community or family. She is very brave, original, calculated, intelligent, strong, and very focused on her goal. I think that my definition fits with Kingston's woman warrior. I would add that Kingston's version is cunning also. I think Kingston does a good job in creating an American and Chinese identity for the Mulan legend retold by Kingston. I think that Kingston does succeed in becoming a woman warrior herself. Kingston is brave, creative, original, intelligent, strong, very focused on her goal and is successful. I think that success is an important element to a woman warrior. It does not matter if the success is small or large or recognized immediately or not. Some successful woman warrior's never got to see thier success aftermath due to thier demise related to thier being a woman warrior. Brave Orchid could be woman warrior. She paved the way to have her daughter born in the United States and try to help her understand the Chinese roots. Kingston is intelligent to blend Chinese and American to create an identity for herself and writing. It is a challenge to be Chinese in American and to be American in Chinese culture. Yet Kingston does all this all the while being an American Chinese woman in a modern culture.
ReplyDeleteThe woman warrior referred to in Maxine Hong Kingston’s novel’s title is the woman warrior that is within every woman who overcomes adversity. In life, there are those who are fortunate, those who are not, and those who decide that life is not run by fortune. Even though, Fa Mulan outwardly becomes a woman warrior, a woman who fights the Huns for China in her father’s name, this interpretation is too simplistic. Internally, Fa Mulan breaks out of the traditional role of a Chinese woman and becomes, at heart, a warrior who fights for the right to be treated equally and to be allowed the same opportunities to honor her family and country while fulfilling traditionally male filial piety.
ReplyDeleteAs a girl, I had grown up in Hong Kong, China. Every girl who has ever gone to school has studied, or heard of, the Ballad of Fa Mulan. Growing up, Fa Mulan had always been defined for me by teachers, by boys, by parents, by “authorities” to be the ultimate woman—one whose acts, sacrifices, and triumphs are unparalleled across time. In other words, she was a super heroine whose feats are not to be repeated again by “mere girls”; it would be similar to trying to best Superman. As I have moved away from a predominantly male culture, a new definition has formed for me as a Chinese-American.
The plight of women in China is great, and while America intends to be the land of the free and equal, regardless of age, gender, and race—it is inherently not. Making such a statement would make the incorrect assumption that each and every human being alive is the same, and while it is romantic and idealistic, it is not the truth. Certainly there are some people who are born more capable of intellectual thought than others, regardless of whether or not this capability can be afforded the chance to grow. Comparing ourselves to intellectuals such as Stephen Hawking and saying that we are all equal to him is an arrogant claim—almost disrespectful. Biologically, we are not equal, not in a comparison of strength and capability but in the comparison of our biological intent, which has, throughout millennia placed great importance in the female ability to reproduce for survival. This value has resulted in the perceived role of child nurturing for females. However, in modern times, such traditional tasks are being cared for by consumer services and modern conventions so that childrearing is no longer a setback. Our technology has allowed females equal opportunity, our mindset is stepping stone to which society has to overcome.
As an adult, my definition does not contrast sharply from that of Kingston’s but rather broadens the spectrum. A woman warrior is a woman who, by personal choice, rises out of the traditional role and overcomes whoever and whatever stands in the way. She is a person with a strong mindset who perseveres and refuses to accept the mentality of the ancient world and defines, for herself, what it means to live her life according to her choices and escapes the tyrannical rule of history and society.
None of the other women in the book, in my opinion, can be considered a woman warrior and perhaps that is their purpose in the book. Perhaps they serve as a contradiction, the antithesis of a woman warrior by which way the woman warrior can be defined. No Name Woman escapes only through suicide; Brave Orchid is stuck in the reverie of her past; and Moon Orchid loses her sanity. In no way, have any of these women triumphed or escaped to recreate their reality—more than anything, they have succumbed to their lives and became a victim. In them, Kingston sees who she does not want to become, and rises out of their struggle to become a true woman warrior who lives by her own terms.
I believe that the woman warrior that Maxine Hong Kingston is talking about is herself because the book is a memoir and I think that she is talking about her own self when she is referring to the woman warrior in the book. If I had to make up my own definition for a woman warrior I would say that a woman warrior is a woman who is very strong willed and doesn’t let adversity get her down and she can overcome that adversity. Also I think a woman warrior is a woman who makes something out of her life and herself even when people tell her that she is not going to ever do so. A woman warrior never gives up or quits and always pushes to better herself. That would be my definition if I had to give one of a woman warrior. Brave Orchid could be a woman warrior because she fights for a new life in America and fights for her family and she helps Maxine grow up and become a woman warrior. I think the No Name Woman could also be a woman warrior because she did not just wait for her husband to return she had a life of her own and wasn’t afraid to do so. I think that Maxine Hong Kingston becomes a woman warrior in the novel because she never gives up her hope and never stops following her dreams throughout the story and I think that is the main thing of being a woman warrior. To never give up on your dreams and always follow them no matter how hard it may be or how many people tell you that you will never make it or never achieve what you want to be. That is why I think that she becomes a woman warrior in this story.
ReplyDeleteI believe the woman warrior alluded to in the title is Brave Orchid because I think Kingston looks up to her mom and everything her mom has overcome. Brave Orchid is able to make a life and a family after coming over to America. My definition of a woman warrior is a woman that fights against the odds, becomes the best woman and caretaker she can, and can be looked to as an example for morality. I think Kingston’s definition is probably close to mine, but I think she would use bigger words. Also I think she would include the ability to challenge society and authority. Kingston’s character, of course, would be one of the main women warriors because she has to pursue a life in this place where she is an outcast and trying to find who she is. Also the Fa Mu Lan story creates another woman warrior, which is an actual warrior. These two women help Kingston find her cultural identities because they know themselves. Both of these women know more of the Chinese culture, and how to live there, which helps Kingston understand herself and where she came from. I think she was glad to be born in America because she had a lot more freedom, but kind of resented it because her mom could not understand why she was so miserable. In China, a woman is not as important as in America because women are basically just given to another family. I think Kingston does end up becoming a women warrior because she overcomes the obstacles and is able to go to a great school. Also she ends up having a fantastic job and the ability to support herself without a man. I think she is probably the greatest women warrior because she actually had to overcome things in her way, such as being a minority and a woman, which could hold some people back, but it only made her fight even harder.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the women warrior the book is referring to is Maxine Hong Kingston. I think it is that way because it is a memoir and Maxine Hong Kingston is the author. It is not made up it is the stories of her life and how she interpreted them. It tells about the hardships she had to go through, her relationships with the people in her life, and the stories her mother told her that affected her life so much. All of the stories in Women Warrior are inspired by things that happened to Maxine Hong Kingston and revolve around her and how she saw them. My definition of a Women Warrior is a woman who overcomes obstacles that come up in their life. The obstacles can be mental or physical but they overcome them all. For example when Maxine Hong Kingston does not get along very well with her mother, she writes about it and it helps her deal with it. I also believe that they are women who know what she wants out of life and can make it happen and do not need anyone else’s help to do what they want. Woman warriors, like Mulan, set out to do things that may not be the norm for women in their society or culture. They are strong in their beliefs and will do whatever it takes for them to get what they want. Some other women that could be considered women warriors are the No name woman, Brave Orchard and Moon Orchard. No Name Woman is a warrior because her husband leaves her and she has to figure out how to get by. She ends up getting pregnant and deals well with the people in the town, until the baby is born she does not know what else to do so she kills the baby and herself. Brave Orchard has to overcome moving to another country and having to cope with the changes that occur. She went from being a doctor to owning a laundry and being more of a wife. Moon orchard is strong because she deals pretty well with her husband getting remarried and leaving her. She is ok with it until Brave Orchard talks her into going to confront him and claim his new kids as her own.
