No Name Woman

                No Name Woman by Maxine Hong Kingston is a very interesting story about a Chinese-American girl who gives us a glimpse into her culture. She tells the story of her disgraced "no named" aunt who committed suicided after giving birth to an illigetimate daughter. The protagonist father does not even acknowledge the fact that he had a sister. Her mother tells her this story saying "You must not tell anyone what I am about to tell you. In China your father had a sister who killed herself. She jumped into the family well. We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she was never born." (Pg 3). Her mother tells her this story in replacement of the sex talk. She tells her daughter to be careful so she would not be forgotten just like the aunt.
                This story really stuck out to me because protagonist explores different scenarios of how her aunt had became pregnant. But one line that stood out to me is on page six, "she obeyed him. She always did as she was told." Was this how all the girls in the village acted? We're they all too scared to talk to someone about what had happened to them? This story also sheds light on sexism. Even though both her aunt was raped, she was to blame. The perpetrator was never "unmasked". The protagonist even says "some man had commanded her to lie with home and be his secret evil. I wonder whether he masked himself when he joined the raid on her family" (pg 6). Because she was the one who carried the baby, she was the one who got caught. No one bothered to find the man who did this to her, instead the raided her house in hopes of bloodshed. Even though everyone claims equal rights for all, is that really the case?