Kingston measures her success against her mother’s tale of a woman who learns the ways of a warrior and grows up to save her village; and feels dissatisfied with her achievements due to the unattainable greatness she strives for. While Kingston is growing up, her mother tells her stories of the past, and paint a picture of the warriors that walked before her. Growing up, she looked up to the legendary heroine, the woman warrior, who saved her village; bringing greatness to herself, and pride to her family. From a young age, she knows that she “would have to grow up a warrior woman”(20). She believes that she doesn’t have choice. The only way for her to ever be a success in life is to conquer her own battles, and raise an army that will do her
