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Amy Tan No Name Woman

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People are consistently changing the way that they look, act and some of their beliefs just to fit in with society. There’s an invariably never-ending desire to want to feel accepted by others. Social pressure is what drives humans to do things that we know are wrong. We are often categorized in different groups where we fit in and were we don’t. Between culture, wealth and gender, the pressure is high to fit in. No one wants to standout like a sore thumb, so is disguising yourself justifiable just to feel welcome? Our world commences when we are born and begin adapting to our upbringing. “But to me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural.” (Amy Tan “Mother Tongue” WP pg. 232). The main character speaks about her friends, some understanding little of her mom’s “broken English” and some, none at all. However; that’s …show more content…

Concluding it was on the account of social pressure that caused her wanting to become a different person around other people. Maxine Hong Kingston “No Name Women” wrote about the issues with her Chinese culture on social pressure causing them to do things that they knew were wrong. Her mother shares a story about her aunt committing suicide after giving birth to a fatherless child. They had a suspicion she was pregnant, but never brought it up in discussion. The day she gave birth, both mother and child were found dead at the bottom of a well. “Now that you started to menstruate, what happened to her could happen to you. Don’t humiliate us. You wouldn’t want to be forgotten as if you had never been born.”(WP) Did her aunt really commit suicide for being shameful for being pregnant out of wedlock? And was her mother sharing her this story as a warning not to follow in her foot step and get pregnant before marriage, because if you did, there were consequences. “The villagers are watchful.” (WP) The villagers as in society, and yes everyone may be

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