Introduction 1
Development of Chinese American Literature 1
Prominent Positions of Kingston and Tan in Chinese American Literature 8
Definitions of Chinese American Literature 15
Literature Review and the Writing Purpose 18
Chapter One Silence-Breaking 23
Layers of Silencing 26
Impetus for Breaking the Silence 45
Ways of Breaking the Silence 51
Chapter Two Identity-Seeking 78
Stages of Identity Formation 84
Identity Dilemma of Chinese Americans 88
Identity-Seeking as Seen in Chinese American Women's Writings 96
Seeking an Ethnic Identity 100
Seeking a Gender Identity 134
Chapter Three Storytelling 155
Strategy of Ambiguity 165
Multi-Versions of Stories 188
Rewriting Chinese Myths and Literary Classics 197
Rewriting Western Classics and Myths 211
Conclusion 216
Bibliography 226