The Influence of Culture on Society in Ah Mah by Shirley Lim

In writing "Ah Mah", Shirley Lim has drawn upon her Chinese background to reveal to us how powerfully a culture shapes the ideals and life of its society as an entity and the individuals, be it familial or the single persons. The idea is borne out in the poem's contrast between the treatment of men and women and the disparity that exists. The theme is conveyed through the rich use of imagery and symbolism steeped in cultural connotations. "Ah Mah" introduces its subject and begins to develop its theme through the title and the first stanza.

The title refers to a woman, usually the mother of one's father, that is more frequently used by Chinese of Fujian and Cantonese descent. This reference to the Chinese culture is repeated throughout the whole poem. In effect, the poet's use of these cultural references invites one to delve beneath the superficial in order to understand what it means to be born a woman, in a culture which not only enchained her within the bounds of the patriarchal household but also debilitating customs exerted through societal pressure.

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In the first stanza, the grandmother's stature is compared to a child of eight. As a child symbolizes weakness and helplessness, the poet has liken her grandmother to the same vulnerable state. By posing a question in the second line, one is invited to contemplate the sort of life the old lady might have led, controlled and manipulated such as that of a child. In the second stanza, the true state of the grandmother is revealed to us.

She is "helpless (and) hopeless".

This bleak outlook is described by "chin sharp as a knuckles". She has not, by all means, led a fulfilled life and this is made known through the "fan ... half-opened". Her unhappiness and futility to lead a fruitful life is recounted further in the third stanza when the cause is made known to us; her movements are dependent upon handmaids. Through another cultural reference brought on by the poet, foot binding, readers witness the most blatant and poignant example of the inequality faced by Chinese women in the past.

In stanzas five to six, the foot binding process is described. Foot binding was an ancient custom in China, lasting from the 10th century until 1911, when it was made illegal by the government. This tradition involved tight, painful binding of the feet and toes using bandages in order to keep the feet as small as three inches, known as "Golden Lotus". This is alluded to in "like lotus in the tight hollows of celestial lakes.

" The practice of foot binding started when a girl was anywhere from four to six years old, during which time a mother would bend her daughter's toes under her feet and tightly tie bandages around the feet to keep them from growing. As a result, the toes would grow into the sole of the foot in a misshapen manner, like "yellow petals of chrysanthemum", destroying the normal arch and making normal use of the feet totally impossible. The practice rendered the feet practically useless, confining the woman to her home.

This process took several painful years to finish, and often caused infection, gangrene, and even death. Girls were finally unbound when the feet stopped growing, leaving them with useless three-inch "Lotus Feet. " In exploring the relationship between the poet's grandfather and grandmother, readers get a glimpse of another example of the Chinese culture which favour males over females. In traditional Chinese culture, the relationship between father and his sons is considered to be the most important relationship in the family.