Love and hate, joy and anger, passion and frustration, life and dreams, hopes and illusions – the themes and topics to be found in Kirby Wright’s fictional works is endless. A California resident with Hawaiian blood, growing up in Honolulu, HI, and attending Punahou School, a private school with such exquisite graduates like presidential candidate and governor Barack Obama, winning short story and poetry contests in his teenage years and then publishing two successful novels later on, Wright lived his dream coming out of a world that was caught in between cultures, which could not be any different. Experiences that directly translated into his works, with the protagonists Jeffrey and Ben Gill roaming the islands of Hawaii, always searching for a way to unite both worlds and free themselves of the stigma of being a hapa haole.
The present paper focusses on the fictional work of Kirby Wright, including the novels Punahou Blues and Molokai Nui Ahina, and explores the way Hawaiian culture and the topic of “coming-of-age” in a multicultural society are integrated and used. A brief introduction to Hawaiian literature and cultural history, including a portrait of author Kirby Wright, will be followed by a summary of both novels and a look into to what extent the setting of a novel is crucial to its interpretation, before I will then explore the way in which Wright presented the coming-of-age of the protagonist in his work and in how far this was connected to Hawaiian culture and traditions.
Table of Contents
01. Introduction
02. Hawai’i Literary History
02.1 Literature and Ethnicity
02.2 The origins of Hawaiian Literature
02.3 Kirby Wright
03. The Novels
03.1 Punahou Blues
03.1.1 Fiction and Autobiography
03.1.2 Summary
03.2 Molokai Nui Ahina
03.2.1 Authentic Material
03.2.2 Summary
03.3 The importance of setting
03.3.1 The setting of Punahou Blues
03.3.1.1 Honolulu in 2008
03.3.1.2 Re-Establishing the Kingdom
03.3.2 The setting of Molokai Nui Ahina
03.3.2.1 Brief History of Molokai
03.3.2.2 Molokai in 2008
04. Coming of Age in the Novels
04.1 Definition of Coming-of-Age
04.2 Coming-of-Age in Punahou Blues
04.2.1 Family
04.2.2 Manhood
04.2.3 Love
04.3 Coming-of-Age in Molokai Nui Ahina
04.3.1 Family
04.3.2 Love
04.3.3 Identity
05. Conclusion
06. References
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This bachelor thesis examines the fictional works of Kirby Wright, specifically the novels Punahou Blues and Molokai Nui Ahina, to explore how Hawaiian culture and the theme of "coming-of-age" are integrated within a multicultural society. The central research objective is to analyze how the protagonists' maturation is shaped by their unique position between Hawaiian traditions and Western influences, and to what extent the specific narrative settings of Honolulu and Molokai act as catalysts for this personal development.
- The intersection of Hawaiian culture and Western influences in contemporary literature.
- The semi-autobiographical nature of Kirby Wright's novels and the integration of real-life experiences.
- The critical importance of physical setting in character development and narrative interpretation.
- The socio-cultural definition of "coming-of-age" within the specific context of the Hawaiian islands.
- The struggle for identity for "hapa haole" individuals caught between contrasting cultural worlds.
Excerpt from the Book
03.3.1.2 Re-Establishing the Kingdom
Even though officially Hawaii has settled in its role as the 50th state of the United States of America and its belonging to this huge nation is not longer questioned in politics, there still are movements and small groups within the Hawaiian society which cling to the old Hawaii, the kingdom how it used to be. These memories of a long lost peaceful past, however, are often intriguing and not founded in reality or grounded in experience. There are different groups in Oahu which try to re-establish the kingdom of Hawaii as it was, e.g. the Hawaiian Kingdom Government, a group of political activists. In July 2001 they even filed a complaint against the United States of America concerning the American occupation of the Hawaiian kingdom before the United Nations security council. A measure that did not trigger any consequenzes and had no lasting effect. There also is a second organization claiming the Islands of Hawaii to be an independent and sovereign state. Their self-proclaimed king, Edmund Keli’i Silva Jr., published the following note on his official website www.kingdomofhawaii.org:
Be it known that I, Edmund Keli’i Silva, Jr., King of the Kingdom of Hawai’i; hereby declare that the entire archipelago and surrounding seas of the archipelago belong to the Kingdom of Hawai’i. That all peoples throughout the world are served notice that Hawai’i is an independent sovereign nation ordained and sustained by the Hand and Might of a Just God in our Heavenly Father.
Summary of Chapters
01. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Kirby Wright's background and introduces the central research focus on the intersection of Hawaiian culture and the coming-of-age theme in his novels.
02. Hawai’i Literary History: This section outlines the ethnic and cultural diversity of Hawaii, categorized into Asian-Hawaiian, American-Hawaiian, and Native Hawaiian literary traditions, while providing a portrait of author Kirby Wright.
03. The Novels: This chapter offers a detailed introduction to Punahou Blues and Molokai Nui Ahina, discussing their blend of fiction and autobiography, summarizing the plots, and analyzing the crucial role of setting as a character-defining element.
04. Coming-of-Age in the Novels: This central chapter defines the concept of coming-of-age and explores the maturation of protagonists Jeff and Ben Gill, focusing on themes of family, manhood, love, and identity within their respective Hawaiian environments.
05. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that the central theme of Wright's work is "real love" as a resilient and hopeful force, and reflects on the broader significance of the protagonists' successful navigation of their dual cultural heritage.
Keywords
Kirby Wright, Punahou Blues, Molokai Nui Ahina, Hawaiian Literature, Coming-of-age, Hapa haole, Cultural identity, Honolulu, Molokai, Maturation, Postcolonial literature, Family structures, Narrative setting, Pacific Rim, Hawaiian Renaissance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this thesis?
The thesis explores the fictional novels of Kirby Wright, focusing on how he portrays Hawaiian culture and the "coming-of-age" process for protagonists growing up in a multicultural Hawaiian society.
What are the central themes addressed in the work?
The core themes include the struggle for personal identity, the impact of family dynamics and parental expectations, the role of cultural heritage, and the conceptualization of love as a tough, durable force.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze how the unique settings of Honolulu and Molokai influence the personal and psychological development of the protagonists in Punahou Blues and Molokai Nui Ahina.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a literary-analytical approach, combining textual analysis of the novels with a historical and cultural examination of Hawaiian society, supported by biographical data and author statements.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines the literary history of Hawaii, provides plot summaries of both novels, analyzes the importance of setting, and deconstructs the coming-of-age experiences through topics such as family relationships, manhood, and identity formation.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Kirby Wright, coming-of-age, hapa haole, Hawaiian literature, cultural identity, and narrative setting.
How does the setting of Molokai influence the protagonist's identity compared to Honolulu?
While Honolulu represents a multicultural, modern, and often overwhelming environment for the protagonist, Molokai acts as a traditional, wild space where the protagonist can connect with his native roots and develop a stronger sense of self.
Why does the author classify the novels as "novels cast as memoirs"?
The author notes that while Kirby Wright integrates significant autobiographical streaks and real-life characters into his works, he emphasizes that they are ultimately fictional creations designed to enhance the storyline.
- Quote paper
- Jennifer Schomberg (Author), 2008, Coming of Age: Hawaiian Culture in Kirby Wright's Fiction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/158668
