Imagery and Identity: Tracing the Transformation of Chinese-American Women's Literature

Imagery plays a crucial role in shaping themes, characters, and cultural identity in literature. It holds particular significance in Chinese-American women's writing. This essay demonstrates how the evolving use of imagery in Chinese-American women's literature reflects changing identities and also serves as a political tool, offering insights into struggles for cultural empowerment and resistance to marginalization. Through a chronological analysis of works by several key authors, this paper explores how imagery functions both as a means of personal expression and a tool for cultural critique.