... that it is nearly impossible to be perfect or flawless. Therefore Jing-Mei's attitude is merely setting herself up for defeat and disappointment. An excerpt of literary criticism which suits this story well, is "Personal misfortunes and the effects of war have tested the woman's allegiance to traditional ideas, at times challenging them to violate convention in order to survive. ... only over what was in front of me;..." (Tan 126) This quotation is important because it describes the role of the husband and even the wife within the marriage. Much like in The Color Purple, the male figure ...

• Word Count: 3758
• Approx Pages: 15
• Grade Level: High School