The theme of the “voiceless woman” throughout the book “The Woman Warrior” is of great importance. Maxine Kingston tells several stories in which she provides clear examples of how the women in her family are belittled and silenced by Chinese culture. The author not only gives voice to herself but also to other women in her family and community who have not had the opportunity to speak and tell their stories. The author begins the book with the story of her aunt. This story was a well-kept family secret as her aunt's actions were a great disappointment to the family. The “nameless woman,” as the story calls her, was forgotten by her entire family because she had a child who was not her husband's. This story provides a clear example of the role of women in Chinese culture. As the author states “Women in ancient China did not choose” (p. 6). Women then had no authority, so they expressed their will and desires. They could only obey the orders of their parents, husbands and mothers-in-law. In this culture, women could not choose who to marry; instead their parents choose their significant others. This tradition is clearly reflected in the story of Aunt Maxine Kingston who was given to her husband's family. Furthermore, the "nameless woman" was not only forgotten by her family but also by her husband. He left China for 30 years when she knew nothing about him. Even if she did not live together with her husband, she was still expected to behave like a married woman. Evidently this woman got tired of waiting and "raised her voice" and took action with her own hands. Even though he had to follow certain rules, he decided he wasn't going to wait... halfway through the card... like he wanted. Furthermore, Kingston was not the only “Voiceless Girl” in her class, her sister and the other girls remained silent for many years. As Kingston states, “the other Chinese girls didn't talk either, so I knew the silence had to do with being a Chinese girl.” It is clearly evident that their Chinese heritage has had a great impact on their social life at school. As the years passed, Kingston transferred to another school and found enough courage to start speaking. Without a doubt, the theme of the "voiceless woman" is clearly visible in every story that Maxine Kingston presents in the book Woman Warrior. Although in all the stories each woman begins as a "voiceless woman", she ends up being a courageous and determined woman towards the end. Work cited Maxine Hong Kingston. The Warrior Woman: Memoirs of a Childhood Among Ghosts, April 23, 1989