Study Questions: The Woman Warrior

In order to prepare for the exam next week, please discuss and write down answers to the following questions. Also, read over all of your notes and your related writing assignments. There will be two sections on the exam: Quotation Reflection & Short Answer. You may earn up to 10 points extra credit on the exam by writing down thorough answers to at least 16 of the following questions.
1. What is the symbolism behind the back carving scene in “White Tigers?”
2. Describe the structure of The Woman Warrior. How does this structure contribute to the meaning of the novel?
3. Describe the tone of The Woman Warrior. How does this tone contribute to the meaning of the novel?
4. Describe Kingston’s writing style. How does this style contribute to the meaning of the book?
5. How have the two cultures (Chinese and American) impacted Maxine’s life? What has Kingston gained by coming from two cultures?
6. Why do you think Kingston begins her autobiography with the story of “No Name Woman” and the line, “You must not tell anyone?”
7. What is talk-story? How has it affected Kingston’s life?
8. Why do you think Kingston uses so many of the stories of her mother and of her aunts in order to show her self?
9. Why do you think Kingston includes the legend of Fa Mu Lan in her autobiography?
10. Why does Kingston say her mother cut her tongue? How has this affected her life?
11. Explain the symbolism of Kingston's black paintings? What does this show about her personality?
12. Describe Kingston’s mother’s character.
13. List 8 main differences between Brave Orchid and Moon Orchid.
14. Why does Maxine hate the quiet girl so much? Why does Maxine torture her? Why doesn’t she stop?
15. What is Kingston's mysterious illness and why is it "just" that she becomes sick? What does this show about her character?
16. Analyze Maxine’s (and Kingston’s) issues of voice.
17. Why was Kingston so worried about the retarded man? Why did her parents ignore his bad traits and let him sit in front of their laundry?
18. What is the importance of Kingston's "list of over two hundred things that [she] had to tell [her] mother" (p. 197)? What is this list?
19. What does Maxine's final list outburst (p. 201) show you about her personality, her worries, and her hopes? What do you think about her mother's response to the outburst ("Can't you take a joke," ". . . they were here for your sister," "We like to say the opposite") pp. 202-203?
20. Why do you think Kingston ends her novel with the story about Ts'ai Yen, a Chinese poetess that lived with barbarians?
21. What does Kingston mean when she ends her autobiography with, "It translated well"?
22. Why do you think Kingston wrote this autobiography?
23. Analyze Kingston's use of paradox in her book.
24. Analyze Kingston's use of juxtaposition in her book.