Maxine Hong Kingston, the author of "The Woman Warrior", has sorted out her struggles as a Chinese-American by devoting the pages of this novel to her conflicts and confusion. Born in California but raised by both conflicting cultures, she is unsure of who she is as a woman. Kingston defines herself and her childhood by relating to `talk-stories', a traditional story or chant Chinese parents tell their children. Kingston writes "The Woman Warrior" to determine her true identity.

Through the disastrous talk-story, "No-Name Woman" Kingston tries to navigate her own existence as a female. She ventures into the tale explaining, justifying and interpreting what could have happened. Given little detail except the horrors, Kingston tries to rationalize her no-name aunt's pregnancy. She looks for motivation in her aunt's suicide and creates theories on what her no-name aunt might have been going through, and what...