Identity Conflict in The Kitchen God’s Wife.

This paper aims to address the identity struggles experienced by the female protagonists in The Kitchen God’s Wife. Through a detailed textual analysis, the study investigates how the novel portrays the conflicts faced by Chinese-American women in reconciling their dual cultural identities. In this novel, Amy Tan vividly illustrates Winnie Louie’s culturally transformative experiences as a Chinese immigrant woman and their enduring impact on her sense of self, particularly in relation to her American-born daughter, Pearl. Tan emphasizes the intergenerational tensions arising from differing cultural expectations and personal histories. This paper employs Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory as a research method to explain the identity conflict within the characters, focusing on Winnie’s past traumatic experiences and their role in shaping her identity. The study explores how these issues lead to significant conflicts with her daughter, Pearl. In addition, Tan introduces a feminist struggle over culture and identity between Winnie and Pearl due to their differing perspectives on life in the US. Their quest is for identity and self-discovery. The result of this paper demonstrates to what extent communication between mother and daughter aids in resolving the identity struggles that they experience, empowering them to assert their power in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]