Anzaldua and Kingstons feminist arguments against patriarchy - Essay Example

Anzaldua and Kingston’s feminist arguments against patriarchy The alliance of different voices from marginalized women signals a strong theme that inspires Maxine Hong Kingston and Gloria Anzaldua to write passionately within the feminist topic perhaps to dispute the patriarchal society. Broadly, feminism marks a life long journey associated with struggles and endurance to fight for womens rights in various social paradigms. Anzaldua and Kingston examine the topic of feminism in the context evolving in the “Borderland: La Frontera: The New Mestiza” and “Women warrior: China Men” and ending to occupy a nerve at the center of her cultural border and post colonial dialogue.

At the same time, Anzaldua and Kingston offer an understanding of the feminist agenda within a historical framework. Largely, the works of both authors represent a defensive and generative argument that aims at countering the sexist oppression of their cultures by representing a strong feminist voice in a patriarchal society. “White Tigers” is one of the vividly drawn up chapters in the “woman warrior” that brings to life the feel of a woman warrior in the context of male dominated society.

Kingston draws her inspiration from a traditional myth depicting a woman’s fight in a largely dominated male society. The story of Fa Mu Lan seeks to challenge traditional Chinese customs regarding the place and role of women in Chinese society. Kingston creates a woman who goes beyond the traditional cultural limitations who can take up traditional male roles. By depicting Fa Mu Lan to tie up her hair up and pretending that she is a man, Kingston creates a woman who can take up male roles and even confront her enemies, roles that are perceived to be masculine.

The feminism that Kingston promotes is a complex one, able to balance the male roles and the female traditional duties. She does not only take up male roles but also a female resistance regarding partriarchial society. She can give birth and take life. These dual powers enable her to take up her roles as a mother and wife. By creating a woman who can double task the role of a woman and a wife, Kingston presents a strong feminist voice in Fa Mu Lan representing how feminist voices can go beyond time and liberty, but also beyond the rigidity of customs and traditions that the society sets for women.

(Kingston) At the same time, Anzaldua creates a woman being who has to transcend the limitations set upon her by her culture and her customs to live beyond the “Borderlands” experience she finds herself into. While Anzaldua’s piece is largely considered a generative story with appropriatness within different cultures, Kingston is more of a defensive essay detailing a woman’s refusal to be limited by her male society and chooses to rise above the occasion in defining her true place in the society.

Anzaldua begins her story by elaborating the unusual nature of the boundaries that exist to separate her from others. Nevertheless, the two authors create a feminist resistance that seeks to break from the patriarchal thoughts pioneered by their society and transcending the societal limitations and cultural expectations of a woman. Looking back at their writing, Anzaldua and Kingstong creates a feminist voice with progressive power as to challenge the sexist opinion. The implication here is that their writings move beyond cultural stereotypes and societal traditions creating a sort of female retaliator in the face of patriarchal society.

Works cited Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands - La Frontera: The New Mestiza. 2nd. San Francisco, CA: Aunt Lute Books, 1999.Print Kingston, Maxine Hong. The woman warrior: China men. New York: Everymans Library, 1976.Print