The Spectrum of Silence: A Study of Power and Oppression in the works of Kingston and Ng Öffentlichkeit

Abstract

In a society that values speech, silence is often perceived as an absence. In Asian American literature in particular, silence often has negative connotations as it perpetuates the stereotype of the inscrutable Oriental, functioning as subservience or docility. However, studying representations of silence and secrecy within Maxine Hong Kingston’s Woman Warrior and Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You and Little Fires, silence shifts away from the one-dimensional purpose of oppression. Through three forms of silence—enforced silence, chosen silence, and breakage of silence—I attempt to show how silence is not only indicative of acquiescence and oppression, but also of empowerment.

Table of Contents

I.        Introduction:

Asian American Literature -- 1 Project of Silence -- 10

II.        Chapter One: Enforced Silence -- 19

III.        Chapter Two: Chosen Silence -- 33

IV.        Chapter Three: Breakage of Silence -- 48

V.        Works Cited -- 60

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	English
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Literature, Asian Literature, American
Stichwort	Asian American Literature
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Catherine Nickerson, Emory University
Committee Members	Mandy Suhr-Sytsma, Emory University Chris Suh, Emory University

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