Ishika Momin

Yana | Grace
ELA 12
10.24.16
No Name Woman by Maxine Hong Kingston
The way society treats women and men differs, especially in other countries that have
their own cultural beliefs. Maxine Hong Kingston portrays how women were treated based on
societal norms in her story. In Kingstons No Name

Woman, the writer speaks about her aunts

life and how being a woman in China affected the treatment she was given when she did the
unspeakable. Some of the ways she was treated and how her abusers justified this treatment
communicate the idea that women were voiceless and punished for their actions. Through the use
of conflict and theme, Kingston portrays that women in the old China were treated with no
voice and their oppressors justified this treatment by believing that they should be punished for
something that was culturally unacceptable.
Kingston shows how women were treated with less regard and no voice. While her
husband is away, Kingstons aunt has a child with another man, but no details are given about
how the child was conceived. Villagers are so ashamed by her actions that they take it upon
themselves to punish her for committing such a horrible deed. Kingstons mother reveals that
on the night the baby was to be born the villagers raided our house. (Kington, 1). They destroy
the house and yell harsh names like pig and ghost at her because she was going to have this
child. This proves how women in the old China did not choose, (Kingston, 2) and were
voiceless. Kingston explores several different scenarios on how her aunt was impregnated, one
scenario including rape. With no knowledge if the aunt was abused or not, the villagers instantly
blame her and treat her with no respect. After giving birth, the aunt takes her life and her babys
life. Kingston mentions that It was probably a girl; there is some hope of forgiveness for boys.
(Kingston, 5). This also shows how women were seen as less in society. The aunt did not want
her daughter to suffer and go through the same treatment she did because she is a woman.

The story No Name Woman also reveals how the oppressors treatment of women in the
old China was justified. The villagers wore white masks, (Kingston, 1) when raiding the home
of the authors mom. This can be interpreted as the villagers proving that they are more pure
than the aunt because they have yet to do something so despicable. They also leave the house
with fruit to bless themselves. Also an indicator that they feel what they have done is excusable.
Kingston also shows how the beliefs of the villagers and society affects others as well. The

reason why Kingston did not know about her aunt was because her family refused to speak about
her. The narrator's mother tells her, dont let your father know that I told you. He denies her.
(Kingston, 2). Her own brother is ashamed of what she has done and sides with the villagers in
agreeing that what she has done is terrible. This shows how people choose to forget women who
do something society does not agree with.
Maxine Hong Kingston shows how women were treated harshly when they did
something that was not apart of cultural norms. She also indicates how this treatment was
justified and how these beliefs spread and become more important than the women themselves.
Villagers instantly punish Kingstons aunt without knowing the whole story and her father
chooses to disregard his own sister. This portrays that women in the old China were oppressed
and forgotten when they committed an act deemed culturally unacceptable by society.

Ishika Momin
Yana | Grace
ELA 12
10.17.16
No Name Woman by Maxine Hong Kingston
Inquiry: How were women treated in the old China and how did people justify or view this
treatment?
Planning:
Treatment
Aunt
Gives birth to an illegitimate
child.
Villagers destroy the place
where she is staying.
They yell Pig! and Ghost!
at her.
Aunts child
Mentions how if it were a boy,
the villagers would be more
forgiving.
Most likely would treat child
differently because mother had
sex with another man.

Justification/Beliefs
Villagers
They wore white masks to
destroy the home.
They steal fruit to bless
themselves.
Mother
Maybe tells daughter this story
to warn her.
Father
Never speaks about his sister.

Observations:
None of the villagers questioned if she had control over becoming pregnant. They
instantly assumed she was unfaithful.
Shows how women were treated unfairly and had no voice.
The villagers destroy the place where she is staying right before she gives birth.
Shows how women were punished when they did something culturally
unacceptable.
Kingston mentions how if it were a boy, the villagers would be more forgiving.
Shows how boys were favored over girls when it came to having children.

 Villagers wore white masks and took fruit to bless themselves.

Shows how villagers believed what they did was correct because they punished a
woman for doing something they viewed was wrong. They believed they were
committing a good act.
Kingstons mother and father insist on not speaking about her aunt.
Shows how people choose to forget women who did something society did not
agree with.
Thesis: Women in the old China were treated with no voice and their oppressors justified this
treatment by believing that they should be punished for something that was culturally
unacceptable.
Outline
Claim: Women were treated harshly when they did something that was not apart of cultural
norms. (Even if they had no control over the situation, they were still punished.)
Evidence:
You must not tell anyone (Pg.1) -- Mother does not want the author to speak about
her aunt.
On the night the baby was to be born the villagers raided our house. (Pg.1) -- Villagers
destroy home.
...wore white masks, (Pg.1) -- Villagers believed they were more pure than aunt.
Pig. Ghost. Pig, they sobbed. (Pg.2) -- Villagers call her bad names because of
what happened.
Dont let your father know that I told you. He denies her. (Pg.2) -- Father is ashamed of
what his sister did and the outcome.
Women in the old China did not choose. (Pg.2) -- Women had no choice but to oblige
to all rules.
... the family broke their silence and cursed her. Aiaa, were going to die. Death is
coming. Death is coming. Look what youve done. Youve killed us. Ghost! Dead ghost!
Ghost! Youve never been born. (Pg. 4) -- Family ashamed by her actions. Chooses to
not blame the villagers, but her instead.
It was probably a girl; there is some hope of forgiveness for boys. (Pg.5) -- Boys
favored over girls.