ReplyDeleteI think Kingston is referring to herself as the Woman Warrior in the title of her book. In the last chapter, it is her narrating the entire chapter and telling her life story from birth to now. While she is telling her story, we hear of all of her hardships in her life. She goes through many life changing events that come from her mother and her Chinese-American culture. As a child and a teenager she was scared of the ghosts in her mothers talk stories and eventually as a young adult recognizes and talks about her troubles in her writing. She describes how she overcame events in her life as she matured and considers herself a woman warrior because of this. When she wrote her book of memoirs and experiences, she titles it The Woman Warrior after herself.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of a woman warrior is similar to Kingston’s. I believe the term is referring to any woman who overcame obstacles from her past and it has made her stronger and a better person. There are a couple other women in the book that could be considered woman warriors. The first one being Brave Orchid because although her and Kingston did not see eye to eye, she works hard and cares a lot about her family and tries to overcome the cultural changes by working at the family’s laundry. Also, I think her sister Moon Orchid is a woman warrior because once finding her old husband and him turning her town and telling her to move on, she was brave and overcame that tragedy by starting a new life. Fa Mu Lan is another. She overcame feelings of inferiority as a female by pretending to be a male and fighting for what she thought was right in battle. All of these woman warriors gave Kingston inspiration to overcome her problems and become a woman warrior herself. I definitely think Kingston achieved becoming a woman warrior throughout the novel. Although she started off as a shy timid child who did not speak and rebelled, as she matured she overcame her issues and went from a silent scared girl to telling her stories to the world and becoming a confident author.
I believe the Woman warrior alluded to in Kingston’s novel is Maxine Hong Kingston herself. Kingston installs herself into the traditional “woman warrior” story of Mulan. Additionally Kingston struggles against the traditional Chinese values imposed upon her by her family and her community. A woman warrior is a female person who either internally or externally struggles against the established order as it pertains to gender roles and femininity. I think Kingston would agree with me in principle. Kingston, however struggles to reconcile the concepts of gender role and femininity in the two cultures that she was raised in. The no-name woman that Kingston speaks about in her book could be considered a Woman warrior depending on which circumstances about her adultery are true. If the no-name woman was sleeping with someone out of passion or a desire to challenge the folkways of her village, then she would be a woman warrior. It is impossible to tell however, because Kingston’s mother does not tell her the details and her mother refuses to ever mention the no-name woman again. In some ways Kingston’s mother is a woman warrior but, she also has plenty of ways that she is not. She independently attends school and work but, she also believes in polygamy and rigid adherence to traditions that subjugate women. Kingston’s mother is the primary influence on Kingston’s journey to womanhood. Most of Kingston’s actions in childhood are an attempt to fulfill her mother’s expectations of a Chinese woman. Kingston struggles because she becomes a cultural hybrid and has a hard time reconciling the influences of both her mother’s culture and her own American culture. Kingston succeeds in becoming a Woman Warrior because she finally manages to reconcile her relationship with her mother/dominant culture and her American life with her non-Chinese speaking husband and children.
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ReplyDeleteI believe a woman warrior is a strong women also a very brave women, fights for what she believes in. Also a woman warrior is not afraid to be wrong at times. I believe my definition goes along great with kingstons definition. I believe all the women in the novel could be a really good women warrior. They all did something meaningful. I think Maxine Hong Kingston is the woman warrior in the title. The reason for that is because she fits my definition of a women warrior. I also belive Kingston is a women warrior herself. The reason for that is because she has worked way to hard in life to get to where she is today. To wrap things up in order to be a woman warrior must be strong and brave. Kingston did that and more.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Woman Warrior that the title is referring to is mainly Maxine Hong Kingston herself. Each character she brings into her stories has their own heroic qualities which could make them warriors but I think it is mostly about her. To me a woman warrior must be a strong individual. They should be able to do what Fa Mu Lan does, turn off and on their emotions at any time. This helps them stay focused and helps them not lose sight of what they are trying to accomplish. I think that a woman warrior should be brave and be able to make the necessary sacrifices that they need to in order to succeed. For some reason I do not really see Brave Orchid as a warrior but she did influence Kingston’s life pretty substantially. Her talk stories seemed to impose on her adaption to American ways. If you constantly have someone who is referring to negative things and America together it would start to shape your ideas of America all together. Her mother telling her she was “half ghost” had to have affected her in some way. Although Kingston got criticized for trying to weave the warrior icon and cultures together I think she did a fairly good job. I think in her own way she became a sufficient warrior. I cant even imagin living in such a strict environment all my life and being told my whole life talk stories that make me doubt or have reservations about where I am trying to go in life. Going from a Chinese culture where your decisions are basically made for you from the start to going to America where you are free to make your own decisions and tread your own path in life is bound to be a hard transition. Kingston’s fictionalized take on Fa Mu Lan was a good way for her to deal with her getting accustomed to her hardships. For that reason I think she succeeded in becoming The Woman Warrior in all aspects through her memior.
