Second to last, comes the hopeless attempt of Brave Orchid to reunite her sister with her husband, who was last spoken to 30 years ago. It leads to the discovery of him being remarried and wanting nothing to do with his family of the past. The closing chapter is Kingston’s own personal story
QGoldBoyEmeralsGirl Look for two specific quotes about Professor Dai that shows her to be a different person from the traditional image of Chinese women. Explain how these quotes show the differences from the traditional roles and images of women. Define the social structure that allows Professor Dai to be who she is. To what extent does “social construct” create who a person can be? Would she have been allowed to be who she is today if she had been born in the 1850-1940s?
The family cursed the aunt; she became a “ghost” as if she was never born. It was forbidden to mention her name. Although this story was intended to be a mother’s lesson for a daughter about how not to humiliate her family, Kingston took liberty to fill the story’s gaps herself fantasizing about what it was like to live in China in previous generations. This essay introduces us to such themes as silence, the place of women in traditional Chinese society, and the difficulties that a Chinese- American faces growing up. One of the most powerful themes in the story that especially resonates with me is gender inequality.
Women in ancient times had never fully reached the equality to men. Since the early time in history the roles and positions of women has improved, but in ancient Greek times the society and roles of women were bad. The women at an early age (in their teens) were to obey their father and do as told. They were picked out a husband, who was in his 30s, and not allowed to meet him until the day of their wedding. These women who got married were not allowed to participate in the public.
In the book Women and the Family in Rural Taiwan, Margery Wolf discusses how girls are treated as burdens as soon as they are born. The inferiority of females compared to males can be seen early through the mother because “if the child was born a boy, only the mother was unclean,” (57) whereas if the child was a girl, both the mother and child would be considered unclean and dangerous to others. It is strange how a society which revolves around giving birth to a son considers the actual act of giving birth dirty and unclean. What seems like an occasion for celebration and support for the mother who just gave birth; she is shunned from the outside world for a month, even going to the extreme of carrying an umbrella or wearing a large hat if she absolutely has to leave her house. Even if a woman has fulfilled her duty as a female to give birth to a son, she is still not congratulated or given the respect as she has done only what she is expected to do as a female.
Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior There are different ways to raise a child. Some of these ways are stereotypes. Most of these stereotypes are made by cultural norms and values. One of the most discussed ways in the West is the Chinese way to raise a child. This specific topic has been written about by Amy Chua.
When the party was ready to start, a little girl who was the daughter of the master got a news that her neighbour was died by a terrible accident, and left a sad and poor wife and five children. She felt sympathetic, and she asked her mother to cancel the party:"'Of course, we can't have our party, can't we. '"(Mansfield 297). However, her mother refused his suggestion. Her mother though that she did not need to sympathize that poor family.
An-Mei’s mother, who has no value, “no face”, no name, for she has no identity of her own, inaugurates her journey when she departs into Wu Tsing’s mansion as a fourth wife, the lowest position in his household (46). She was tricked into becoming the fourth wife of Wu Tsing. Wu Tsing’s wives could not bear him a son and he became impatient, so treacherous Second Wife arranged An-Mei’s mother to become Wu Tsing’s third concubine and fourth wife. Wu Tsing raped An-Mei’s mother, and she was viewed as a traitor to her husband by her family. Her family disowned her and banned her from the family house.
It was said that the greatest night of their lifes is when they marry and lose their virginity to their beloved husband. “ Without sexual purity, a women was no women but rather a lower form of being “fallen women” unworthy of love of her sex and unfit for their company” ( Lavender 2). It was unlikely at this time for the unfit “fallen women” to get married. However in “A Respectable Women”, Mrs. Baroda defies the role of purity when she desires her husband’s friend. In the short story “A Respectable Women” by Kate Chopin, Mrs. Baroda the leading women goes against her purity and faithfulness to her husband because she was his friend Gouvernail.
-SHORT INTRO OF THE MOVIE ON A WHOLE- The main difference between Songlian (the fourth wife of a rich landowner) and the three other spouses was that she was educated and had been married against her will. After that marriage, her whole world is reduced to one small compound, and the only people she sees are her husband, his family, and their servants. Though she is given a maid named Yaner, she doesn't get along with her. She finds her new home to be a cheerless place, despite all the bright colors that paint the inside walls. It is the master's tradition to light lanterns outside the house of the wife he intends to join each night.