Reaction to Photographs of My Parents by Maxine Hong Kingston

Someone once said that photographs are memories frozen in time. They are a way of bringing the past to the present and it on to the future. In "Photographs of My Parents", the photographs reconnect Kingston to her parents and their past.

Kingston was very detailed in describing the photos and items belonging to her parents. This could be an indication of how much value she puts into these old items. She took the time to really look at the details on the metal tube, to read what were written on the diplomas and to study every person and every detail on the photographs of her parents. In this essay, I want to focus on the obvious differences in the photographs of Kingston's mother and her father. These photos give us an idea of the differences in culture and personalities of the people involved.

The photographs of her mother were very prim and proper based on Kingston's descriptions. Her mother's hair, clothes, eyes and facial expression (of lack thereof) are what were expected to be seen in old Chinese photographs. I have also noticed the formality in almost all the pictures I have seen at home and in school but when I asked my mother why that was so, I didn't get a concrete answer. In my opinion, the formality is a reflection of Chinese values, such as honor, simplicity and modesty. The Chinese are serious people maybe because their actions, words and thoughts are restricted by their religion and customs passed down from their ancestors. They carry their family's name and have the duty to bring honor to their family, which is why they are always so careful not to do anything disgraceful, crazy or stupid (and fun in my opinion).

The photographs of her father on the other hand tell a different story. It's in the mindset of many Asians that the Westerners are more liberal in their way of life and when her father migrated to America, he adopted their spirit and independence as seen in the photographs. The photographs show her father in different poses, clothes and expressions, and those photographs could symbolize the happiness, freedom and carefree life promised to immigrants in America.