ReplyDeleteLike most have pointed out, I agree that the Woman Warrior alluded in the title is Maxine Hong Kingston. The stories that she told about Fa Mu Lan and her families in her novel are comparing her to the other warriors, but ultimately the story is based on her and the accomplishments that she had made. Other characters that were woman warriors in the book were her mother, Fa Mu Lan, “No Name Woman”. Her mother made a life for herself and she went to school and brought herself to America to make a life for herself. She studied so she would be in the top of her class. Fa Mu Lan was a warrior in every aspect of strength and she fought for the families of her village, and when she was done she was willing to give her family everything they needed. Also, No Name Woman gave her life so that her baby wouldn’t have to endure the pain that she had caused. I think these women had helped her to be a woman of a Chinese American culture. She saw what it was like for a woman to be shamed, for woman to be strong, and smart. These women showed her ways, and she obtained bits and pieces from each of them. I believe that Kingston did succeed in becoming a woman warrior. Throughout her childhood she was seen as a “bad girl.” Kingston had to prove herself to her mother, and she did. She began to speak up for herself. She overcame her fears and she began to speak up for herself. She makes her life into what she wants it to be.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of woman warrior is a woman who is strong emotionally or physically. A woman warrior is one who is smart, and who will stick up for a cause for themselves or for all women. A woman warrior is someone who will overcome their fears. I believe that this definition is similar to Kingston’s definition of a woman warrior. I think that Kingston grew up as a strong, intelligent woman.
I believe the title of Maxine Hong Kingston’s novel is referring to her, Kingston, as the woman warrior. Throughout the story, she speaks of trials and tribulations that she had to overcome being a Chinese-American, and a female at that. In the Chinese culture it is looked down upon to have girls or to be a girl. Females are seen as useless and the same as maggots, dogs, and even slaves. Kingston had to work twice as hard in her life to be taken half as seriously just because she was a female to her Chinese relatives. It is clear that Kingston realized the struggles she had to deal with when she tells the story of Fa Mu Lan, but replaces Mulan with her own life and persona. To me, a woman warrior is one that makes succeeds in their lives and is happy with what they have achieved. A woman warrior is a woman that has overcome diversity even with every odd stacked against them. These women do what they do because that is what it takes for them to survive and be happy. I think that what I consider to be a woman warrior and what is described in Kingston’s novel are similar. She portrays the women in her story as women who work hard and never give up despite all the hard times they face. I think that all of the other women in Kingston’s novel could be considered women warriors. Her mother, Brave Orchid, moves to a new country and starts a life without knowing what was ahead for her. The No-Name Woman is also a woman warrior because she knew that she would never be able to have the life that she wanted and deserved for her and her child if they were to live in their community. She did the unthinkable, and took both her and her baby’s lives, although it was done with the best of intentions. I think that after growing up knowing the story about her aunt and watching her mother and her other aunt as she grew up, she saw their bravery and their willingness to do what it took to keep everyone happy and healthy. I think that Kingston definitely succeeds in becoming a woman warrior herself. She continued to do what she felt she needed to do for herself even after she received no attention and recognition for the grades she received in school and what she accomplished in her life.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the woman that is being alluded in the title of Maxine Hong Kingston’s novel The Woman Warrior is Maxine herself. There are many different ideas of what a woman warrior is composed of. I think a woman needs to be a strong individual character that sticks out. She needs to have beliefs and stand up for herself and her beliefs. She doesn’t necessarily need to be book smart but common sense will help out a lot. Also she should be able to test and push herself to the limit because it will make her stronger. My definition is similar to Maxine Hong Kingston’s definition of a woman warrior in the novel. There are a few women that can be considered a woman warrior in the novel. Maxine Hong Kingston herself is a woman warrior. Even though Mu Lan isn’t discussed much in the novel, she is a woman warrior. Maxine Hong Kingston’s mother and her deceased aunt can be thought of as women warriors also. They all fought what they believed in even if it was right or wrong. All of these woman influenced Maxine throughout her life. Maxine’s mother raised her and Maxine was told about her aunt the No Name Woman and was told not to end up like her. Mu Lan was somewhat of an influence because Maxine went and fought in her father’s place in the war. I believe Maxine Hong Kingston succeeded in becoming a woman warrior. She trained for 7 long years away from her family with a couple in the mountains and survived the experience. Maxine also took her father’s place in going away and fighting. She fought many battles and even gave birth to a child on her journey. During the journey she even fought for what she believed in and chased her dreams.
ReplyDeleteNaturally since Maxine Hong Kingston’s novel The Women Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is a memoir one could assume that she is indeed the women warrior referred to in the title. I agree with this logic however, the way in which Kingston narrates her memoirs leads me to believe that she views the woman warrior as more of an idea than an individual. Kingston tells stories of a variety of woman who have affected her life and they can all be seen as woman warriors in their own right. This conveys to readers that women in all walks of life can be viewed as woman warriors. To me a woman warrior is any woman who is strong, independent, and cable of doing things otherwise seen as not fit to be done by women. Furthermore I see a woman warrior as anyone who overcomes adversity. I think this correlates closely with Kingston’s idea of the woman warrior as illustrated in the novel with the exception of Kingston’s character Moon Orchid. With the exception of Moon Orchid, Kingston’s characters are all strong willed and they overcome some form of adversity. To me, Moon Orchid is portrayed as the opposite of what a woman warrior should be since she is timid, and not willing to stand up to her husband who left her in China. Another woman in the novel who meets the characteristics of a woman warrior is the elderly woman who helps train Kingston/Fa Mulan to become a legitimate warrior. Obviously this woman is portrayed as strong, knowledgeable, and independent and she helps Kingston grow as a person. It’s her experiences with the elderly couple that let Kingston realize that she has power in her words and not just her actions. In the conclusion of the novel, I believe that Kingston does succeed in becoming a woman warrior. Throughout the course of the novel, Kingston is able to learn a little bit from each talk-story and apply that to her own life in a positive way. This helps her grow as a person and recognize her own potential and for that I believe she certainly can be seen as a woman warrior.
ReplyDeleteA woman warrior is a female that stands up for what she believes in and works for the well-being of a group and not just herself. Kingston's mother, Brave Orchid, could be considered a woman warrior especially during her life in China. She went to school to train as a midwife/doctor in a time that woman did not go to college. She had to compete against other females that were extremely young compared to her. While in school, she was seen as someone that was extremely smart and brave when it came to the ghosts in the dorm. She went on to do medical work while she lived in China and had to switch to laundry and other lower wage jobs when she moved to America. Brave Orchid was also very head strong and was quick to give advice to her sister on how to handle her husband as well as had the strength to work at any job for the well-being of her family. She impacted her children by giving them freedom by moving to America and giving them traditions from China. Even though Kingston was conflicted by being a Chinese-American, she did become an independent person that followed her own path. Kingston does succeed in becoming a woman warrior like her mother by going to school and succeeding in a world that was not embraced by her Chinese parents who refused to speak English or adapt to traditions that were American. Her book is her way of showing that she achieved what she set out to do by highlighting not her achievements after she leaves for college, but her experiences in her youth and adolescent years that ultimately defined her. Brave Orchid and Kingston were both women warriors based on their strength and ability to pave the way for their own destinies versus having someone dictate what they would do in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI believe the woman warrior is referring to Fa Mulan, not only because of the White Tiger chapter, but also because of the narrator. Kingston is looking for this innermost thing to make her acceptable to her mother’s society, the mystery Chinese society that no one ever explains to her. Fa Mulan represents that inner strength and that traditional role of a woman. Fa Mulan honors her emperor, her husband, and her family- all of which Kingston fails to do.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe Fa Mulan is “the” woman warrior- or anyone else for that matter. It is the strength in every woman. The woman warrior is the power and courage behind the traditional woman role- the wife, the housekeeper, the mother, the teacher. Fa Mulan was only one woman, but there are millions of women warriors.
