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... Evolving along with her writing, Kingston recorded her own growing pains and her struggles to find a distinctive voice. ... Brave Orchid reveals this family secret to the young Maxine on the onset of the daughters menstruation to caution her against sexual indiscretion. ... Kingston, however, purposely reports the story as an act of political resistance to Chinese patriarchy and repression in general. ... Through active imagination, Kingston gives this aunt life and immortality in her own way.
In "At the Western Palace," the fourth sectic of "fhe Woman Warrior, Kingston tells the story of her other silent Chinese aunt, Moon Orchid. Th "thrice-told tale" - told to Kingston by her sister, who in turn heard it from her brother - is the only third-person narrative in the book, and it communicates the hazard of poor adjustment to American reality. Moon Orchid, whose name alludes to her insubstantial presence, has lived comfortably in Hong Kong on the subsidy from her husband. ... By recording her aunts disintegration, Kingston gives Moon Orchid a place in her "mother book" and appeases the aunts spirit. ... In "Personal Statement," Kingston calls the story of the swordswoman "a fantasy that inspires the girls psyches and their politics.
Approximate Word count = 976
Approximate Pages = 3.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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