Questions：

White Tigers

1.Kingston is frequently frustrated by the ambiguity of her mother’s talk-stories.In what ways, however, might she be said to use talk-story to her advantage?

2.What kind of book is “White Tigers”? Is it a short story, a childhood fantasy, a memoir, or Kingston’s autobiography?

3.What is the significance of death in the story?

4.Why do her parents tattoo a list of grievances all over her back?

5.Why does Maxine identify with Fa Mu Lan at the beginning of this section? What is the significance of the story of Fa Mu Lan, the “woman warrior,” to the story of Maxine, the laundryman’s daughter? Why might earlier Chinese cultures have held females, especially female children, in such low regard?

6.What are some of the physical and mental ordeals that Fa Mu Lan must undergo, and what do you think is their significance? What do you think is the symbolism of Fa Mu Lan’s story?

7.How does Maxine’s life in America compare to Fa Mu Lan’s story?What does Maxine learn from the story of Fa Mu Lan?

8.At the end of “White Tigers,” the Chinese-American narrator states that “The swordswoman and I are not so dissimilar”.In what ways are they similar and dissimilar?

9.What are the meanings of the warrior woman?

10.Fa Mu Lan is a well-known figure in Chinese legend, but she is only one of many women in the book.How can Fa Mu Lan assist us in understanding Kingston’s view of women and their roles? Does this female figure out of Chinese folklore illuminate the American experience of Kingston and her family?