Kingston’s mother is a woman warrior; she staked everything to come to America for a better life for her family, especially her girls. Moon Orchid and Brave Orchid are women warriors for their commitment to seeking out what is right and fair. They teach Kingston that you must be strong for each other and don’t let anyone take advantage of you. The silent girl teaches her that you do not have to bend, even if it means pain and suffering.
Kingston has had much success in her journey to become a woman warrior. She has been outspoken some, and woman warrior do not need to be loud to be heard. I believe in the traditional sense of a family- mothers stay home and keep the house together. That is a woman warrior. It is easy to get a job and make money- it’s warrior-like to sustain a family.
I believe that the woman that is being described as the Woman Warrior in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is Maxine Hong Kingston. I think that because she is the narrator of this memoir. My definition of a woman warrior is a woman that has many strong characteristics. She could be dressed as a man or woman, but she is really strong and confident. Woman warrior is a woman who can fight for her country and defend her family’s honor. She is willing to act like a man even if she is discriminated against. She is also willing to help out those who are less fortunate than her. I think that Maxine Hong Kingston would agree with my definition. I think that Brace Orchid could be considered a woman warrior too because she fights for her rights in America and helps Maxine through her childhood. She teaches Maxine so many good lessons and pays to bring her sister to the United States. She has her sister, Moon Orchid, come to America so that she can get her husband back. The No Name Woman could also be considered a woman warrior because she leads the life that she wants when her husband is gone. It may not be a life that is accepted but she is doing what she wants. She did not want to wait for happiness while her husband was gone, so she went out and made her own happiness. I think that these women influence her in her life because she learns to be strong because of them. She learns great life lessons from her mother and from the No Name Woman. I do believe that Maxine Hong Kingston did succeed in becoming a woman warrior because through out the whole memoir she follows her dreams and live life the way that she wants to. She also go the most out of her life, she was intelligent and strong.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the woman warrior is Maxine Hong Kingston. I believe this because she kind of ties herself together with the character Fa Mu Lan in the “White Tigers” story in her novel The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. My definition of a warrior woman is not necessarily what everyone sees when they picture a warrior. She does not have to be a fighter. To me, a woman warrior is somebody that others look up to, or goes to for help. A woman warrior can be a doctor. In present day America, a woman that is a law enforcement officer or a firefighter can be a woman warrior. A woman warrior is somebody that helps others, and can also be somebody that would put her life on the line for others, whether it would be friends of strangers would not matter to her. A woman warrior is somebody that will speak out for herself and others. Women’s rights activists can also be considered warrior women because they fought for women to have equal rights of men. A warrior woman will stand up for her beliefs to any person that tries to challenge her. The warrior women in Maxine Hong Kingston’s novel are Maxine herself; her mother, Brave Orchid; and Fa Mu Lan from “White Tigers.” I believe Maxine Hong Kingston succeeded in becoming a warrior woman because she was a peace activist and was even arrested for standing up for what she believed in.
ReplyDeleteMaxine Hong Kingston’s novel The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts tells the story of the Woman Warrior, one woman who embodies all characteristics of the Chinese folklore Fa Mulan. While I believe Kingston is referencing herself in this title, I also think she uses the novel as a chance to allow other women to become warriors by following the example set by her. She is telling her memoir, therefore implying the woman warrior is herself but I believe that she also wants to inspire other women to become their own warrior. In the Chinese story, the woman warrior is a woman who spent a great deal studying the art of war and sacrificed herself in place of her f before returning home to be a wife, daughter-in-law and mother. However, in my opinion, a woman warrior in today’s modern terms is any woman who overcomes adversity and puts others before herself. It’s not necessary to defeat an entire army or save an entire country in order to be considered a woman warrior. On a much smaller scale, women who succeed despite misfortune or take advantage of opportunities to better their lives should be considered as warriors. In Kingston’s story, there are several other women who play important roles in her life. No Name Woman brought shame unto her family for becoming pregnant by someone other than her husband. However, this was against her will and she chose not to reveal the man who did this to her. After the baby was born, she committed suicide, taking the newborn with her. However, this showed loving because the child would have lived a shamed life. I think that while this is extreme, it was the only way the mother knew how to save her child and she had to make that choice. The baby “was probably a girl; there is some hope of forgiveness for boys” and the mother didn’t want her child to live that way (15). It was a tough choice but I think you could classify No Name Woman as a warrior for escaping a life she didn’t want. The story of No Name woman influences Kingston as she imagines just how everything happened with her aunt. I do believe that Kingston succeeds in becoming a woman warrior. She attends Berkeley and achieves and in the end, she is finally able to talk to her mother.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the woman alluded in the title is Maxine Hong Kingston. One reason is because it is a memoir so it is kind of assumed that it about Kingston. Another reason I believe it is referring to Kingston is because throughout the story, she tells of the many trials and ordeals she went through as a Chinese woman. She was constantly looked down upon and was constantly trying to prove herself to her family. Kingston also tells us about her struggles when she tells the story of Fa MuLan but puts herself in place of Mulan. I believe a woman warrior is a woman who fights to overcome challenges and diversity. She is willing to do whatever she needs to do in order to get what she wants. I believe that my definition is similar to Kingston’s definition because all the women in her stories are struggling and fighting to overcome challenges and diversity. One person I believe is also a woman warrior is Brave Orchid. She suffers from diversity and discrimination in China because she is a woman so she goes to America to become a Doctor so that she can help her family. Another Person I would consider a woman warrior is Moon Orchid. Even though her husband moved to America and married another woman, leaving her a single mother, she goes to America to try to make a life for herself and her kids. No name woman could also be considered a woman warrior because of she did to herself and her baby. She knew that if she kept her baby, she and the baby would suffer from great despair and discrimination and she knew that was no way for her child to live so instead of making her child live through that, she killed herself and her baby. These women greatly influenced Kingston’s journey into womanhood because they show her how to fight to overcome diversity and many more of life’s challenges. I do believe that Kingston succeeds in becoming a warrior woman because she made it to America and became successful. She overcame the diversity and despair in China and moved to America where she became a very successful author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the woman warrior in Maxine Hong Kingston’s book is Maxine herself. The title is an excellent indication that it is her: Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girl among Ghosts. Kingston, the narrator, is the only character in the book that has her life told about since she was a child. The other two main characters, Moon Orchid and Brave Orchid, are talked about in their adulthoods. In the last chapter, it is her narrating it. She overcame many of the obstacles in her life. She was able to get into college and became a successful author. Growing up with two very different cultures caused her many problems throughout the book. She was expected to live like a Chinese wife should, basically a slave.
