Kristiawan Indriyanto1, Esra Perangin-angin2 & Tan Michael Chandra3
1Faculty of Teacher Training and Education: Universitas Prima Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0001-7827-2506. Email: kristiawanindriyanto@unprimdn.ac.id
2Faculty of Teacher Training and Education: Universitas Prima Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0003-4240-7071. Email: esraperanginangin@unprimdn.ac.id
3Vocational College: Universitas Pignatelli Triputra. ORCID: 0009-0006-2226-0585. Email: michael.chandra@upitra.ac.id
[Received May 23 2023, modified 28 July 2023, accepted 28 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]
Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.25
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Abstract
This paper contextualizes the intricate relationship between language, culture, and place in Milton Murayama’s All I am Asking for is My Body, underlining the dynamic of the Japanese-American diasporic experience in Hawaii. The econarratological analysis delves into the spatial representation and homodiegetic narration employed by Murayama to immerse readers in the plantation labor experience and the linguistic landscapes of Hawaii. The study examines the complex dynamics between Standard English and Hawaiian Creole English (HCE) in Murayama’s work, highlighting their role in shaping the cultural and linguistic identity of the characters. By employing immersive textual cues, such as vivid descriptive imagery and the strategic use of language styles, Murayama creates a mental model of narratives that accurately depicts the historicity of the Nikkei community, focusing on the plantation labor experience. This paper argues that the deliberate blending of Standard English and HCE in Murayama’s fiction enhances readers’ engagement and understanding of the Nikkei experience and contributes to broader discussions on language, culture, and identity within the context of diaspora literature.
Keywords: econarratology, Hawaii, language and place, Japanese-American literature, story world.