Identity and nationhood: the effect of war on the East Asian diaspora within Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian literature

Abstract

My thesis, entitled “Identity and Nationhood: The Effect of War on the East Asian Diaspora within Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian Literature” seeks to explore how war impacted the identity of Chinese and Japanese diasporic communities in the twentieth century. I will discuss six novels, alongside historical research, literary criticism, and theoretical modalities to analyse the extent to which war both solidified and fragmented identity for these diasporic groups. Both the Chinese and Japanese diaspora were pushed to the periphery of these nations, but war exacerbated those political and cultural forces of marginalisation even more profoundly.

The thesis will be separated into three core chapters – one for each nation of focus. For Australia, I will discuss The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan and The Divine Wind by Garry Disher. For New Zealand, I will explore Chappy by Patricia Grace and As The Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong. Finally, for Canada, I will examine The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy and Obasan by Joy Kogawa. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are all also former British territories, so there is a commonality of still feeling a level of connection to British national identity, which will make for an interesting discussion regarding the lasting impact of imperialism.

This thesis will offer new insights into the complexity of wartime policies and national identity, the way in which literature portrays this complexity, and ultimately will foster an understanding of how war impacted the East Asian diaspora during the twentieth century.