ReplyDeleteA woman warrior is not necessarily a warrior on the battlefield. She could also be a woman fighting for her rights, no matter who opposes them, a cause for the greater good. She will never give up, even under impossible odds. I am not sure if Kingston would agree or disagree with my definition. I believe that both Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid could also be woman warriors. Brave Orchid is actually able to become a doctor. She fought for her family’s rights to have a job and a new life in America. Moon Orchid fought for her rights as well, until she fell to mental problems. There were others, but they fell to hardships, mental illness, a new land, and a new culture. Mulan herself could have been a major contributor to Kingston’s life. Kingston was a woman caught in two worlds, her Chinese culture and her American culture. She grew to embrace the American culture out of fear of the man dominated Chinese culture. I believe that Kingsotn wanted to get where she is today, to become a woman warrior in her own right.
Personally, I believe that a woman warrior is a metaphor for being strong, individualized, and using free will in every aspect of life. History has shown a long trend of degredation to women yet there have always been women dotted throughout that have overcome hardships and essentially freed themselves. This struggle for freedom is overcome by fighting. When some people think of a warrior they may think someone who has gone to battle, shed blood, killed, or something of that violent nature. What woman wouldn't want such a powerful title? In reality, women fight battles every day-- perhaps just not quite the same as men. Maxine Hong Kingston is a feminist and though I am far from it I can see how this may have influenced her in writing her memoir. I think that she delineates her life experiences as battles that she had to fight to overcome. I think that every women she met influenced her in one way or another. I felt that she was very judgemental and sometimes overthought the reasoning behind the actions of women from the story of her aunt to the girl in school. She saw flaws like big red flags and part of her just didn't understand it. She grows up around her mother who hasn't quite figured out her place in America and who even believes the family will return to China.Yet Brave Orchid is still very true to the customs and traditions, this is a battle Kingston had to figure out how to fight; staying true to her culture in America. In addition, Kingston's aunt completely loses herself in America and ends up believing mexicans are after her. A child growing up with all of these battles makes her strong. I believe that anyone can overcome things with motivation but the battles have to be recognized as won or lost. I think that throughout Kingston's life she grew from some a fearful cautious child to an angry teenager to a dignified insightful woman. She acknowledges the battles that she has overcome to be where she is and thus claims herself as a warrior.
ReplyDeleteA women warrior is someone who does not let there gender interfere with what they want to do. Brave Orchid shows this quality by going to medical school which was probably not very common. She is not dependant on men to get what she wants. She stands up for herself telling her kids to scare away any women that would be a 2nd-wife to her husband. Also when Moon Orchid is afraid that her husband will hit her Brave Orchid responds, “I’ll hit him. I’ll protect you, I’ll hit him back. The two of us will knock him down and make him listen” ( Kingston 105).
ReplyDeleteA women warrior is more apparent in Mulan. She wanted to protect her father and reform her country. She did it even with the prospect of being killed if she was found out to be a woman. Kingston also has a bit of warrior in her. She stands up for what she wants, acting clumsy and sloppy when her parents invite potential husbands to the house. She also refuses to go to typing school like her cousins and other village girls are doing. She tells her parents that she’s going to college.
Though these characters all show qualities, I think the woman warrior Kingston refers to is her mother, Brave Orchid. Even though through out most of the book her mother is cold towards her and nags her, Kingston is inspired by her and is the way she is because of her mother. You can see the respect Kingston has for her mother by the way she has began to talk-story and how she feels that the blankets covering her become very light after her conversation with her mother when she visits when she is older.
The reason I think Kingston thinks of her mother as the women warrior is because of her mother’s strength that persists through her life despite what hardships she had to face. Brave Orchid lost her two children after the age where they could talk. Nevertheless Brave Orchid didn’t let that slow her down. She became a well known doctor in her village. Even after traveling to the U.S. (by herself) and loosing the ability to practice and the respect she had earned in China Brave Orchid remained spunky and proud.
While Kingston takes most of the inspiration from her mother she is also influenced by the tale of Fa Mulan. The way the story of Mulan is included in the text. (having Kingston speaking in first person and having Mulan cut in speaking in first person) it seems that Kingston is a part of that Mulan story. After the story Kingston waits for a bird to call for her just as one did for Mulan. Kingston ’s refusal to become a slave and wife (and indirectly her effort to get into college) comes from the impression the tale of Mulan left on her.
There are many degrees of women warriors. The most extreme is Mulan’s case where she is an actual warrior and physically fights for what she wants. There is Brave Orchid who through hard work gets what she wants. Lastly there is the women warrior in Kingston , not as fire-y as the later two, but still does not let any one but herself lead her life.
The trouble with blogs is that often when you want to post an opinion, the same opinion has been posted already in multiple different ways. When I try to write what I feel to be true, I would have to take pieces from so many other posts that mine would be a series of quotes. I’m going to leave out and block out almost all opinions but my own for the purposes of this blog.
ReplyDeleteI feel that in this book Maxine Hong Kingston is the woman warrior. I also believe that there are degrees of being a woman warrior and she hopes for others to break out of the mold as well. My acceptance that she is the woman warrior comes from the title that says “the” and “memoir.” I believe that she broke the mold and made a person for herself and wrote this book partly as a guide for other women who have been where she was.
To me, a woman warrior is someone who stands up for her beliefs and lives a life with purpose regardless of what society or anyone else may think. It holds true throughout her book, but mainly at the beginning when she starts out the first chapter by saying ““You must not tell anyone,” my mother said”. She believed that her dead aunt deserved recognition and she gave her that recognition. It’s a hard thing to stand up to your parents sometimes and she did it to the umpteenth degree with that first sentence. Telling the world about something her mother specifically told her not to and that her family considers taboo.
I also believe that while Kingston had her own definition of what a woman warrior is, that she could understand and agree with similar but different definitions of what it takes to be one. Not everyone sees things the same way and if you get mired in just believing one definition then you miss looking at things from other perspectives and lose a piece of what you were trying to define anyway.
