The Woman Warrior 2/2

Two young sisters in China.

            Out of all the novels I have ever read, one of my favorite relationships is the bond between the Orchid sisters. Brave Orchid, the eldest sister, and Moon Orchid, the younger sister, grow up together in China but separate because Brave decides to join her husband in America, while Moon stays behind in China. The two sisters eventually grow apart as they become accustomed to different lives; Brave tackles hard labor to raise her ever-growing number of children and Moon remains rich through the money her husband in America sends her. The laughter begins when Brave sends for Moon, and Moon must adapt to American life.

            Moon always dresses in woven silk suits and glorious jewelry, but the same cannot be said for her sister. “Brave Orchid, who had been married for almost fifty years, did not wear any rings. They got in the way of all the work. She did not want the gold to wash away in the dishwasher and the laundry water and the field water.” (127) The eldest sister had to set aside her wedding ring so as not to ruin it.

            Brave makes these sacrifices for her work and her children daily, but it is safe to assume that she enjoys her work. The eldest sister feels pride in her accomplishments after sweating up a storm. Her younger sister, on the other hand, has not had to work a day in her life. “Moon Orchid was eager to work, roughing it in the wilderness.” (135) Living like an American to Moon is like “surviving” because there are no servants around to answer every chore with a smile.

            Moon is terrible at manual labor, or any labor for that matter, because she cannot even sew or wash dishes. Brave remains kind to her sister though, letting Moon take as many breaks as she needs to rest and regain her strength. Their bond as sisters has survived oceans and years as Brave helps Moon to face her husband, and when that fails, allows Moon to live with her until Moon goes completely insane. Even with this mental instability, Brave feels responsible for her sister and visits her until her dying days. This sort of relationship is so beautiful to me because their blood is thicker than their differences; it is so easy to tell that they love each other.

"Nursing is almost as difficult as doing laundry."

“What if he hits me?”

“I’ll hit him. I’ll protect you. I’ll hit him back. The two of us will knock him down and make him listen.” Brave Orchid chuckled as if she were looking forward to a fight.

-145

Maybe Brave Orchid has been the woman warrior this entire time?

The Woman Warrior: Brave Orchid