Feminism In The Woman Warrior

The most famous Chinese American writer who harshly criticizes Kingston is Frank Chin. Chin accused Kingston of representing a “fake” version of China and Chinese men (). Furthermore, he criticizes that The Woman Warrior lacks authenticity, as well as orientalizing, “exotizing” and “othering” the Chinese cultures in order to satisfy the white readership (). Also, he says that she conforms in the “white racist stereotypes” (Chin 1991 quote).

However, Madsen writes that Chin’s view on Kingston’s autobiography cannot be positive since he favors the low class tradition; as a result, she argues that Chin’s view clashes with those of Kingston (Madsen 258). When Kingston was attacked by fellow Chinese American writers, she simply counterargued that it was “never her intention to write about” facts and Chinese history (). Rather, her aim was to write a memoir, like Proust (). In an interview, she said that it was difficult for a writer of a different ethnic background to shake off the image of “ambassador role” and wishes to be seen as an “individual” than a “generalized version” of all Chinese American citizens (Partridge 3-4).

All things considered, it certainly seems that. Tong (233), Wong (262) and Chin’s view are justified. Since Kingston had never been to China, at least before The Woman Warrior was published, she must have had limited insights into Chinese cultures and people, her sources only being by her mother and observations in Stockton Chinatown. Also, when she