Julie Otsuka novels "When the Emperor was Divine"(2002) and "The Buddha in the Attic" (2011) narrate the collective trauma experienced by Japanese immigrants in America during the Second World War. With the help of different narrative techniques, both novels communicate the collective trauma to the contemporary reader. This paper analyses the different narrative strategies and their effects on the Western reader in greater detail through traditional close reading strategies.
While "When the Emperor was Divine" narrates the collective trauma through alternating, individual perspectives of a representative Japanese family, "The Buddha in the Attic" manages to create a more powerful communal voice with its consistent first-person plural narration.
Table of Contents
0. Introduction
1. Collective Trauma and Its Narrative Techniques
2. Textual Analysis: When the Emperor was Divine and The Buddha in the Attic
2.1. Narrative Perspective(s)
2.1.1. The Communal Voice
2.1.2. The Oppositional Us. Vs. Them Dichotomy
2.1.3. The Role of the Narrattee
2.2. Discourse
2.2.1. Selective Individualization
2.2.2. Intermediality and Intertextuality
2.2.3. Tone
2.2.4. Time
2.3. Story
2.3.1. Figures
3. Trauma Symptoms: Amnesia, Denial, Dissociation and Loss of Identity
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines how Julie Otsuka’s novels "When the Emperor was Divine" and "The Buddha in the Attic" communicate the collective trauma of Japanese immigrants in America during the Second World War. By analyzing specific narrative techniques—particularly the use of the first-person plural "we-voice" and selective individualization—the study argues that these novels effectively bridge the gap between individual lived experience and large-scale historical catastrophe to render collective trauma visible and accessible.
- The role of the communal "we-voice" in representing collective identity and shared trauma.
- Narratological techniques such as free indirect discourse, dialogue, and intertextuality to humanize historical statistics.
- The construction of identity through the "us vs. them" dichotomy in the face of systemic racism.
- The impact of shifting narrative perspectives and time on the articulation of trauma symptoms like amnesia and dissociation.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1.1. The Communal Voice
When the Emperor was Divine employs a sequential communal voice as the narrative perspective differs from chapter to chapter. The two chapters under discussion, "A Stranger’s Backyard" and "Confession", employ different narrative voices yet still manage to contribute to the overall construction of the collective voice of a representative Japanese family. Whereas first, second and third chapters are narrated from a third person perspective, "In A Stranger’s Backyard" is written in a first-person plural perspective triggered by the resumption of the "old" life in California. After Lanser, the narrative form is simultaneous with the two children narrating on behalf of the entire family.
The we-narrator on discourse level, however, does not necessarily correspond with the same referent on the story level (Fludernik 174). In When the Emperor was Divine, the narrating we on discourse level may initially seem to refer to the entire family. Upon closer analysis it becomes evident that the plural voice is exclusive of the mother as well as the father and encompasses solely the children. This is indicated by several references to the mother as "third person": "she had warned us", "she reached into her blouse and pulled out the key" and "[w]e turned our heads away. The key had become a part of her" (Emperor 107, my emphasis).
Summary of Chapters
0. Introduction: Provides the historical context of the Japanese internment during WWII and outlines the study's focus on narrative techniques used to articulate collective trauma in two specific novels.
1. Collective Trauma and Its Narrative Techniques: Defines trauma as a sociocultural construct and explores how collective narration and the "we-voice" function as tools for cultural work and testimony.
2. Textual Analysis: When the Emperor was Divine and The Buddha in the Attic: Introduces the methodology for analyzing narrative perspectives, discourse, and story elements in both chosen novels.
2.1. Narrative Perspective(s): Examines the nuances of communal voices and how they vary between the two novels in terms of participant inclusion and perspective.
2.1.1. The Communal Voice: Discusses how narrative voices in the novels contribute to the representation of collective family and group identities.
2.1.2. The Oppositional Us. Vs. Them Dichotomy: Analyzes how collective identity is shaped in opposition to "other" groups and external social discourse.
2.1.3. The Role of the Narrattee: Explores the relationship between the narrator and the intended audience and how breaking the fourth wall impacts the transmission of trauma.
2.2. Discourse: Focuses on the stylistic methods—such as dialogue and intertextuality—employed to narrate these stories.
2.2.1. Selective Individualization: Investigates the use of personal references within a collective framework to increase empathy and accessibility for the reader.
2.2.2. Intermediality and Intertextuality: Highlights how references to real-life documents and media link fictional narratives to factual historical events.
2.2.3. Tone: Examines how language styles, ranging from factual to detached, influence the reader's perception of the described trauma.
2.2.4. Time: Looks at the significance of tense shifts in the final chapters as a means to link past trauma with the present.
2.3. Story: Briefly discusses the function of figures and characterization as textual constructs.
2.3.1. Figures: Analyzes the representation of individuals versus characters and the impact of anonymity on representative value.
3. Trauma Symptoms: Amnesia, Denial, Dissociation and Loss of Identity: Details how the psychological effects of trauma are manifested and represented in the narratives of both victims and observers.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the effectiveness of the analyzed narrative techniques in giving voice to collective experience and overcoming historical amnesia.
5. Works Cited: A comprehensive list of academic sources and primary texts utilized throughout the research.
Keywords
Collective Trauma, Narrative Techniques, We-Voice, Julie Otsuka, When the Emperor was Divine, The Buddha in the Attic, Japanese Internment, Cultural Trauma, Communal Story, Narratology, Historical Amnesia, Identity Loss, First-Person Plural, Testimonial Fiction, Social Constructivism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
This work examines the intersection of narratology and historical trauma, specifically focusing on how Julie Otsuka utilizes first-person plural "we-narratives" to express the collective experience of Japanese Americans during WWII internment.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The study centers on collective trauma, the construction of group identity through opposition, the role of testimony in literature, and the challenges of representing large-scale historical injustice through fiction.
What is the core research objective?
The goal is to determine how specific narrative techniques, such as selective individualization and communal voice, allow for a successful transmission of collective trauma to readers who are unfamiliar with the historical events.
Which methodology is employed in the analysis?
The author employs a comparative textual analysis focusing on narrative perspective, discourse analysis, and the study of figures (characters) as defined by established narratological theories.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body provides a detailed analysis of narrative perspectives, the function of the narrattee, discourse techniques like intertextuality and tone, and an examination of trauma symptoms such as dissociation and denial within both novels.
How are the key terms defining the work?
The work is characterized by terms like "Collective Trauma," "We-Narratives," and "Cultural Trauma," which reflect the blending of historical analysis with literary theory.
How does the usage of the "we-voice" differ between the two novels?
While *The Buddha in the Attic* maintains a consistent, simultaneous first-person plural perspective throughout, *When the Emperor was Divine* uses it selectively in specific chapters to contrast individual family perspectives with broader communal experiences.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the effectiveness of these narrative styles?
The author concludes that while *When the Emperor was Divine* offers deeper individual insight, *The Buddha in the Attic* creates a more powerful and successful communal voice that effectively conveys the scale and reach of collective trauma.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Marnie Hensler (Autor:in), 2020, Collective Trauma and Its Narrative Techniques. Julie Otsuka’s "When the Emperor Was Divine" and "The Buddha in the Attic", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1030973
