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Thesis: Through multicultural literature and the power of minority voices, we reject the single story by listening to the many voices of strong writers, and regain a kind of paradise, a power of understanding. Multicultural literature has instilled in me the power of understanding, a paradise that I can spread to others and share with the world. Through the stories The Woman Warrior and The House on Mango Street, Maxine Hong Kingston and Sandra Cisneros broaden the single stories and “repair the broken dignity” by humanizing and empowering Americans. Their stories have broadened the single story of what it means to be an American by filling the gaps of the incomplete single stories with truth.

The Woman Warrior:
- main topic- double identity, finding that balance between Chinese and American and belonging in both cultures. - Kingston's success- acknowledging the paradox and not trying to fix it.
- Single stories: subtopics- single stories of (1) women being weak and silenced/oppressed, (2) gender roles of women working in kitchen, (3) Chinese women are not happy (Kingston's mom was not smiling in her medical school pictures), and (4) women not having a place in education (straight A's not valued vs. hard work in med school).

The House on Mango Street:
-main topic- Esperanza's home in the heart vs. her poor neighborhood and physical home.
-Esperanza's success- finding home in heart and freedom in writing.
-Single stories: subtopics- (1) Mexican women silenced and oppressed, (2) gender roles (working in kitchen), (3) needing an American name to fit in.

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In "Reading Literature Makes Us Smarter and Nicer," Murphy Paul argues that literature improves us as people, and that deeply reading literature suggests that people are morally or socially better. More specifically, Paul states that in recently published psychological studies, individuals who read fiction appeared to be more understanding and better able to empathize with others. Furthermore, Paul explains that deep reading, which is slow, immersive, and rich in sensory detail and emotions, "is a distinctive experience, different in kind from the mere decoding of words." However, Paul states that this experience is not as likely to occur with the young people of this generation because "the deep reading of books and the information-driven reading we do on the Web are very different." Overall, Paul believes that if we don't show young people the importance of spiritual reading, we will deprive them of "an elevating and enlightening experience that will enlarge them as people." Paul believes we must show the youth some place they have never been, "a place only deep reading can take them," to open up the door to ecstatic experiences.

In "Should Reading Be Useful?", Matthew Hollister shares the results of two similar studies conducted by psychologists and researchers. Hollister concludes from the results of the studies that literary fiction makes people more empathetic and heightens their emotional intelligence. Hollister continues on by explaining that although empathy has become "the celebrity trait of emotional intelligence," it may not necessarily have anything to do with the sensitivity and gentleness popularly attributed to it. More specifically, Hollister says that businesspeople and lawyers are some of the most empathetic people because they can "grasp another person's feelings, act on them, and clinch a deal or win a trial," leaving the person on the other side feeling defeated. Similarly, Hollister argues that there are many people who read lots of books but still are incapable of understanding other people. Hollister suggests that neither of the studies measured whether empathetic responses led to sympathetic feeling. Overall, Hollister believes that people who respond most intensely to fiction are already more empathetic to begin with.

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- Once narrator leaves Brotherhood, he finally has the power to call out the system and the racism. (pg. 455) The Other versions of the single story are at the end of the book, when he realizes the truth. The whole book, he has been blind to the truth.

- "My ambition and integrity were nothing to them and my failure was as meaningless as Clifton's. It had been that way all along. Only in the Brotherhood had there seemed a chance for such as us, the mere glimmer of a light, but behind the polished and humane facade of Jack's eye, I had found an amorphous form and a harsh red rawness." (pg. 507)

- "And for the first time... I began to accept my past, and as I accepted it, I felt memories welding up within me. It was as though I'd learned suddenly to look around corners; images of past humiliations flickered through my head and I saw that they were more than separate experiences. They were me; they defined me. I was my experiences and my experiences were me, and no blind men, no matter how powerful they became, even if they conquered the world, could take that, or change one single itch, taunt, laugh, cry, scar, ache, rage or pain of it. They were blind, bat blind..." (pg. 507-508)