I believe the reference is a more widespread one. It’s not just about one specific person, but it is a tribute to woman that have had a personal impact on Kingston’s life. She seems to relate on a personal level to Fa Mulan. There are some similarities such as the strong will and desire to break the chains of the culturally traditional expectations of womanhood. Kingston is a pioneer for women’s liberation in modern times just as Fa Mulan was in antiquity. Her mother, Brave Orchid, was a strong and remarkable woman who could endure anything. Even though sometimes she drove Kingston nuts, I think on many levels Kingston admired her mother’s strength. The talk-story probably influences Kingston the most. Even No name woman could be considered a woman warrior. She represents a shattering of boundaries in the double standard sense. Why is it ok for men to have sexual liberation but not women? Kingston recognizes this double standard and relates to it. The old woman in the mountains is also a woman warrior. She is seen as the other side of the coin to the old man; a gender equality. They work as one unit in Fa Mulan’s training. This relates to Kingston because she is a gender boundary breaker as well. Finally, there’s Ts’ai Yen. Even after all of her hardships of being taken and forced to live with barbarians, she makes the best of her life and doesn’t let it get her down. She actually shows the foreigners a thing or two. This story also relates to Kingston’s life because she had to overcome hardships. Even though she was born and raised in America, she still suffered the ridicule of a being a foreigner. All of these women are little parts that have contributed into molding Kingston into who she is. Kingston was expected to fulfill duties of both worlds. A genuine American yet also a genuine Chinese woman. The blending of both worlds is a delicate balance and seems a definite challenge in sorting out her personal identity and how she fits in.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that comes to mind when I think of my definition of a woman warrior is Joan of Arc and Queen Boudica. They are two very prominent women who led others into battle. I also feel from a present day angle, that a woman warrior is a pillar of strength. She is a woman who can rise above any hardship thrown at her and keep going with honor and dignity. She is also someone looked upon by family, friends, and colleagues as a rock in times of chaos, extraordinary, wise, intelligent, a mentor, and a role model. It is someone I aspire to be like.
There is a lot of gender equality undertone in Kingston’s definition of what a woman warrior is. I would have to say that I agree with her in this aspect of the definition. However, I feel where my definition differs is from the traditional angle. Even women who choose not to break the mold of tradition but embrace it can be considered warriors too. It takes just as much strength to endure the expectations of the traditional path as it does to break away from it.
Kingston is a present day woman warrior. She is not only a pioneer of women’s liberation, but her battle is also a civil rights one.
I think that the women alluded to the title would be Kingston herself. After coming to the country and make the culture change from her memoirs. My definition of women warrior is that of a women that is in a conflict and Kingston’s conflict was making that transition from her Chinese culture to the American culture in her stories. There are a lot of women that I know that had to make this culture change to Americans. My mom had to make the change 30 years ago. Moon Orchard could be considered a women warrior because she fought a good conflict but then she fell to hardship. The women do influence her in to womanhood and helped her get through the hardship of being an outsider. They helped her get over the American-Chinese stigma. I think that Kingston succeeds in becoming a women warrior because she had that conflict with that culture change. Kingston grew up in a total different culture that has higher standards than Americans. As she strives to become more American she goes through a lot of pain and hardship to become the person she is today.
ReplyDeleteI believe that The Woman Warrior is Maxine Hong Kingston herself. I believe this because throughout the novel Kingston talks about each story through the narrator who talks in first person. This makes me think that she really is The woman warrior because she really has overcome many obstacles in her life she became an author, adapted to Chinese American culture, she went to college, and overcoming her speaking fear. I think my definition of a woman warrior is exactly what I said Kingston was because she fits the characteristics of The Woman Warrior but also Kingston’s own internal warrior.
ReplyDeleteAnother character who might also be the woman warrior would be Brave Orchid simply because her characteristic are similar to Kingston. Kingston who was born in America, but grew up within Chinese culture, although Brave Orchid was born in China she too has to adjust to the hybridity of these cultures. Brave Orchid also had the obstacles or moving to American and raising enough money to bring over her sister. Theses stories that Kingston learned and lived through made her the woman she is today and helped her learn more about her Chinese American culture.
I believe that Kingston succeeded in becoming The women warrior, in the novel the character over comes many obstacles and learns more about her culture. Since I believe Kingston is that character of course she succeeded by overcoming her own obstacles making herself her own woman warrior.
The iconic woman warrior would be a strong woman who all women look up to. The title alludes to a woman who is both physically strong and mentally awake. In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, the interpretation of the woman in the title is strong enough to try and get rid of a stubborn ghost and mentally capable of understanding the faulty logic that baby girls are “bad”. My definition of a woman warrior is very stereotypical and a bit cliché. A woman warrior is a mentally strong woman whose morals pave the way for her judgment. Kingston’s definition is close but she adds the physical aspect that I don’t necessary believe is needed in order to be a woman warrior. Brave Orchid is one that could be characterized as warrior women because of her strong mental ability to reason and withstand opposition. Fa Mu Lan was another warrior woman. Not only did she put herself in danger for the sake of her family but she grew physically stronger to show that woman can still achieve the same standards as their male counterparts. In The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, Kingston writes "[My mother] 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 a warrior woman." Explaining the significance of the story about Fa Mu Lan. Kingston realizes that being a Chinese-American woman, she can uphold her identity in both cultures by pulling the elements of strength and courage. Only at the end of the book I convince myself that Kingston was smart enough to realize the failures of other woman and harvesting the essence of success from the woman warriors her mom expressed so dearly about.
ReplyDeleteI believe the woman Maxine Hong Kingston is alluding to is herself. The title itself makes it fairly clear, saying the book is a memoir of a girlhood among ghosts. Since the girlhood In question would be Maxine Hong Kingston's, it would make sense for the Woman Warrior part of the title to also refer to the same person, Kingston. To take a less logic based stance, I believe it is proven to be her throughout the book itself. There is a whole chapter dedicated to Maxine Hong Kingston and Fa Mulan, a legendary female warrior of China. This chapter shows both Fa Mulan going on her great journey, but Maxine also inserts herself into the character, acting as though she is truly Fa Mulan. This can easily show how Maxine Hong Kingston herself is Fa Mulan.
ReplyDeleteI think a woman warrior is anyone that stands up for what they believes in and fights for what is right. That’s essentially any warrior, just in this case it is a woman. It can be seen as a bit different since woman have more a prejudice against them compared to men. I think Kingston succeeds. Though it is much later after her injecting herself into the legend of Fa Mulan. She contends with bosses that refuse to listen and eventually fire her, and after learning that her words are her weapons, she truly begins to succeed. She ends up with a teaching job at a prestigious university and eventually goes on to write a story about her own struggles and growth that wins countless awards and earns her respect. That’s a warrior if I've ever seen one.
