"No Name Woman Critique" by Matt Duncan

I found the story, "No Name Woman" to be a very intriguing story. Although, the telling of the mother's story had me confused at first; I am not quite sure why, but I thought that the mother's story was being told from Kingston's perspective. After realizing that it was Kingston's mother telling the story, the story made a lot more sense. My interpretation of the story is that Kingston's mother was brought up in a time filled with Chinese traditions, many of which are looked upon as criminal acts today. I was a little appalled by the fact in this Chinese village, the villagers somehow believe that breaking and entering, murder, and overall just being intolerant is somehow better than adultery. Adultery, in this day and age, happens everyday and this is not a good enough reason to drown an infant and it's mother in a well. From the text we are unable to tell whether or not the story about Kingston's "Aunt" was indeed factual, or if it was just another scare tactic to keep young girls from having pre-marital sex. However, it is erroneous whether or not the story is true because the message that Kingston's mother wanted to get across to her was received and she definitely did not end up like the No Name Woman. I feel like I grasped the concepts of the story, however, after finishing reading I had to go back once or twice just to really comprehend what had happened.

No Name Woman Critique by Dora Barnhill

No Name Woman by Maxine Hong Kingston was a very interesting book and can be interpreted in many different ways. My interpretation was that her mother was just telling her a false story about a Aunt that was fictional to teach her daughter about the ways of the Chinese people and what is right and wrong. I feel like that from the story that she made up what she thought had happened to her "Aunt" and why her aunt did what she did.

This story was difficult to understand for me and I felt that if it was told in a more factual way it would have been more effective. At the end of the story I was left feeling a bit confused and I wasn't sure what had actually happened. 

Essay Critique" No Name Woman" by Peggie Mcneil

I found the story, of her aunt, and the Chinese traditions she mentioned, intriguing. She presented the story with very explicit detailing, making it easy to visualize. You could see everything that was going on as she told it. I'm not really sure if those things happen to her aunt, or even if she had an aunt, and I somehow get the feeling that she even questions the validity of the story. She pointed out many holes in the story that could have made the story a fallacy. Such as, " growing up stories" , it kinda seems like the story was told to her because she was turning into a young woman, and her mom didn't want her to get pregnant because that would bring disgrace on the family. She also stated that the aunt's name was never mentioned, and that , if the aunt was married, why wasn't she living with her husband's family?. It disturbed her to believe that they held adultery in such strong regard, and approved ,to some degree of incest. The traditions seemed hypocritical. How could adultery be considered worse than killing her off ,forever? It appeared to her that the traditions were even more severe than the adulterous act. Further more, the story could never be confirmed , because she could not get any other information on it. She was told never to speak of it. But if the story is true, to give her aunt some dignity, she imagined how and why this might have happened. This was her way of speaking for her aunt who were not allowed to present her side of the story ,due to the way Chinese women of that era were treated. So, if the story is actually true , she put it out in the open for her. She broke the silence, and spoke for her aunt.

Peggie McNeil

Essay Critique "Talking Back" by Matt Duncan

After reading the essay "Talking Back", by bell hooks I realized how in a country where everyone is allowed to speak freely and write whatever comes to mind, we as Americans take speaking for granted. Growing up in the 50s, 60s, and 70s bell hooks was mistreated and discriminated against for not only being a woman, but for being a black woman who was trying to grow and prosper in a time of racial charged discrimination. Hooks states thats, "To speak then when one was not spoken to was a courageous act--an act of risk and daring." I can not even fathom growing up in a time where speaking when you weren't spoken do was so looked down upon. As many times as I got into trouble growing up just for talking back to my parents or for interrupting someone at the dinner table. I know that I will never be able to fully comprehend what bell hooks went through, because I am not black and I am not a woman. However, I do realize how I use my ability to speak freely and write whats on my mind without having to worry about what anyone may think about my work; because of pioneers like bell hooks, I too can "Talk Back."

Matt Duncan

Talking Back Critique by Dora Barnhill

The fear of saying what one wants to say is one tragedy, but my fear is that my words will not be respected as much as a mans. I feel Gloria Watkins pain but in a different way, she feared getting physical and emotional punishment but my fear is that my spoken words will be unnoticed like the sound of a child being beaten for speaking out but no one had the courage to say it was wrong. Although I am lucky enough to live in a country were I have rights to be whoever I want to be and the freedom to do what I want to do,the silence that women had to maintain in years before I was born, is still in a sense, on living.

Essay Critique by Spencer Lynch

I can understand where a woman with her background and culture is coming from. She wanted to use her voice for a purpose, and she wanted to be heard. Although, this seemed as though it would never happen. I also can relate to the fact that she said the silence is more torturing than the punishment of speech itself. I would rather be heard with punishment than not allowed to speek at all.
On the opposing side I know that this America is one of the few countries in the world that actually allows women rights. The right to a career, the right to speak out (whether people listen or not), and the right to make individual independent desicions etc. So although Watkins may not have had it exactly the way she wanted it, her rights were still present, and she was permitted to speek freely whether anyone agreed or not.

Essay Critique" Talking Back" by Peggie Mcneil

I can feel her. She speaks with conviction. Eloquently and powerfully,She presented the facts, and nothing but the facts. No fluff, no melodrama, just plain truth the way she saw it, and to me the way it was ,and still is within society . I can relate to her plight, because I too lived that life up until I decided enough already. My mom wielded words like King Arthur wielded Excalibur, and you had better not "talk back". There was not to be any back talking in that house, because if you did ,be prepared to get knocked out. I remember writing my thoughts on any surface, even the bathroom wall. Not mine, of course. I think I cussed my mom out a least a thousand times to myself. Although I had a voice, it was slowly drying up, like a raisin in the sun.



Not only could you not talk back to your parents, you could not talk back to any adults without suffering the same consequences.One day I threw all caution to the wind, and talked back to my aunt, my mom's oldest sister, the big cheese. I had not gone to school that day, and she asked me why I didn't go to school . I replied by saying"why are you worrying about it?. You aren't my mom". Big trouble, she charged at me like she was a big ole bull, and I was wearing all red. She was all over me, like a cheap suit. I learned to speak without words after that experience.



I have a sister that is about seven years younger than I. She and my mom butted heads almost from day one , so it seems. My mom was always riding her, and I grew tried of it. I would champion her cause without saying a word. One day my sister got into trouble with my mom, and she was going to get a beating. My mom started beating her with a switch, and I heard her crying and screaming. My blood boiled, and I again threw all caution to the wind. I went into the room and just looked at my mom. She stopped beating my sister, and I went over to my sister and took her from the room. I was no longer afraid.



As a parent, I never raised my voice. I was cool, calm, and wielded a look that could stop you in your tracks, and worked it. Yes, my mom ruled the roost, strutting around like the queen bee herself, but I too ruled my roost, without saying an angry word.



The power of speech can be a powerful tool in your arsenal, and I respect that fact, but you can sometimes speak with saying a word, and I respect that too.