Lost Sister Cathy Song Summary
Asian American Cathy Song drew closer to her Korean-Chinese ancestry, and was able to describe in a clear image of the two women she represent, one being the industrial American women and the other one being the Chinese caretaker. Cathy Song was born and raised in Hawaii making her an American by birth right. This fact did not keep her from engulfing her Korean-Chinese heritage. In the poem “Lost Sister”, Song isolates a young girl who struggles to find who she truly is in China, because of all the restrictions. The young girl wants to go to America to seek a needed fulfilment. The analysis of the young girl in “Lost Sister” is no doubt an effort to link Cathy Song’s two worlds together. Cathy Song wanted acceptance of her culture, using it as a release and that freedom is within. Song described life for young girls in China as restricted, disciplined and structured. Jade is the name that Song throughout the poem. It is a known fact that the Chinese culture values jade stone more than gold. Its …show more content…
It requires a reflective and sincere look on life. Many people from different walks of life look to find themselves and do not succeed because they fear being exiled or regarded as being defiant towards their family. “Lost Sisters” although the reader might think there are two separated women represented in this poem, there is a perception that Cathy Song has an alter ego. The first half is her origin and draws close to her Korean-Chinese roots. The second half is distinct from a heritage and closer to her American culture. To be true to herself she feels that she must represent both women and not drift to either side. In lines 53 and 54 Song says, “You find you need China: your one fragile identification.” That explains how delicate of a situation it is not to leave her culture behind. Though emotional freedom brings strength, cultural heritage is a source of freedom, because acceptance of culture is a release and freedom is
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