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Women and the Pursuit of Equality


            The notion of male superiority has ravaged earth for centuries. Male dominance in this patriarchal world has caused women to have a voiceless obedience to men. This phenomenon exists within all cultures from China to America. According to John Ward Anderson, "Overall, there is a social and cultural attitude where women are inferior -- and discrimination tends to start at birth " (The Burden of Womanhood: Third World, Second Class). And this ideal of male dominance is first developed in the chapter "No Name Woman " in the memoir Woman Warrior. In this memoir, Kingston's aunt went against the norms of her village by becoming illegitimately pregnant. She is shunned for this "selfish, " personal act. Privacy is not something Chinese women are given the privilege of. Kingston worries that if she does not find her own voice, if she remains silent, she will end up exactly like her aunt, dominated by the men of society without a voice. However, by writing "No Name Woman ", Kingston brings her aunt back to life, she is creating her voice. By doing this, Kingston further exemplifies her challenge against the traditional Chinese culture; she is writing to show that she has a voice, and no man can tell her she isn't equal with his standards. In total, it can be said that Kingston is arguing, based on tradition, no matter how hard women work towards gaining the approval of the men in society, they will never fully achieve men's approval and therefore there will always be a struggle to obtain acceptance and equality. If this societal battle between sexes is prolonged any longer, the progress of societies worldwide will be ultimately stagnant. .
             Throughout history, women have been controlled by men and tradition both socially and economically. As seen in the very first sentence of Woman Warrior, Kingston begins by writing, "You must not tell anyone " (Kingston 1). These words were told to her by her mother, forcing her to submit to the tradition of obedience among women.


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