MIXED-RACE IDENTITY POLITICS IN NELLA LARSEN AND WINNIFRED EATON (ONOTO WATANNA) A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Sachi Nakachi November 2001 2001 Sachi Nakachi All Rights Reserved. This dissertation entitled MIXED-RACE IDENTITY POLITICS IN NELLA LARSEN AND WINNIFRED EATON (ONOTO WATANNA) BY SACHI NAKACHI has been approved for the Department of English and the College of Arts and Sciences by David Dean McWilliams J. Richard Hamilton, Baker and Hostetler Professor of Humanities Leslie A. Flemming Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Nakachi, Sachi. Ph.D. November 2001. English Mixed-Race Identity Politics in Nella Larsen and Winnifred Eaton (Onoto Watanna) (216pp.) Director: David Dean McWilliams The dissertation examines how two women authors of mixed-race, Nella Larsen and Winnifred Eaton (Onoto Watanna), resisted American identity politics in their works. The ideological complexities of mixed-race identity, which is “in-between” races, are the focus of my argument. To discuss what Judith Butler calls “the performativity of identity” in the interracial context, “passing,” “masquerading” and “mimicking” are used as key strategies. I examine whether the space of hybridity, in which the incompatible notions of difference and sameness exist together, opens up the horizon of transformation of significations. In Chapter One, I discuss how Larsen used her “mulatto” heroines to criticize the essentialist notion of identity. I probe how crossing boundaries (passing, geographical crossing and transgressing sexual norms) functions in her novels. In Chapter Two, I examine the works of Winnifred Eaton, who passed as Japanese in her authorship. By crossing the “authentic” ethnic boundaries and placing herself in a fictional identity, Eaton challenged racism and sexism. The dynamics of Orientalism, race and gender in Eaton’s works are examined in this chapter. Postmodern feminist theories and postcolonial theories are used in tandem to support my argument, which tries to discuss how the system of racial oppression operates in multi-racial/multi-ethnic women’s literature. Approved: J. Richard Hamilton, Baker and Hostetler Professor of Humanities 6 To my father, Akira Nakachi, and to the memory of my mother, Mariko Nakachi 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project has been completed with the help of numerous people. First, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Professor David Dean McWilliams, the chair of my dissertation committee. Without his commitment, quick feedback and encouragement, I would not have been able to finish writing my dissertation. His advice was very helpful in shaping my vague ideas into a dissertation, and his relentless criticism allowed me to examine my thesis and revise my writing over and over. I am thankful for his great mentorship and guidance, without which my pursuit of a doctoral degree would not have been possible. I am also grateful to my excellent committee members: Professor Joseph McLaughlin, Professor Crystal Anderson and Professor Adah Ward Randolph. Professor McLaughlin introduced me to the works of Winnifred Eaton in his wonderful class, “Victorientalism; or Turning Japanese,” in which we discussed nineteenth century Orientalism and Japonism. He guided me through the maze of postcolonial theories. Professor Randolph offered me a valuable point of view on race issues. Professor Anderson provided me with her “Americanist” perspective that helped me to look at the topic of “passing” through African-American and Asian-American cultural contexts. 8 I want to thank Professor Josephine Bloomfield, the graduate chair of the Department of English, and Professor Robert De Mott and Professor Susan Crowl, my exam committee members. Professor De Mott and Professor Crowl guided me in my studies of American literature. I am also grateful to Professor Janis Holm for offering me a graduate assistantship, which helped me financially as well as gave me a great opportunity to explore extensive internet library and research tools. I also want to thank Barbara Grueser, a secretary in the Department of English, for her assistance in completing many official procedures required in the Ph.D. program. The Women’s Studies Program in Ohio University helped me deepen my understanding of the literature of minority women. Especially, Melvina Young’s African-American women’s history class and Professor Katarzyna Marciniak’s postmodern feminist film/theory class gave me a solid foundation in African-American literature and postmodern feminist theories. I also have to thank Apollonia Steele in the library of the University of Calgary for Eaton’s unpublished manuscript. I am also grateful to Diana