Building Identity Without Voice - Research Paper Example

Building Identity Without Voice Introduction Divisions that are within the community not only present a difference from identity, such as through gender or ethnicity. The same divisions and boundaries also lead to responses which are a part of the community. In “The Woman Warrior” by Maxine Hong Kingston, there is an understanding of division not only with the examples of the community, but also by the loss of voice. The silence and voice of the women is one which is a direct reflection of social inequality within the community. The loss of voice comes directly from the inability to have a sense of place in society, specifically because of divisions that occur. When the voice is found, the characters are also able to create a sense of identity and belonging. The use of voice then becomes a metaphor toward the inequality and divisions which occur as a part of identity among those in Kingston’s book. Placing Identity in the Woman Warrior The concept of identity is the first way in which social inequality is defined throughout the book. The main ideology is one which is based on the creation of self – representation as well as the understanding of being a part of marginality within society. The marginality is based on belonging on the outside of the majority, or the feeling of being foreign. The self – representation becomes idealized through this concept while a sense of social inequality is defined within the literature. The gender, ethnicity and the other aspects that form inequalities in society then create a sense of self – representation that further is defined throughout the book. This creates a different interpretation of how one fits into society and builds into the loss of voice (Smith, 17). There are several points where the idea of self – realization becomes a reflection of identity and the place in which one holds in society as a minority. One is through the ideology of the no name woman, represented from the beginning of the book. The representation which is set by Kingston is to not have an identity or place within society. One loses their name as well as their ability to live, specifically because of the idea of marginalization that is within society. The no name woman is one which is not accepted into society because of the belief that she is pregnant outside of marriage. This is reflective of the same concept of self – identity which the narrator states and which is seen in society. When mentioning her family, she speaks of this same social relationship to the idea of self – identity. “On nights when my mother and father talked about their life back home, sometimes they mentioned an ‘outcast table’ whose business they still seemed to be settling, their voices tight…. They could have sold her, mortgaged her, stoned her. But they had sent her back to her own mother and father, a mysterious act hinting at graces not told me” (Kingston, 4). This example shows the relationship between self – identity and society in several ways. The mother and father’s perception is based on the instant marginalization, or outcasts that are within society. This is combined with the self – representation of how one responds to society by the acts which are performed. In this instance, they disgraced themselves and the family by sending their aunt back to her family. The self – perception is one which makes them believe they are outcasts and which was the wrong thing to do by definition of the culture. This example is one of several which show the representation of belonging to the margin of society and how this reflects one’s self perception. There are other examples which show this same ideal of one setting apart from the majority society, not only from China, but also from the perspective of one being in America and being a part of the Chinese community. There are boundaries which are automatically set by Kingston of belonging to a different race. This is furthered by one also belonging to a different gender, which creates a different association with society. Each of these creates a sense of isolation and self – perception where one isn’t safe. For example, when explaining the Woman Warrior, Moon Orchard is seen with the perception that she will be hurt from a different racial group. She takes precautions and isolates herself, trying to save her identity. “Brave Orchid wrapped the pictures and the albums in flannel. ‘I’ll carry these far away where no one will ever find us,’ she said. When Moon Orchid wasn’t looking, she put them at the bottom of a storage box in the basement… ‘If they come for me,’ Moon Orchid said, ‘everyone will be safe.’” (Kingston, 158). In this instance, the photos and albums are a representation of self and the perception which one has. Moon Orchid believes that the photos and the identity need to be hidden in order for the family to survive, specifically because of self – perception. This is followed by the isolation which is taken outside of society while growing into an isolated role because of the belief that she belongs as an outsider. These different perceptions, as well as the prevalent social inequality, create the reaction of Moon Orchid and create the theme of isolation from self – perception and identity throughout the book. Loss of Voice and Inequality The concept of self – perception, as well as the continuous theme of belonging to a marginalized culture within society is what creates the loss of voice and silence. The book refers to this several times throughout, all which point to the ideology of losing one’s identity and voice while speaking about the inequalities. The only way to gain this back is to have a sense of self - perception that is not ashamed to be outside of the other. The imposed silence on the character is one which is based on the belief that one belongs on the