- "They want this to happen. They planned it. They want mobs to come uptown with machine guns and rifles. They want the streets to flow with blood; your blood, black blood and white blood, so that they can turn your death and sorrow and defeat into propaganda. It's simple, you've known it a long time..." (pg. 558)

- In the end, he realizes the sickness he had been going through: his identity was disappearing, he was becoming blind to the reality, his pigment was fading. (pg. 575) He acknowledged that he had been lying to them for their approval, "ill of affirmation, of saying yes against the nay-saying in his stomach. (pg. 573)

- "who knows but that, on the lower frequencies, I speak for you?" (pg. 581) He is warning everyone else to be careful of becoming invisible. He knows that even an invisible man has a socially responsible role to play --> leave hibernation.

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- invisibility --> no name
- blindlness --> not realizing the trouble he's getting himself into. Going only where the whites want him to go.
- puts on a mask, wants to be someone he isn't for other people. --> Dr. Bledsoe and Brotherhood.
- too scared to pull down the mask that that the vet at Golden Day begins to pull off --> the reality of his situation.
- takes him a whole journey to lose his identity and become more invisible in order to become seen again.

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- The idea that blacks are not humans, they are animals. Treated like an animal and stripped of humanity at battle royal. (pg. 17) Rewarding him for doing a dirty act, treating him like an animal. (pg. 67)

- The idea that blacks have a certain place and they must stay there. They cannot gain more power than whites. Ex: giving speech and battle royal and start talking about social responsibility and equality.

- The idea that blacks need to follow the path paved by whites.

- The idea that blacks need to worship white like gods in order to get something they want.

- The idea that blacks belong in the South.

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- African American young girl
- maturing girl, teenager
- raped by father
- struggling with physical identity because of beauty standards.
- situation at home with parents is not good --> doesn't feel valued, wishes she had blue eyes so people could love her more.
- influenced by Maureen, lighter-skinned girl.
- whitewashing with the mug and the candy --> picture of white girl with blue eyes.
- true beauty isn't seen by anyone but her young friends.
- finally gets blue eyes and goes crazy, obsessive.
-influenced by parents, especially because even her mother didn't accept her own beauty and Pecola's beauty.

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- Claudia and Frieda's family may be strict, but when they are sick for example, we can see the love and warmth in the family.

- Pecola's parents were once in love when they were younger, and Cholly made Pauline feel bursts of different colors.

- The idea that black men are rapists is a stereotype. While Cholly may have been a rapist, this does not mean all black men are. Also, this is just a single story of Cholly. He had other stories of his life that may have impacted this action. Ex: he was abandoned by his parents when he was young, and when he found his father later on, he was rejected.

- Claudia and Frieda recognize Pecola's true beauty even while she was pregnant with her father's baby. Even her mother could not recognize this beauty when Pecola was born. Younger people like Claudia and Frieda are less exposed to the outside world.

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- African Americans families are not loving. Pecola's father tried to burn down the house and also raped Pecola.

- The idea that some black people are dirty and messy. Ex: Geraldine

- The idea that Pecola's parents and black people in general hate each other and do not have respect for each other.

- The idea that black men are dirty rapists.

- The idea that black women are only pretty if they dress up as white people. Ex: Pauline goes to the movies dressing up, fixing her hair and makeup, as an actress.

- The basic stereotype that blue eyes make you prettier. Especially for black people who experience racism and already feel less pretty and valued.

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- story of Fa Mu Lan

- story of her mother as doctor, traveling alone, smart- (pg. 61) Kingston's mother leaving for Canton because she wanted to use the money her husband sent her.

