Postmodernism in the novels of Maxine Hong Kingston and Amy Tan

Abstract

Postmodernist criticism involves itself mainly in the decentralizing and subverting process. It challenges “fixation” of any kind. The two Chinese writers under study quite obviously interrogate and challenge their “fixation” in American mainstream history as the worst racial and ethnic group. Both historical records and website readings have debunked the early Chinese as prostitutes, brothel-runners and drug-sellers. Racial Categorisation and derogatory condemnation are always targetted at the Chinese by the dominant group at the centre.