The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
Provocative memoir blends history with legend.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts is considered a work of creative nonfiction, as it blends memoir with folk tales and second-hand history. The author focuses on memories of her own family life in Stockton, CA, and the folk legends and family histories her mother told about life in China. Since its 1975 release, the book has been somewhat controversial for its portrayal of Chinese-Americans as sexist and superstitious. However, it remains a provocative point of departure, especially in high school history and literature classes, to explore themes from racial stereotypes, sexism, and the assimilation of Chinese people into American culture, to what constitutes a memoir. There are a few brief sexual references and instances of moderate alcohol consumption, as well as several graphic descriptions of violence against animals and people. Woman Warrior received a National Book Critics Circle Award for general nonfiction in 1976.
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What's the Story?
Maxine Hong Kingston's THE WOMAN WARRIOR: MEMOIRS OF A GIRLHOOD AMONG GHOSTS received a National Book Critics Circle Award for general nonfiction in 1976, but the book stretches the definition of a memoir, as the author blends folk legends with personal memories and second-hand histories. The book begins with the narrator's mother telling her daughter a cautionary tale about a relative whose mistake earns her community's condemnation. Subsequent chapters include the story of a legendary woman soldier's training and battles, family memories of the narrator's childhood in Stockton, and tales from her mother's experience in medical school. The mother, Brave Orchid, who tells several stories, uses the term "ghost" loosely, to describe supernatural forces as well as anything or anyone she considers "other." She denigrates her children, yet tells inspiring stories about women's achievements, including her own. Many of this "creative nonfiction" book's stories and memories focus on the role of women in Chinese and Chinese-American society, and the impact of cultural attitudes on Chinese female children.
Is It Any Good?
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts offers a fascinating opportunity to discuss the Chinese-American experience, as well as gender roles, families and writing in general. Maxine Hong Kingston is a wonderful storyteller, and the myths and personal memories are equally entertaining. Without any foreknowledge about the structure, young readers may be a little confused by the way the book moves among time periods, and between fact and legend, so a little preparation is helpful.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ways the book discusses the value of girls vs. boys. What does the author want the reader to understand about her upbringing?
What's your opinion: Is Woman Warrior a memoir? Is it a book of fiction?
What other books have you read about the experiences of immigrants, and their lives between two cultures? How do they compare with Woman Warrior?
Book Details
- Author: Maxine Hong Kingston
- Genre: History
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, History
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
- Publication date: January 1, 1975
- Number of pages: 224
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 14, 2015
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For kids who love myths, legends and adventures
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