In Maxine Hong Kingston’s story, Silence, she reveals a painful and strict childhood when she didn’t speak. Through reading this story one can discover the relationship she had with her silence which she conveys to the audience as comfort. The Silence of her voice provides considerable information towards her Chinese beliefs. The idea of moving can be harsh on whoever experiences the concept of leaving behind a sense of security. When traveling around the world, one can differentiate various accustoms practiced in that specific area. For example, gender roles are where most groups separate and differ with one another. Some cultures may seem peculiar and obscure to the people who do not have similar beliefs. Learning new ideas can create change
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There will be some confusion and questioning towards beliefs of America. Culture plays a major role in this young girl when she mentions “During the first silent year I spoke to no one at school, did not ask before going to the lavatory, and flunked kindergarten. My sister also said nothing for three years, silent in the playground and silent at lunch. There were other quite Chinese girls not of our family, but most of them got over it sooner than we did. I enjoyed the silence.”(Kingston 66.) The values that this Chinese girl proves to keep shows her commitment towards her Chinese beliefs. Even though she proves to have doubt when she compares herself to other Chinese girls which triggers confusion. One can say she is having doubt whether she should still follow what she was taught or move on and change. By not speaking she proves that she is confused, but this silences was causing harm and damage to the new environment she surrounds when she says “It was then when I found out I had to talk that school become a misery, that I did not speak.” (Kingston 67.) Numerous of people are afraid to change which causes them to miss out on the new life the world can bring to them. Later on, she was able to grow and learn that it was not immoral to move on. She began to talk to her classmates in the American language and also participated in class. She then knew she would not lose her roots but learn to combine the American and the Chinese cultures together. As a result of Kingston’s work the reader may then figure out that confusion could lead to transformation in a person’s
There will be some confusion and questioning towards beliefs of America. Culture plays a major role in this young girl when she mentions “During the first silent year I spoke to no one at school, did not ask before going to the lavatory, and flunked kindergarten. My sister also said nothing for three years, silent in the playground and silent at lunch. There were other quite Chinese girls not of our family, but most of them got over it sooner than we did. I enjoyed the silence.”(Kingston 66.) The values that this Chinese girl proves to keep shows her commitment towards her Chinese beliefs. Even though she proves to have doubt when she compares herself to other Chinese girls which triggers confusion. One can say she is having doubt whether she should still follow what she was taught or move on and change. By not speaking she proves that she is confused, but this silences was causing harm and damage to the new environment she surrounds when she says “It was then when I found out I had to talk that school become a misery, that I did not speak.” (Kingston 67.) Numerous of people are afraid to change which causes them to miss out on the new life the world can bring to them. Later on, she was able to grow and learn that it was not immoral to move on. She began to talk to her classmates in the American language and also participated in class. She then knew she would not lose her roots but learn to combine the American and the Chinese cultures together. As a result of Kingston’s work the reader may then figure out that confusion could lead to transformation in a person’s