The past several readings we've discussed in class are all examples of bold feminism. Both female writers seemed to push the limits of what was considered acceptable for women at the time when men pretty much dominated the literary world. I think this could definitely be said about our reading for today, Mrs. Spring Fragrance, but even more so, there is a clear culture struggle present that blends together with the story's sense of feminism.
The strongest and probably most simplistic example I can give of feminism in this story is the title. As we discussed in class, the protagonist is a female known by Mrs. Spring Fragrance. Thankfully, she is not identified by a second-hand title, which mostly likely would have been by her husband's name. She is her own person, with her own values and credibility. However, ironically, her title instantly adds an American element to her, something her husband clearly doesn't like. Just as his cousin suggests that Mr. Spring Fragrance's wife is becoming "too American," the reader can agree with this sentiment. The clash of cultures in this story stems from the tension between how the protagonist identifies herself: American or Chinese? Or perhaps if she identifies with both equally.Overall, these themes of feminism and identity go hand in hand to create an interesting complex for character development.
I also thought about how interesting it would be to study this story from a cultural stand point only. How would this story change and become problematic if a Chinese character were to identify more with American culture than with her own?
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