Wong Louses The Barbarians Are Coming and Amy Tans The Kitchen Gods Wif - Essay Example

Comparative Book Critique Thesis ment This paper provide3s a comparative critique of Wong Louse’s The Barbarians Are Coming and Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife. In The Barbarians Are Coming, Wong Louie provides a subversion of oriental and robust analysis of cultural issues, race, and the connection of the American-born children and race issues. In my critique, I have tried to respond to the well-presented plot that addresses the change in social and cultural issues. Moreover in the analysis, I have exemplified the equation that underlies the western masculinity and the eastern femininity that the author has thoroughly disputed. On the other hand, in Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife I have given a clear indication of the issue of the patriarchal society. Further to that, I have shown the organization of traditional appearance the Kitchen God’s wife and issues related to the immigrant siblings. In addition, my analysis explores the how the woman has tried to deliver herself in a way to get freedom. Summary of "Kitchen Gods Wife" by Amy Tan The Kitchen God’s Wife is a story revolving around two main characters and her mother, Winnie. Pearl can speak perfect English; she is half American and half Chinese. On the other hand, her mother, Winnie has her full root in China but some section of her branches is in America. In the story the author, Amy Tan gives an encounter of a lot of cultures and the history of China. The novel gives a full picture of what it entails to be Chinese- American. Moreover, Amy in the story shows the gap that is there the Asian parents and their siblings who embrace more of American culture that Chinese culture. Amy brings out a vivid picture of a male dominated society through various ways as a point when the revelation of the secret between Winnie and Pearl. Amy develops his character from immaturity to maturity when Pearl became courageous to tell her mother her secrets. Furthermore, Winnie is also mature enough to face her daughter and tell her about her hidden past life. Towards the end of the novel, both Winnie and Pearl are set free because they all know the secret of one another. Later on Winnie goes to the shop where she gets an alter that has an unnamed goddess. She gives it a name “Lady Sorrow free.” The novel ends with Helen planning to go China together with Pearl and Winnie. Summary The Barbarians Are Coming by David Wong Louie is set in late 1970s. The story is about young Chinese- American who goes through his American dreams of prosperity. Sterling’s parents want him to be a doctor; however, he has decided to follow his heart by pursuing an entirely different course. He enrolls at Culinary Institute of America instead of medical school. Furthermore, Sterling’s are not pleased with him because he cannot embrace Chinese culture. Thus, they try by all and means to get their son adopt their culture. For instance, his father plays a revenge game by allowing him to make a Chinese dish that he is not able to. Moreover, Sterling’s parents have also chosen for him a bride so as to ensure he embraces the culture but he declines the Chinese wife. Extensive critique of "Kitchen Gods Wife" by Amy Tan and The Barbarians Are Coming by David Wong Louie The issue of American-born children and Chinese parent Pearl becomes one of the central things that both Amy and Hwang have used in their piece of art. For instance in The Kitchen God’s Wife, Winnie feels that she is more American than a Chinese. It is a fact that prompts her to marry an American. This is one of the beliefs that people of her caliber believe that should be done. A white should be ready to marry someone from the same race. Also, to be an American is a good thing that everyone should be proud of than anything else. Moreover, at the party, her children love to have American dish than the Chinese dishes. For instance, the narrator says that jellyfish cause stomach upset to Cleo and in fact she is happy when Auntie Helen provides another dish. Food, to these people, constitutes part of people’s culture. Therefore, to gain acceptance into their cultural system, everyone strives to identify with their cuisine. Further to that, the issue emanates when the divide in Pearl’s Asian culture and American is evident at the funeral. She cannot explain the Buddhist ceremony even when her husband asks her to tell. Bao- Bao further gives an explanation of Asian tradition in the American version, an indication that the Asian customs are less inferior to the American culture. To add on top, Pearl does not join in condemnation about the altar that is left in Phil’s name instead she just agrees in disapproval. In The Kitchen God’s Wife, the novel based in China embodies a situation that happens in China through the protagonist in the novel, Winnie. Winnie does not want to recall the bitter experience that she underwent in her childhood. “Now I can forget my tragedies, put all my secrets behind the door that will never be opened, never seen by American eyes.” Winnie’s memory reflects the pain that she undergoes, a condition that is relevant to Chinese context because revealing of truth is not is not a priority in China. The things that go on in China are concealed, and they are brought to remembrance only through such novels like The Kitchen God’s Wife. On the other hand, the issue of the American-born child also fore grounded in The Barbarians Are Coming by David Wong Louie. Contrary to the expectation of Sterling’s parents, Sterling has been westernized