Birchall, a granddaughter and bibliographer of Winnifred Eaton, for the wonderful bibliography of Winnifred Eaton as well as her interest in my project. Her wonderful e-mail was very informative. My studies in the works of Eaton also let me start an academic correspondence with Professor Edward Marx at the University of Kyoto. Connecting with people who share the same interest through the internet was a great joy to me. 9 I also want to express my deep gratitude to Professor Jeffrey Tucker at the University of Rochester. He was encouraging and supportive throughout my years in the Ph.D. program. He introduced me to the works of Nella Larsen and gave many valuable comments on my chapter on Larsen. I thank him for his excellent mentorship and great friendship. My gratitude also goes to my friends. I am very grateful to Lisa Cunningham for her encouragement, care and advice. She made the difficult times in the process of this project bearable. I also thank Ching-Fang Chiang for editing, food, and technological help, Monica Pombo for sharing her knowledge on postcolonial theories, Professor David Bell and Theresa Bell for their encouragement, and Shoko Igarashi for her great friendship. Michiko Fujii, John Hankiewicks and Sunanda Ray also sent me continuous encouragement through e-mail. I also had encouragement and support from Japan. Especially, I thank Saeko Fukino for her unchanged friendship since our college days. I want to thank Professor Naoko Fuwa Thornton at Japan Women’s University and Professor Misako Koike at Keio University. They strongly encouraged me to study in the United States. Professor Aiko Tokusué, my mentor in my college days, gave me very encouraging and affectionate letters. My aunts, Chieko Nakachi and Kazuko Fujii, and my dentist, Mr. Tetsuo Ohashi, were also very supportive throughout my years in Ohio. 10 A special note of thanks goes to Reverend Jan Griesinger. Without her encouragement and friendship, I could not have completed the Ph.D. program. She was always willing to share my pain and suffering and the joy I experienced in the process of this project. She also provided me with a strong feminist perspective, which surely provided a strong influence on my writing. She made much time available for editing my manuscript despite her tight schedule. I also thank Mary Morgan for editing and suggestions. My final thanks go to my father, Akira Nakachi, and my sister, Aya Nakachi. During my first year in Ohio, I lost my mother. I could not stay with my family members when they needed me most. Still my father and sister encouraged me to pursue my study in the United States. Although my mother did not live to see my achievement, she believed that I could complete my doctoral studies in the United States. I am deeply indebted to the love of my parents, who supported my long graduate school days with their faith in my possibility. 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................ 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................. 7 INTRODUCTION RACE AND GENDER IN BETWEEN SPACE ........................................... 13 I. BORN BETWEEN RACES: LARSEN AND EATON................................... 14 II. PASSING NOVELS AND THE ETHIC OF RACE..................................... 25 III. ORIENTALISM, GENDERED RACE AND RACE MAKE-UP ................ 33 IV. DRESSING RACE AND STYLIZING THE BODY ................................... 40 V. PASSING AND MASQUERADING ............................................................ 44 CHAPTER ONE CROSSING, PERFORMATIVITY AND TRANSGRESSION: NELLA LARSEN’S RESISTANCE TO IDENTITY POLITICS ............... 50 I. GEOGRAPHICAL CROSSING AND THE SPACE OF HYBRIDITY IN QUICKSAND ......................................................................................... 60 II. THE PERFORMATIVITY OF IDENTITY: MASK, MASQUERADE AND SELF-FASHIONING IN PASSING.................................................. 82 12 III. TRIANGULAR LOVE AND THE TRANSGRESSION OF SEXUAL NORMS....................................................................................................... 98 CHAPTER TWO WINNIFRED EATON’S JAPANESE IDENTITY AND “HYBRID” ROMANCES ............................................................................. 117 I. PLAGIARISM OR MIMICRY? MISS NUMÈ OF JAPAN VERSUS MISS CHERRY-BLOSSOM OF TOKYO.................................................. 125 II. PASSING AUTHORSHIP AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY: ME AND “LEAVES FROM THE MENTAL PORTFOLIO OF AN EURASIAN”.................................................................................. 153 CONCLUSION IDENTIFICATION AND HYBRIDITY...................................................... 188 BIBLIOGRAPHY