Although there is more than one woman that can be classified as a woman warrior, THE woman warrior in this story is Maxine Hong Kingston. Not only is she the author and narrator, but she has written the story about her life as a Chinese-American. To me, a woman warrior is a brave, strong woman with a lot of will power and care for others. A woman warrior can turn any situation into a better one, by looking at the good things. A woman warrior stands up for herself and fights for what she believes. In Kingston’s novel, a woman warrior is mainly defined exactly how it sounds: a warrior that is a woman. And Kingston was the woman warrior because she was trained to be just that in her fantasy and went to fight for her family. I think that Brave Orchid could very well be classified as a woman warrior because she never gives up on anything she starts and works hard for herself and family. She takes care of her children and also her sister, Moon Orchid, and pushes her to even go after her long lost husband because she believes its right. Brave Orchid’s love and support for Maxine (although it seems like very little at some points) helps Maxine understand her Chinese heritage, but also teachers her how to be more like the “ghosts.” Brave Orchid’s talk-stories throughout the novel help Kingston live her life in America, but also understand Chinese history. I also see Moon Orchid as a woman warrior because she left her home country where she’s lived her entire life, China, and came to America at short notice. It takes a lot of guts to give up your life somewhere and start fresh in a new, and completely different, atmosphere. She also acted like a warrior when she went to see her “husband” for the first time in several years. Although she was shy and teary eyed, she still put herself through the tough situation by showing up and visiting him. I think her situation did affect Maxine in that it made her more independent and realize that girls don’t just have to marry off and depend on men. I also think her aunt, or No-Name Woman, was a woman warrior because she had to be strong to be the only girl out of all of her siblings. Although crazy, her being an outcast led her to kill herself and her baby, leading Kingston to create stories about her and her life since she never knew her. Lastly, I see Fa Mu Lan as a woman warrior, although she was made up in Brave Orchid’s talk story. Fa Mu Lan was a powerful warrior whom Kingston compared herself too so much that she saw them as one. She wanted to be like Fa Mu Lan and accomplish as much as she had. Overall, I do believe Kingston succeeds in becoming a woman warrior because she learns so much from her mother’s talk stories and how to live better as an American, but still carry her Chinese heritage. The story tells how she’s grown up to be a mature woman and wonderful storyteller.
ReplyDeleteIn The Warrior Woman, the main woman warrior of the novel would be Maxine Hong Kingston herself because in the different stories she immerses herself into them and ends up becoming the woman of the story. So instead of the stories being about different warrior women it turns out to be more of a sort of soul journey of Maxine through situations of hardship. The definition of a warrior woman to me would be one who stood against hardships even if it’s a fear of your uncertain future or watching your family die around you. It is being strong enough to not break and lose yourself to those hardships. In this definition it is in at least to my line of sight similar and on par with the view point of Kingston’s vision of a warrior woman regardless of what the stories show. Other women who fit this description would be Brave Orchid for her fight to be a midwife and who cut her own tongue so her child wouldn’t be tongue-tied and Ts’ai Yen for surviving barbarian torture and bringing back music for the Chinese to sing to their instruments. Their fights were influences for Maxine to take to heart and apply to her own situations, to gain independence, to take on pain and rise up from it. They are stories that influenced her to become the woman of the stories applied to today. It allows her hardships to seem accomplishable because women before her survived worse and still were held together by their inner strength. They survived torture and self-mutilation as selfless acts for other people to thrive. So would Maxine too would become like them, gain the inner strength and become a woman warrior in the battle of all livelihoods and to take on the world around her.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Literary Terms handout, a memoir is “a specific type of autobiographical concerned with recollections of persons closely associated with the writer and their personalities and action.” Indeed, Maxine Hong Kinston’s novel, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of Girlhood among Ghosts is a memoir as it says so in the title, but also it contains Chinese women empowerment stories from characters such as No Name Woman, Fa Mu Lan, Brave Orchid, Moon Orchid, and the Silent Girl that inspired Kingston and her persona; hence, it is a memoir. Although, one may conclude that each of these characters have “Woman Warrior” qualities; the title suggests there is one woman warrior—Maxine Hong Kingston. In other words, the allusion in the title reverts to Kingston herself. The stories of the women aforementioned depict the tribulations that Chinese women endure and eventually surmount, which shapes the ultimate Woman Warrior—Kingston. For example, Kingston as a Chinese American attended American school by day and Chinese school by night; she is a “hybrid of cultures.” The amalgamation created the unique individual she became. Even though she underwent many hardships such as self-identity, Kingston, THE Woman Warrior, prevailed.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of a “woman warrior” is a female who endures obstacles that she may fear, show weakness to and in addition, defy her traditional beliefs and moral values. She may not overcome these tribulations; however, value their enlightenments. Kingston’s definition differs, because she depicts a woman warrior as independent. I disagree; many people accomplish their dreams with the help of others. In fact, with all do respect, I believe it to be hypocritical to say she is independent. Our families raise us; they shape the person that we become. They may no longer financially support us, but there is a different type of support. In fact, without our support (dependences) as readers/purchasers of the novel, in essence there would be no book. To be completely independent is impossible and unattainable.
In Kingston’s novel, woman warriors characterized many women. Fa Mu Lan trains to become a literal woman warrior, by overcoming the obstacle women cannot participate in war. Brave Orchid was an extraordinary exception of Chinese women: completing a college degree, becoming a doctor, and moving to “the Gold Mountain.” The Silent Girl, no matter how much Kingston beleaguered her to speak, never spoke. Specifically, these women gave Kingston the power to become someone. No matter the customs and roles society may title to her, the glorified stories showed her the open door to enter. She follows her own beliefs and becomes the person she, herself desires to be. Her Chinese influences predominate in her writing; however, her actions as a writer portray the America inside her. In accordance to the ghosts that intervened, the intertwining of Chinese and American cultures, and the words that could not emit from her as a child Kingston surmounted. Indubitably, she succeeds in becoming a woman warrior.
I believe that the Women Warrior Maxine Hong Kingston refers to in her novel is actually herself. She overcomes the many challenges ahead of her that most women would crumple to. The definition of a women warrior to me is a woman that defies the perceptions of the normal women, strives to achieve her true identity, and fights for what she believes. A woman warrior may be a physical warrior, or a mental warrior. Whether it be leading her country to victory or battling mentally to survive. I believe that Maxine Hong Kingston’s definition of woman warrior is quite similar to mine. She battles mentally to survive the torment of other girls and destroying houses as well as heroically leading her army into battle, making her a true Woman Warrior.