to his roots. They all expected him to remain true to his Chinese heritage, but at the end of the day what comes out is all disappointment to the parents. Sterling cannot correctly speak Chines language; furthermore, he is proud that he cannot do Chinese cooking. Sterling’s parents have decided to get him a bride who is a Chinese so that he can master some of their cultures; he refuses this. His father has plotted a revenge mission where he wants him to prepare Chinese dish because he calls himself a chef. The denial of the Chinese background is intensified at a club banquet when some visitor tries out a few arguments in Chinese on him, he does not respond and the discussion turns to Chinas achievement in international Ping-Pong games. Its suited for the whole race of them, a visitor says. Those petite paddles and little balls are perfect for their little hands. On the other hand in the novel, Kitchen God’s Wife, we see the stereotypic character brought by the Winnie and the first husband, Wen Fu. Winnie tries as much as possible to appease Wen Fu with little success. However, she takes a bold step to quitting from the man’s world. She wants to go in with Jimmy Pearl, but in her attempt to get the marriage certificate signed, Wen Fu rapes her. The female society is another central issue that Amy and Hwang have used in her story. At the onset of The Kitchen God’s Wife, the author introduces us to a woman as so hardworking. Pearl is having an excellent husband and a motherly relationship with her children. However, as the novel progresses, the book brings a different society where women are viewed in another angle altogether. In China, women are expected to be submissive. However, when a woman tries to come out strong and self- determined she is punished. The only piece of advice that Winnie’s father did give her is that the desires and the ideas of a man should come first. Until the time that Winnie met women who had ran away from their husbands when she knew that she could also do the same. In Winnie’s youthful life, she aspires to make a happy wife not like her parents. Therefore, it is apparent that in China it is female who are charged with the responsibility of bringing a happy marriage in homes. Nevertheless, Amy Tan in The Kitchen God’s Wife presents women as those do not give up with the in the man’s society. We see Winnie moving out from the marriage with Wen Fu and moving in with Jimmy Louie. In her new marriage, we see Winnie a strong woman who can make an informed decision. Further to this, Winnie borrows the idea of escaping brutal marriage from other women whom she found avoiding their marriage. Therefore, it is not only Winnie who has become assertive but also other women in the society. In contrary in The Barbarians Are Coming by David Wong, we see the gender issue between Sterling and his wife, Bliss. There is no love between the couples. Sterling only enjoys Bliss because she is not a Chinese. Bliss goes ahead to have an era marital affairs with other people. The relationships lead to the sad death of their child. Fate and self-determination are also an essential manifestation in The Kitchen God’s Wife To begin with, in the novel The Kitchen God’s Wife; Winnie claims that Helen has been happier in life than herself. However, in the story from the beginning it is evident that Winnie was never lucky in life. She narrates how her mother abandoned her, and the father disappeared so mysteriously. When she moves in to stay with the uncle, she never gets equal treatment as the daughter. Moreover, when she gets into marriage with Wen Fu, she gets humiliations from the husband. The glory is not lost she chooses to leave Wen Fu, a step that she finds working. Winnie contributes to the wellbeing of other people’s life and that of her own. She does not want her daughter to go through the hardship; therefore she struggles to better her world by giving her the best pieces of advice. Racial Discrimination Both in The Kitchen God’s Wife and The Barbarians Are Coming show the fight over racial superiority. The American culture is brought out to be more superior, and when one associates with it, he is kind of placed in another class altogether. In the novel, The Barbarians Are Coming, Sterling does not want to associate himself with the Chinese racial background. He goes ahead to marry Bliss, who is a Jew. He does not find happiness in the marriage, but he would rather consider it that marrying a Chinese lady that his parents have proposed. Furthermore, Sterling is proud that he is not able to speak chines language, yet he is perfect in English. According to Sterling, Chinese culture is so inferior that he cannot associate with them. The same attitude is shown by Winnie in The Kitchen God’s Wife. Both the novels have good endings, for instance, in The Kitchen God’s Wife; Winnie ends up in a happy family reunion after walking out of the miserable marriage with Wen Fu. She gets herself a responsible husband who can fend for the family. On the other hand, novel The Barbarians Are Coming, completion is inconclusive; there is a suggestion of fusion, but on the side of the writer it is more medicaments than treatment, and on the side of Sterling, Louie, holding the jocularity, infrequent spookiness besides eye for both estrangement and illogicality of his novel, has not accomplished to discover an acceptable force to drive them over a lengthier and more problematic expanse. Work cited Louie, David W. The Barbarians Are Coming: A Novel. New York, NY: Putnams, 2000. Print. Tan, Amy. Kitchen God’s Wife.Perfection Learning Corporation. 1992. Print Read More