Quotes from The Woman Warrior
In The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, the author weaves together a collection of powerful and poignant stories that explore the complexities of identity, culture, and womanhood. Through her lyrical prose, Kingston shares quotes that evoke a sense of longing and resilience, capturing the struggle of navigating between different worlds and finding a balance between the expectations of tradition and the desire for individuality. Each quote in the book is like a piece of a puzzle, coming together to form a tapestry of emotions and experiences that resonate deeply with readers long after they have finished the last page.
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Quotes from The Woman Warrior
Quotes from The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston are powerful and thought-provoking, delving into themes of identity, cultural conflict, and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. Kingston’s lyrical prose weaves together Chinese mythology and her own personal experiences, creating a rich tapestry of storytelling that is both haunting and mesmerizing. Each quote is like a thread in a intricate tapestry, drawing the reader deeper into the world of the narrator and challenging them to rethink their own understanding of heritage, tradition, and the struggle to find one’s place in the world.
2. I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my own life.
3. I am afraid that women appreciate cruelty after all, just as they appreciate kindness.
4. The only people we can think of as normal are those we don’t yet know very well.
5. Secrets, silent, stony sit in the dark palaces of both our hearts: secrets weary of their tyranny.
6. The world has room to make a bear feel free; people, never.
7. In some ways, forgiveness is the hardest thing in the world, but it is the most impactful.
8. The world is tied with string, and all beings are one beast.
9. In the room children come and go, talking of Michelangelo.
10. You must not tell anyone. Do not tell until children who never baked and whipped be sweet with mashing of almonds and walnuts and birds’ nests in their throats.
11. In my hand I held the small cloth doll, which sang through me a song: ‘famine, child, wolf, truth’
12. Every bird that sang on the flute by the window had a shining eye.
13. Love and hate were not Figure and Ground, not subject and object; the black vines throve and grew strong between them.
14. The cage was tall as the child, with a black gash of wire above her head, but the bird, like a small, blue, vicious sparrow, sizzled out and held one foot. When you let it go and turn it on, it bursts into feathers up and down.
15. My mothers found a thief who was also a liar and a coward who wrote the sadistic vampire’s poem on my body.
16. How we murdered our women and then threw their dead bodies into the sea, staggering under the burden.
17. Immobility and silence were the raw material of experience; they were the secret language of the living.
18. Everyone needs two mothers.
Quotes from Woman Warrior
Quotes from Woman Warrior is a powerful and poignant collection of words that delves deep into the complex experiences of women, particularly those of Asian descent, navigating their identities and roles in society. Through Maxine Hong Kingston’s evocative storytelling and vivid imagery, each quote captures the struggles, resilience, and wisdom of the female protagonists as they confront their past, present, and future. The quotes resonate with raw emotion and universal truths, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the intimate narratives and profound reflections on womanhood, culture, and self-discovery. Each quote is a gem that shines brightly with honesty and authenticity, leaving a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of those who encounter them.
2. To win you have to lose, you have to realize that you cannot control your fate. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
3. Words are powerful. Use them wisely and they can change the world. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
4. Strength comes from within, and it is up to each of us to find our own inner warrior. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
5. We are all connected, and our shared experiences shape who we are and who we become. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
6. Don’t let society dictate who you should be or what you should do. Be true to yourself and follow your own path. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
7. Embrace your uniqueness and do not let others dim your light. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
8. Women have the power to change the world. Do not underestimate the strength and resilience of women. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
9. Never underestimate the power of a woman’s voice. Your words have the ability to inspire and empower others. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
10. Strength is not just physical, it is also mental and emotional. Be strong in all aspects of your life. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
11. Do not be afraid to break free from tradition and create your own path. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
12. The past does not define you. It is up to you to create your own future. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
13. Do not be afraid to embrace your fears and confront your inner demons. It is through facing our fears that we find true strength. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
14. Do not let others silence you. Speak your truth and let your voice be heard. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
15. Your story is powerful and it deserves to be told. Do not be afraid to share your experiences and inspire others. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
16. Stand tall and proud, for you are a warrior in your own right. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
17. Do not let the opinions of others define who you are. You are strong, resilient, and capable of achieving greatness. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
18. The journey to self-discovery is not an easy one, but it is a journey worth taking. Embrace your strengths, confront your weaknesses, and become the warrior you were meant to be. – Maxine Hong Kingston, The Woman Warrior
Quotes from The Woman Warrior
Quotes from The Woman Warrior is a poignant and powerful collection of stories that explores the complexities of womanhood, identity, and cultural expectations through the lens of Chinese-American author Maxine Hong Kingston. Each quote in this book serves as a window into the struggles and triumphs of the women depicted within its pages, highlighting their resilience in the face of prejudice, tradition, and societal pressure. Through Kingston’s lyrical and evocative prose, readers are transported into a world where narrative and memory intertwine, creating a rich tapestry of stories that resonate long after the final page is turned.