outside and is a part of an outcast group. By doing things which are not acceptable in society or which go against the culture, one is also subjected to the silence that comes in belonging outside of what should be. The representation of losing one’s voice is not only from self – perception but also becomes a part of the ideology of belonging in cultures that are not represented and which have a stronger minority which can’t be represented. As this occurs, there is the inability to belong to the main culture. When this continues to happen, it builds a belief system that leads to a sense of inequality. The experiences within society further this and how one responds to society and the belief system that is a part of the outcast group (Cheung, 162). There are several examples where Kingston focuses on the loss of voice and the silence which is imposed because of the marginalized identity that is created. This starts from the beginning of the book, when the narrator states “ ‘ You must not tell anyone,’ my mother said, ‘ what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself” (Kingston, 2). This particular statement is one which immediately demands silence. This begins with self – perception of the mother and the identity which is based on having a sister in law that committed suicide. However, the silence becomes one which is expected to become a part of the narrator and daughter. This is important because it shows how the identity of the self is restricted in society and isn’t acceptable. The social inequality within society is one which won’t accept this identity, which is why the silence is expected by those who are telling the story. The concept of silence and the social inequality is not only prevalent with the family stories that lead to a sense of identity. This also becomes a division within society as those who are looked at instantly belong to the other. The silence which is imposed also becomes a part of the division because of one being an outsider and belonging to a different culture. For instance, in The Woman Warrior, there is a direct reference to how, when one goes into society, they are instantly divided because of the ethnic differences. “ Hello. May I help you?’ said the receptionist, parting the glass. Brave Orchid hesitated, and the receptionist took this to mean that she could not speak English” (147). This division is one which is expected; however, Brave Orchid could speak English. The conversation continues with Brave Orchid stating that she has the flu to becoming one which needs to cut her husband’s brains out. This confusion with language, as well as the assumptions which are made, automatically create confusion with the language and lead to the expected silence. The bravery comes when one can find their voice and find a way to communicate to the point where they are not expected to be an outsider within the community. Silence as Gender The concept of identity as well as the opposition which comes from the language that leads into silence takes on specific perceptions for those that are silenced or which have a voice. The social inequalities lead to specific divisions and expectations with the divisions which occur. The first is based on silence which occurs by gender. The concept of the female voice is prevalent in all of the stories, specifically as the women move from the boundaries of gender to finding the feminine voice. The female voice and the experience of the woman become a main theme throughout the book, specifically because this causes the understanding of loss of voice as well as the need for the gender to find their voice and to state their experiences again. The incidents with ghosts and the supernatural heighten this, as it leads the women into silence when believing that there are ghosts. Other incidents continue to add into the women who should remain in silence, as well as others who continue to speak out, despite the conditions of the gender (Jenkins, 57). There are several points where the feminine voice and the loss of voice arise because of gender. Each of these is based on experience, both which seems natural and unnatural. Kingston uses the familiar of everyday experience, as well as the combined elements of seeing ghosts and the experience of the supernatural to show how both create the same type of silence. The silence occurs because of gender and the belief that a woman shouldn’t think or believe in a specific manner. “As it came from an atavism deeper than fear, I used to add brother silently to boys’ names. It hexed the boys, who would or would not ask me to dance, and made them less scary and as familiar and deserving of benevolence as girls” (Kingston, 12). The idea of gender in this particular quote shows how Kingston is interested in the idea of silence as gender. The boys were only spoken to silently as the girl remained separate because of the belief that boys were scary. This particular belief system, as well as the approach which Kingston takes, shows how the identity of gender and the loss of the feminine voice is prevalent as a division in society. The self – representation of gender is also one which shows that the female voice is a part of the loss because of social inequalities which the narrator grows up with and believes in. In every experience, silence becomes the main reaction because of these beliefs. The concept of silence as a woman is one of the main ideals which Kingston tries to overcome. The formula of the book shows this, specifically as the no name woman begins the book and with the opening line of not talking about what happened to a woman who was pregnant. These all represent the silence of women because of social inequality and the inability to justify gender throughout the book. This creation of the other is overcome throughout the book as the ideal of gender becomes one which