Tuesday 26 July 2016

The Woman Warrior : Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston - Discussion / Quick Review


'A Memoir of a Girlhood Among Ghosts' is the best title that can be given to this book that doesn't stick to just one genre. It is a memoir but there is a great deal of creative story telling by bringing Chinese folk tales, including the story of Hua Mulan, into her autobiography. 

Of course, ghosts are commonly known as an element of fiction, so how can this be an accurate memoir of Kingston's girlhood? And by highlighting that the focal point of this is growing up as a girl, more specifically in America in a Chinese community, is this book too complicated for those who are currently in their girlhood?


I recently finished reading 'The Woman Warrior' by Maxine Hong Kingston and, as I shut the back cover, I understood a new type of feminism that a white British female could possibly never come across. I try to educate myself on different views from different races, backgrounds, countries (etc.) on feminism because if you are going to support the issue you need to support it with many views so that successful developments can be made. 

Kingston not only had to face the problems that many girls face growing up, but also as a girl confused about what to do (although she tells her mother she knows what she's going to do) in a Chinese community in America. 


This community, to me, seems as though they are not actively as strict on traditional personalities and roles that girls should have, however they talk about it as though they are. Kingston see's her future being very different from her mother's, because they are not in China and America is so different. That being said, her mother's life as a young woman is not so different to how Kingston thought.

I'm have created a discussion on DISQUS about 'The Woman Warrior' (here) so if you've read it and would like to share your views or agree/disagree with something I've written about it then join in!

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