The Woman Warrior
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Cover of the Vintage International 1989 hardcover edition |
|
| Author | Maxine Hong Kingston |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Autobiography |
| Publisher | Vintage International |
| Released | 1975 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 209 |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-679-72188-6 |
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is a book by Maxine Hong Kingston, published by Vintage Books in 1975. It is semi-autobiographical, incorporating many elements of fiction. It is an example of postmodernism in American literature, demonstrated by the fact that it can maintain interest despite lacking any kind of continuous storyline.
Through the novel, Kingston explores ethnicity and gender roles, especially in the context of her experience as a Chinese-American woman. The book is divided into five chapters: "No Name Woman"; "White Tigers"; "Shaman"; "At the Western Palace"; and "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe". In "No Name Woman" Kingston describes the suicide of her aunt after she gave birth to an illegitimate child. In "White Tigers" she creates a fantastic allegory in which she describes her childhood. She imagines herself as the legendary Chinese woman warrior, Fa Mulan [1]. In "Shaman" she describes her mother's experience in Chinese medical school. She mixes fantasy and autobiography, detailing her mother's physical and mental battles with spirits and ghosts. In "At the Western Palace" she describes her aunt Moon Orchid's mental breakdown after she emigrates to the United States from China. Finally in "A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe" she describes her childhood experiences in the California public school system, and her parents' attitudes toward her.
The Woman Warrior has been reported by the Modern Language Association as the most commonly taught text in modern university education, used in disciplines that include American literature, anthropology, Asian studies, composition, education, psychology, sociology, and women's studies. Though widely praised by critics, including winning the 1976 National Book Critics Circle Award, the book has been criticized by fellow Chinese American author Frank Chin as perpetuating racist stereotypes [2].
[edit] References
- Fonesca, Anthony J. "Maxine Hong Kingston." Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 312: Asian American Writers. Ed. Deborah L. Madsen. Gale, 2005. 163-180.
