『부엌신의 아내』를 통해서 본 침묵 깨뜨리기 그리고 트라우마의 회복

Breaking the Silence and Recovering from Trauma in The Kitchen God's Wife

This paper explores the theme of silence and examines the painful past trauma behind the silence. Through breaking the silence, the paper will focus on the journey of how the mother and daughter in Amy Tan's The Kitchen God's Wife recover from their trauma and lead empowered lives as Chinese Americans. Trauma frightens people, causing them to avoid confronting their traumatic experiences. Winnie's traumatic experiences have prevented her from confronting her past, and her relationship with Pearl has deteriorated, leaving her deeply wounded. As Winnie shares her trauma with Pearl, Pearl comes to understand Winnie's past thanks to breaking the silence. Winnie and Pearl not only restore their mother-daughter relationship but also establish their own identity as Chinese American women. Winnie aims to overcome life’s challenges and share her trauma with her daughter, thereby using her voice to help other women find theirs. Tan reimagines motherhood by introducing a new goddess named “Lady Sorrowfree,” by Winnie, on a statue. Through Breaking the silence, Winnie and Pearl deepen their understanding of their true identities, foster women's solidarity that originated between mother and daughter, and empower themselves to overcome their trauma.