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  • Essay / Comparing “No Name Woman” and “Woman Hollering Creek”

    Both stories are similar as they explore the theme of personal identity. Kingston's "No Name Woman" explores the narrator's struggles to connect her American identity with her Chinese identity. Similarly, Cisneros' "Woman Hollering Creek" explores how Cleófilas' Chicano identity affects her marriage and relationship. Therefore, the protagonists of both stories are women and they struggle to reconcile two different cultures. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In “No Name Woman,” Maxine Hong Kingston searches for her personal identity by exploring her aunt's tale that also forms the title of the first chapter. Kingston's mother warns him: "You must not tell anyone...she was never born" (Kingston1507). However, Kingston ignores her mother's warning and explores her Chinese cultural background which she intends to reconcile with her current American identity. By listening to and modifying the stories her mother shared about her family's connection to Chinese culture, Kingston was able to discover the importance of Chinese cultural history. Kingston characterizes the historical narrative as “debate stories” that were primarily culturally rooted and also served as oral tales whose primary purpose was rather didactic (Kingston 1507). We later learn that Kingston's mother's name is Brave Orchid. “No Name Woman” offers Kingston a valuable opportunity to explore its cultural history in depth. “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros examines themes of Mexican-American or Chicana identity, gender politics and immigration. Therefore, the story is closely related to "No Name Woman". A young woman, Cleófilas Enrqueta DeLeón Hernández, struggles to escape an abusive marriage. His father allows Juan Pedro to marry Cleófilas and cross the American border with her. The young woman goes all her life in search of passion: “But what Cleófilas expected were whispers, sighs and laughter…” (Cisneros 1588). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essay Cleófilas' journey shows that she had little to do in her hometown and was mainly entertained by "telenovelas" and aspired to be inspired by female superstars featured in the series. The young woman copied the makeup, hairstyle, and even altered her wedding dress to resemble the superstars she watched in her hometown (Cisneros 1589). Cisneros extensively explored Chicana women who were outspoken enough to resist unacceptable behavior in their culture and in other cultures. In a nutshell, both women in both stories attempt to reconcile their current American identity with their ancestral identities..