- Kingston was strong, and although she struggled with her double identity, she still "learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for paradoxes." (pg. 19) Kingston learned that they conflict with each other, but accepts and embraces the paradox. Also, Kingston's mother shows bravery as well when she went to medical school. "My mother may have been afraid, but she would be a dragoness. She could make herself not weak. During danger she fanned out her dragon claws..." (pg. 67)

- "I put on my men's clothes and armor and tied my hair in a man's fashion. 'How beautiful you look,' the people said, 'how beautiful she looks.'"

- Kingston's mother's education as doctor. "She quickly built a reputation for being brilliant, a natural scholar who could glance at a book and know it." (pg. 63) Kingston's mother cared a lot about her education. She studied hard and was very smart.

- Kingston defied the gender roles in Chinese culture and refused to wash the dishes. "I refused to cook. When I had to wash dishes, I would crack one or two." (pg. 47)

- In the end, Kingston finally understands her double identity. She realizes that "not everybody thinks I'm nothing. I am not going to be a slave or a wife. Even if I am stupid and talk funny and get sick, I won't let you turn me into a slave or a wife. I'm getting out of here." (pg. 201) Kingston finds her strength to speak out against the gender roles and Chinese standards.

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- Chinese women are tortured to achieve certain beauty standards and are oppressed. They are bound at home so that they can't leave the house. "then she pulled the thread away from her skin, ripping the hairs out neatly, her eyes watering from the needles of pain." "But my mother said we were lucky we didn't have to have our feet bound when we were seven." (pg. 9)

- Women are silenced. They cannot even pass on the story of another woman to help empower them. Story of aunt.

- Kingston can't be an American and Chinese at the same time. Chinese don't belong in America and the American culture doesn't fit into Chinese standards.

- Women can't be warriors/can't be strong. Being strong and fighting is only for men.

- Chinese didn't care about education or grades. Ex: Kingston's parents didn't care about her straight A's.

- women had to wash dishes and work in kitchen --> gender roles.

- Chinese women can't be happy, and they can't show any part of their femininity. Ex: "My mother is not smiling; Chinese do not smile for photographs... Chinese dresses at that time were artless, cut as if women did not have breasts." (pg. 58-59) Being a woman was not a good thing. Women did not get to "live out the daydream of women." (pg. 61)

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- Chinese American
-living in America, while she's constantly hearing her mother's Chinese talk-stories --> double identity, paradox.
- story of Fa Mu Lan --> showing women as female avengers --> duality.
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- Mexican American- racism
- female- sexism and oppression
- young girl-teenager- maturing, learning from her environment and neighborhood.
- sexuality, womanhood, femininity

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- Not all boys and girls live separately. Boys don't want to be seen talking to girls because they wan't to seem strong and have a sense of authority over girls. This is why when men and women are seen together in this book, the women are shown as being oppressed by the men. Ex: Esperanza and friends are wearing those special shoes and begin talking to a man who sexualizes them. "We are tired of being beautiful." (pg. 42) The men they encounter make them tired of being beautiful. Ex: stories of Rafaela, Minerva, Mamacita, and Sally all oppressed by men.

- Mexican women are strong until they are oppressed by men. Ex: Her great-grandmother is like a wild horse until she marries. "A wild horse of a woman, so wild she wouldn't marry. Until my great-grandfather threw a sack over her head and carried her off. Just like that, as if she were a fancy chandelier... She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow." (pg. 10) The only reason they are seen as weak is because they are oppressed by others, especially men in Mexican culture. They still have strength and can gain freedom through writing--> "you must keep writing. It will keep you free." (pg. 61) Esperanza has a special strength, and she will break the cycle of oppressed women by finding a home in the heart. (pg. 64)

- Esperanza, as a mexican, is seen as poor on the outside, but on the inside she is very strong. pg. 20 metaphor of music box. She is the one who plans on making the neighborhood a better place. The racism is very ironic because Cathy who is not Mexican says the neighborhood is getting bad because of the Mexicans and poor people coming in. However, she doesn't realize that she could be the reason it is getting bad --> if Mexicans were treated equally, they would not be seen as worsening the neighborhood. Esperanza is the only one who makes an effort to change the neighborhood by creating a home in the heart. Ex: "Bums in the Attic" "One day I'll own my own house, but I won't forget who I am or where I came from. I'll offer them the attic, ask them to stay, because I know how it is to be without a house.