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ReplyDeleteIn Maxine Hong Kinston's Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, the woman alluded in the title is Fa Mu Lan. There is no doubt in my mind that Fa Mu Lan is the woman warrior. She is the main character who struggles through all of her hardships to save her entire
ReplyDeletecountry in battle. As far as the definition of a "woman warrior" goes, I believe a woman warrior is one, who is a female, that goes above and beyond the normal threshold of human being to sacrifice ones self for the well being of many others. A woman warrior, such as Fa Mu Lan, would put her
own personal well being in jeopardy to for a greater good. And also, in this time period, would rise above the social norms and go against tradition when they know in their hearts that they have the power to change things for the better and be a hero or so called "woman warrior". In the novel I
believe that brave orchid is also a woman warrior. She is extremely strong at heart and will do anything to to protect what is dear to her. She is also very outspoken and makes it know how intelligent she is. Also, she defeats ghosts while she goes to school and when she returns to her
village she is looked at as a shaman or magician. Brave orchid influences Kingston in her journey to womanhood by being a very pretentious woman. She shows very strong leadership qualities and is would be a great role model for anyone to look up to, especially Kingston her daughter. And finally, I
do believe Kingston becomes a woman warrior herself. She works through the difficulties of being a Chinese woman in an American culture and even though she verbally attacks her mother with all of her built up anger, it is also prevalent that she deeply cares and respects for her mother. And with
all these burdens on her, she still manages to overcome then all and be the woman warrior that is true to herself, The Kingston Woman Warrior.
Along with many others, I believe that Maxine Hong Kingston is the woman warrior in her novel, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. I say this because a memoir is an autobiography, biography, or historical account. The very last chapter of the novel, "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe," is about Kingston herself. The other four chapters include women that are related to Kingston or connected to her in some way. If Maxine Hong Kingston was not the woman warrior alluded to in the novel, then it would not be a memoir.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of a woman warrior is a woman who perseveres. She sets out to do a task and she finishes it to the best of her ability. She is a woman who fights for truth and what she believes in. My woman warrior also puts others first, especially her family. I believe the four other main characters in the novel could be considered a woman warrior in some aspects, but the most prominent one, other than Kingston herself, is Fa Mu Lan. She not only fought physically, but also mentally for her family and what she believed was right.
I believe my definition of a woman warrior is quite similar to Maxine Hong Kingston’s. We both see perseverance as the main key to being a woman warrior. This is evident in her recollection of herself in the last chapter. Being a Chinese girl growing up in America, Kingston had to deal with the difficulty of the hybridity of the two cultures. Even though there were many obstacles in her way, Kingston persevered and overcame these obstructions with her writing, making her a true warrior.
I believe that the woman warrior is Maxine Hong Kingston. The thing that most leads me to this conclusion is that, when telling the story of Fa Mu Lan, she is telling it in first person. She also says that her weapons are not swords but words. This shows that she herself has found her weapon to wield as a woman warrior. A woman warrior in the literal sense would be the Fa Mu Lan described in Woman Warrior. But in a symbolic sense, a woman warrior as a female who fights for what she believes is right even when faced with extreme adversity. Characters in the story that I think qualify as women warriors are Maxine Hong Kingston, Fa Mu Lan, and Brave Orchid. Brave orchid and Fa Mu Lan teach her about the Chinese culture and how it should be implemented in American society. Brave Orchid tries to instill the values of old in Kingston but she wants to learn things about the world that typically Chinese woman aren’t allowed to learn or do. I believe Kingston succeeded in becoming a woman warrior because since her words are her weapons and she has a published work, in her eyes, she is succeeding.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the woman warrior is not so much a single a person. Although Kingston’s title is “The Woman Warrior, I don’t see it as describing just one person. The way I see is that every time Kingston describes the woman warrior she is implying the woman who takes initiative, who is her own person and fights for what it is she wants and desires. My definition of woman warrior would have to be, “a woman who is strong willed, does not want to be counted among the majority and believes that she can accomplish what has to be done according to her. Throughout the novel we see how much Kingston describes her mother, and how much her mother is a woman warrior. It seems as though she does what she has to, to get things done. She’s courageous, fearless as read about when she confronts the ghost in her dorm. There are many characters that could be described as being woman warriors. I believe that Kingston’s mother was probably one of the biggest influences on her journey to womanhood, because seeing as it was mainly her mother who raised her and taught her to be strong like she is. Also another is Fa Mu Lan. Though it’s probably not in a literal sense, but the story that her mother told her made her believe that she overcome the biggest struggles or “enemies” as in the story. I believe that Kingston does in fact succeed in becoming a woman warrior. I say that because she keeps on going no matter what others may say about her heritage and yet still being more American than Chinese. She succeeds because she is able to become what she has always wanted. She made something of herself in way that she wanted, not what someone else decided for her.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "The Warrior:Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts" by Maxine Hong Kingston, I believe she diplays all of the qualities that may be used to define a true "warrior". The first quality I feel she displayed was courage.When compared to warriors in history courage has been one o the things that it takes to be triumphant or succcessful in any battle no matter what the outcome or mission of such battle. My definition of a woman warrior is a woman who is willing to sacrafice,or contribute whatever it may take to succeed at a cause from which her heart or life may aspire.
ReplyDeleteThe second quality I feel that was displayed was that of determination. Often times determination is what it take to complete a goal or mission and i feel that throughout the novel determination was displayed by the author.
The other woman that I feel that could characterized as a warrior was Brave Orchid. I felt that she earned her name by persuading or influencing her sister,Moon Orchid, to reclaim her place as "first wife" with her physician husband,whom she felt had abandoned her. Even though she wasn't successful at her mission she felt that it was worth the fight or attempt.
I feel that Kingston succeeds at becoming a warrior woman because she set out to tell a side of a history,whether fiction or not,that can be viewed by others to see her stuggles or battles as a Chinese-American author.
I believe the Woman Warrior in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is referring not to a single person, but the idea of the warrior in every women. The idea of a warrior woman can be seen in Maxine Hong Kingston, Brave Orchard, and Fa Mu Lan. A warrior woman is someone who perseveres through struggles and fights for what’s right. All of these women had to fight battles of their own to prove themselves. Fa Mu Lan fought for her people, Maxine Hong Kingston fought ghosts, and Brave Orchard fought to make a life in America. I believe there is a little bit of a woman warrior in all of us. We all want to prove that we are worth something and have a purpose.
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