Rhetorical Devices In No Name Woman

In Maxine Hong Kingston story, “No Name Woman” Kingston uses a story of an unnamed woman who was punished of her adultery and died, to reflect the darkness and the corruption of the. My essay will analyze the rhetoric and narration of the article and expound the significance of using technique and story.

The story was titled by “No Name Woman” which seem mean nameless. However, nameless is generally use to describe something that is an unknown or name was not given. The woman is not unknown. she is the aunt of the author, and she was once lived with family. “No” in this case means lose and refuse. “As if she had never been born” prove that “no” is not simple as do not have. The deliberate forget cause her aunt of losing name.

Name is a symbolling

The “well” is an irony. The aunt has been punished of her adultery, probably death is her best choice for her. “well” may also symbolize the patriarchy. The aunt used her suicide containment the water to take revenge on the society. Her death is like to throw a stone in the river, which river represent the patriarchy. Although the ripple will disappear but at least it once has existed. The death is silent resistance to the hierarchy. Additionally, this is an ingenious use the death of her aunt to show Kingston’s and her aunt’s resistance. If Kingston stop at she “who killed herself,” many readers will think that her aunt kill herself because of abashment which can push her aunt in an adverse circumstance. Kingston need to use the miserable scene to evoke her author to deeply consider of equality.

Besides, “her and the baby plugging up the family well” baby is the symbol of the Continuation. Parent pass their genes to the baby. The death of the baby indicated the wish to terminate the hierarchy. “Plugging in” means to block which indicated dream of her want which is seal the old society and accelerate the arrival of the new

However, the deliberate forget demonstrate her the woman is helpless. Her life is worst then the people who was fed with leftover. Deliberately forgetting is the most serious punishment. They have never easily forgiven her aunt when she was alive or death

The imaginary of her aunt keep silence for the inseminator’s name to save his name has present either her aunt is virtuous or she is rational. her aunt is a rational because under that type of culture which women are powerless, nobody would trust her especially she commits adultery. Moreover, the man did not stand out to say or do something to save her which shows that he is unwilling to be punished. Therefore, it will be meaningless to tell people who is adulterer. Instead of accusing him for been punished，perhaps she would rather use all of her power to fight against the unfair social