is transformed from the submissive and silent state to one who becomes the woman warrior and tries to face the inequalities in society. The rise of the voice as a feminine aspect becomes the essential part of the book, specifically as the silence leads to the understanding of social inequality and is overcome as the idea of the woman warrior is able to find a sense of voice by talking, overcoming the boundaries in society and finding a different representation of the self through writing and speaking freely about the beliefs in boundaries. Kingston uses this formula specifically to create not only a sense of silence and social inequalities, but also to show how the inequality can be overcome with the use of the voice. Silence as Ethnicity Another example of silence which is stated throughout the book is related to the concept of ethnicity. The identity which is held is based on the Chinese that are separate from society in their country. This is followed by the contemporary viewpoint of the Chinese Americans that are immediately segregated because of color, race and the ideal of ethnicity. These components work together to create a sense of belonging to the outside, or the minority within society. The identity which is built from this is one which divides the majority population from the Chinese Americans. This goes further by creating identities with Mexican Americans, and others that are in society. Each of these is defined by ethnicity and race, specifically to define boundaries and lines. As these boundaries are created, silence becomes even more prevalent. The ideal of not speaking across the boundaries becomes the sense of identity and self – representation (Miller, 61). The example of this which shows the line between the identity and the need to build voice as a part of the minority population comes from Woman Warrior. Moon Orchid is one which represents the identity of the Chinese immigrant who has come from a high class and which has lost her voice while belonging in the society, specifically because there is a sense of unknowing and a loss of being able to speak to others. Brave Orchid represents the other side where there is a sense of building into the society and trying to find a place within those who are a part of the main ethnic structure. However, the voice is still underrepresented and lost, specifically because there is an inability to be within society and outside of the social structure that is placed for Chinese – Americans. This creates a different sense of boundaries that cause silence and which force divisions to occur within the society. The difference between the characters is one which is based on the movement into silence as a natural reaction, as opposed to trying to find voice in a place where social inequality exists. The sense of identity then becomes the main component. For instance, when sitting at the dinner table, Moon Orchid won’t allow her children to speak, specifically because they are more comfortable speaking in English. When speaking to others in Chinese; however, there is also a sense of not fitting in with the ethnic identity. This is because Moon Orchid tries to keep to the older ethnicity while Brave Orchid tries to find a new place to fit in. “But Brave Orchid would not relent; her dainty sister would just have to toughen up. ‘Immigrants also work in the canneries, where it’s so noisy it doesn’t matter if they speak Chinese or what. The easiest way to get a job, though, is to work in Chinatown. You get twenty – five cents an hour and all your meals if you’re working in a restaurant” (Kingston, 127). This quote shows the difference in attitude and identity. It also shows the strong division within ethnicity that is based on the Chinese – American social inequalities. The concept of voice comes into this quote as the canneries are a place where individuals can speak Chinese because no one will know, while Chinatown allows the speaking of one’s own language. The silence which is created comes from the social inequality and concept of ethnicity, while the overcoming of this is to hold onto the same ethnicity and to find a space where the voice can be found and the silence lost. Conclusion The concept of identity in Kingston’s “Woman Warrior’ is one which is defined by the ideologies of belonging to the minority. The minority consists of gender and ethnicity, both which are named as outsiders throughout the book. As the outside conception and the ideal of the social inequalities continue to arise, it creates a loss of voice. This occurs within the society because of the different ideologies which many have about the culture. However, this also occurs because of self – perceptions that are created when one is in a society and has beliefs about the division which is created. The concept of self – perception, identity, and the known social inequalities then create a specific response that leads to the finding of the voice or the acceptance of silence. Kingston’s book is able to demonstrate how the building of silence, as well as voice, is one which comes from social inequality, gender, ethnicity and the self – perception which one has toward their own identity in relation to belonging to a marginalized culture. Works Cited Cheung, King – Kok. “ ‘Don’t Tell: Imposed Silences in the Color Purple and the Woman Warrior.” PMLA. 103 (2), 1988. Jenkins, RY. “Authorizing Female Voice and Experience: Ghosts and Spirits in Kingston’s The Woman Warrior.” Melus 15 (62), 1994. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. Vintage International: New York, 1976. Miller, M. “Threads of Identity in Maxine Hong Kingston’s Woman Warrior.” Biography 57 (1), 2010. Smith, Sidonie. A Poetics of Women’s Autobiography: Marginality and the Fictions of Self – Representation. Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 1987. Read More