The Politics of Identity: Race, Class, and Gender in Kingston's The Woman Warrior and China Men

• Main Authors: Wang, Guei-huei, 王貴慧
• Other Authors: Lee, Tsuey-fen
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 1994
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/55207078668813917007

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 外國語文學系 === 82 === In this thesis, I attempt to discuss how race, class, and gender deeply influence Kingston's formulation of identity (as the "other" both in gender and race) in her two semi-autobio- graphical works, The Woman Warrior and China Men. In American history, Asian Americans have undergone "internal colonialism" within American territory. Non-white Americans have been dis- criminated politically and exploited economically. Like women in the patriarchal society, Chinese Americans have been deemed as the "subspecies." To Chinese American immigrants, their immigration experience is a nightmarish history of "emasculation." Their heroic contribution to the building of the streotypes are reinforced in American mass cultlure. At the same time, Chinese American women are confronted with a doubly oppressed dilemma. Outside their ethnic community, they are the non-white, while at home, they are the non-male. The racial and gender inequalities have resulted in an intolerable past for the Chinese American women. This thesis intends to discuss how Kingston overthrows, reconstructs, and subverts her own identity through the "politics of differences." First of all, she expresses her awareness of her being imposed as the "other." Moreover, she breaks the silence of women and Chinese Amricans in general, and proceeds to reconstructs their history through retelling their stories. Finally, Kingston subverts her own mechanism of identities by bringing and arousing more dialogues.