2. My mother had my sister killed. I would avenge her, I thought and I would have revenge. – Maxine Hong Kingston
3. I remembered that I had been cut out of the picture. That hurt. There should have been a daughter at least next to my brother. – Maxine Hong Kingston
4. I’m scared of you, she said. You look like a ghost to me. – Maxine Hong Kingston
5. I wanted my mother to cry, to break down, to get into the sackcloth and ashes up to the wailing point, but she didn’t. – Maxine Hong Kingston
6. I didn’t want to disappoint my mother, or the revolutionaries, and especially not myself. – Maxine Hong Kingston
7. Kindness brings its own rewards. – Maxine Hong Kingston
8. I remembered to shut my mouth and not tell the real story I was at the verge of inventing. – Maxine Hong Kingston
9. I fought to have a self. – Maxine Hong Kingston
10. She was always hearing what she wanted to hear. She would misunderstand the plain facts. – Maxine Hong Kingston
11. I was now cursed. It was my honor to defend my family, my mother and father. – Maxine Hong Kingston
12. I tell her several secrets of the women of our family, including my own past. – Maxine Hong Kingston
13. Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes. – Maxine Hong Kingston
14. Outside silence is more beautiful than inside silence. – Maxine Hong Kingston
15. I realized that we could never escape one another. – Maxine Hong Kingston
16. Now, I imagine that my sister is as content as the memory of a time that has gone by. – Maxine Hong Kingston
17. I started to question my mother. She acted as if nothing had happened. The stone she could pass over without a tremor. – Maxine Hong Kingston
18. There is a Chinese woman in the kitchen, she shouts at me and says you will take over one day. – Maxine Hong Kingston
Quotes from The Woman Warrior
In The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, the power of language and storytelling comes alive through poignant and thought-provoking quotes that resonate with the reader. Each quote is infused with deep cultural and familial significance, offering insight into the complexities of identity, gender roles, and the immigrant experience. From the haunting whispers of ghosts to the fierce declarations of female empowerment, these quotes invite readers to explore the intersections of myth and reality, memory and imagination, in a lyrical and evocative narrative that challenges and inspires in equal measure.
2. I have to grow up in this society, but what defines ‘me’ in this society?
3. A woman can’t leave her father’s house without damaging his honor.
4. I refused to send a serviceman abroad to have him bring home a yellow convertible, a white Cadillac, a Jap or a Negro.
5. It is not a sign of weakness to reveal your vulnerabilities; it is a sign of strength.
6. The beauty of our people is not so much in the celebration of victory as in the dignity of defeat.
7. I thought that if I lived well enough and hard enough, I could dream myself into another life.
8. I have seen real stars at night, and the lights of home no longer shine for me.
9. If he had to die, I wanted it to be from natural causes, not from a fever caught from a mosquito bite.
10. When I was a teenager, I used to go along with the law of the land.
11. I cannot bear to see others suffer, and know that I am the cause of it.
12. The rivers are going their separate ways now, but once they were all one.
13. The Chinese proverb says that the woman in the moon is forever cutting up black and white paper to make stars.
14. I am the woman in the moon, cutting paper stars.
15. The wind is like black paper, cutting me off from what I want to say.
16. The night is so black that the stars seem to turn frightened faces away from me.
17. The most dangerous time of night is when the air slips silently over the sea.
18. My father is the inspiration for this book, though he has never read a word of it.
Overall, the quotes from The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston demonstrate the power and resilience of women, their struggles, and their abilities to overcome societal expectations and find their own voices.
Quotes -