Episode notes
The opening sentence of The Woman Warrior, “You must not tell anyone,” unveils the central theme Kingston tries to reveal in her memoir: the shifting meaning and attitudes of control, power, and agency behind what can be said, and what must be silenced, left unsaid. The opening line exemplifies the prevalent attitude of silence and obedience with which Kingston feels women characters she depicts in her memoir, as well as she herself feels, are pressured to behave. But the opening line also encourages the author to create narratives that both accentuate and manipulate instances of silence or silencing, where characters are denied the opportunity to speak or cannot speak. By addressing her family story in No Name Woman, the protagonist struggles to become stronger and able to articulate what she feels is unspoken. From the very be ...
... Read more