ondly, these women, especially the latter wives and the concubines, lose a lack of identity. For example, when these women marry, they are referred to as which wife they are. Even the wives refer to each other as first wife, second wife, etc. 5.As with Chinese women, slave women in the U.S. experienced complete losses of power over their lives. Slaves were forced to live their lives to the orders of their masters just as these Chinese wives were forced to live their lives to the orders of their husbands and higher wives. By given no chance to survive by themselves and maintain an identity, these women suffered from great losses of self-esteem and hope. As far as non-slave women in the U.S. are concerned, their lives are comparable to those lives of Chinese women, as well. Non-slave women in the times of slavery and Chinese women both experienced great inequities and discriminations. Women in both situations were given very few rights and chances to survive by themselves. Many of these women chose to give up their freedom and power for the protection and secure lifestyle that a man could provide, despite how damaging it may be to their identity and self-esteem.6.Sex-role expectations were a very important issue in the relationship between An-Mei and her daughter. Throughout the mother’s life, she was expected to desire nothing. Because she was a girl, it was instilled in An-Mei that she had no worth. From the treatment of her mother and her own life, she learned that women should be content with living a life lacking desire and worth. An-Mei’s many attempts at reversing these beliefs for her daughter caused a great deal of friction in their relationship. For one, An-Mei noticed that her daughter insisted that she make her husband constantly happy while ignoring her own needs and desires. She felt that her daughter was doing this so that she would feel respected by her husband as a good wife. While her daughter...
