Post 9: Woman Warrior I

     The heroes in Woman Warrior all are revered, superhuman, and exist in oral stories primarily. Each section of Woman Warrior presents a new perspective from which a hero is described. Although the heroes themselves vary, they all also share certain characteristics of perseverance, bravery, and sacrifice. These traits align with the heroes we have studied thus far. However, the fact that these heroines and heroes are presented as exemplars in the eyes of girls and women centuries after the heroines lived demonstrates a longevity inherent in the other heroes. For instance, the woman warrior whose travails are documented in the White Tigers section lived decades before the girl who relates the story to the audience. Without the admiring young girl, this heroine would fail to be a hero to many people. However, heroes such as Jesus and Sir Gawain serve as heroes to countless individuals who respect their deeds and character. ÒA descendant of eighty pole fighters, I ought to be able to set out confidently, march straight down our street, get going right now. ThereÕs work to do, ground to coverÓ (49). As the narrator conveys her petty attempts to emulate her hero, the woman warrior, I find myself worrying about my own attempts to model myself after my heroes. When writing the hero paper, I had an especially hard time connecting my hero to myself. I had chosen a hero to write about, not a role model. I admired my hero and thought him worthy, but he didnÕt live by many standards that I myself wish to live by, he didnÕt act in ways I want to act in, he didnÕt leave a legacy mirroring the one I wish to leave. Instead, I respected him for who he was, not who I wanted him to help me become. This left me at a loss when beginning my leadership vision. I felt I had nothing to work off of. The narrator in the White Tigers chapter of Woman Warrior compares herself to her hero. She needs to make the distinction between hero and role model. I wonder if I look just as petty and feel just as inadequate when I try to copy the actions of people I admire. When I do service work with my church, am I making a fool of myself by trying to convey Jesus to those I interact with by my actions and intentions? Should I give up now and replace my aspirations to be like those I admire with pure admiration for them? 

    Any failures or embarrassments when emulating heroes makes me feel much like the disgraced, suicidal mother of No Name Woman. When she is in labor, ÒShe was one of the stars, a bright dot in the blackness, without home, without companion, in eternal cold and silenceÓ (14). This woman feels such a strong connection with nature that she feels insignificant and all-encompassing at once. If I make a fool of myself in a regrettable, unforgettable way, I too feel so small that I canÕt breathe and at the same time so big that I canÕt hide. Like Alice, I am far from the appropriate size. However, when I go out on a limb and achieve something worthwhile, I feel more like the student from Shaman. The feeling of accomplishment is similar to the studentÕs fulfillment: ÒHer soul returned fully to her and nestled happily inside her skin, for this moment not traveling in the pastÉÓ (72). This contentment is hard to achieve, but very reassuring when it does happen. Once, during Junior year, I had that feeling very strongly after finally achieving a good grade in a difficult class. Although the grade itself is insignificant, I will always remember the astonished look on my friendÕs face or the feeling of internal peace I assumed when I discovered I had finally reached the level my teacher expected me to be at. After defeating a ghost, the girl in the story must have felt and even greater, more powerful sense of accomplishment. Sir GawainÕs defeat of the Green Knight undoubtedly left him feeling temporarily invincible. All heroes must have a moment when they feel fulfilled, a moment which may happen in everyoneÕs life, but has a more valid justification in the heroesÕ.