- Esperanza is one of the only ones who does not have an American name. This could be significant because she symbolizes the power in the book.  "But I am always Esperanza." (pg. 11) Maybe always being Esperanza, always being who she truly is, is a good thing. At this time, Esperanza has not realized this yet. Once she matures, she will find her identity.

- The machismo idea that beauty is bad is a cultural idea that sexualizes women who wear makeup and are seen as beautiful. This is why they are trapped in their houses. This is not true at all, and women who wear makeup can come out of the house and should not be trapped and oppressed by men. This is just a single story that people may hear and begin to stereotype Mexican women.

- Mexicans are not dangerous, this is just another stereotype. They are not scared amongst one another. "All brown all around, we are safe. But watch us drive into a neighborhood of another color and our knees go shakity-shake and our car windows get rolled rolled up tight and our eyes look straight." pg. 28 Mexicans themselves are also scared of people of another color. They should not be feared if they themselves fear others just because of their race.

- The reality of the situation is that people don't want to help the Vargas family because they either don't want to get involved or because they are racist. People see one family and assume all Mexicans are disrespectful like the Vargas kids. However, they don't see the reasons behind it. There are many other aspects of the story that people don't see. The reason they are disrespectful is because they aren't given any value or importance by others in the neighborhood.

- The gender role that women's only job is to cook and work in the kitchen is not true. Esperanza defies this gender role when she says, "I have begun my own quiet war. I am one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up the plate." (pg. 89) This passage shows Esperanza maturing and finding her identity. She doesn't have to be the Mexican woman who sits by the window with her sadness. She can be the one to make a change in her neighborhood and community.

- Everyone can have freedom, no matter his/her race. People think that the only way to be truly free is to be white. Even Esperanza and her friends connected freedom (the clouds in the sky) with white names. However, Esperanza again defies this false idea and proves that she can find freedom through writing, just like her Aunt Super told her. Esperanza even ends the story talking about how she loves to write stories. "I make a story for my life, for each step my brown shoes takes." (pg. 109) She begins to tell her story "a story about a girl who didn't want to belong."

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- Mexican Americans are poor and live in poor, run down houses. Ex: description of home in the beginning and in "A Rice Sandwich" nun assumes she lives in a raggedy house.

- Boys and girls live in separate worlds. Outside, they can't be seen talking to girls.

- Mexican women aren't strong.

- racism against Mexicans: "the neighborhood is getting bad right now." (pg. 13) Mexicans corrupt the neighborhood because they are poor.

- Mexicans need to have an American name as well in order to fit in. Even their dogs have two names.

- women who wear dark colors and makeup can't come out of the house. Ex: Marin, Sally.

-   Mexicans are dangerous and violent --> "attack them with shiny knives." pg. 28

- Mexican kids aren't given enough care and all start off as broken museum vases. They have bad behavior and are disrespectful, even to themselves.

- "A woman's place is sleeping so she can wake up early with the tortilla star..." pg. 31 Women have to cook food --> establishing gender roles.

- Only way to feel free is if you are white. Naming the clouds, which symbolize freedom, with white names. As the girls start thinking of freedom and naming the clouds with white names, they start arguing and call Esperanza ugly. This could be because she doesn't have a second, more American name.

- Mexican girls can only be pretty if they want to be sexualized. For example, when Esperanza and her friends get new shoes, something that finally makes them feel empowered and beautiful, they are sexualized by the man. Women aren't allowed to be beautiful, unless they want to be called a whore.

- Mexicans don't belong in America. Ex: Geraldo died in a hit-and-run accident and was not valued by anyone, including the doctors, because of his race. (pg. 66)