Exploring identity in Korean diaspora fiction : a character analysis of Henry Park in Chang-Rae Lee’s Native speaker

Kang, Byoung Yoong (author)

This study examines the complex identity issues faced by Henry Park, the protagonist of Chang-Rae Lee’s novel Native Speaker, through the lens of Hannah Arendt’s con-cepts of the pariah and parvenu. By examining Henry’s experiences as a 1.5-generation Korean-American immigrant, this analysis elucidates the tensions between cultural as-similation and heritage preservation. The study describes Henry as a “Lesser Stranger”, a nuanced identity state situated between complete alienation and full assimilation. Fur-thermore, the analysis draws parallels with Frantz Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks in or-der to gain further insight into Henry’s internal conflict and external societal pressures. In conclusion, this paper offers a comprehensive examination of the Korean-American expe-rience, contributing to broader discussions on diaspora, identity, and cultural integration.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Korean-American literature, identity and assimilation, pariah and parvenu, diaspora experience, cultural conflict
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 19-40
• Numbering: Vol. 13 (29), Supplement
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167909
• UDC: 82.0
• ISSN on article: 2232-5131
• DOI: 10.4312/as.2025.13.sup.19-40
• COBISS.SI-ID: 229613315
• Publication date in RUL: 20.03.2025

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Raziskovanje identitete v korejski diasporični fikciji: analiza lika Henryja Parka v romanu Native Speaker avtorja Chang-Rae Leeja

Abstract

Študija se poglablja v zapletene identitetne boje Henryja Parka, protagonista romana Native Speaker avtorja Chang-Rae Leeja, skozi prizmo konceptov parija in parvenuja, ki ju je razvila Hannah Arendt. S proučevanjem Henryjevih izkušenj kot 1,5-generacijskega korejsko-ameriškega priseljenca ta analiza poudarja napetosti med kulturno asimilacijo in ohranjanjem dediščine. Študija uvaja pojem Henryja kot »manj tujega« (Lesser Stranger), niansirano stanje identitete, ki je postavljeno med popolno odtujenost in popolno asimi-lacijo. Prav tako vzpostavlja vzporednice s Frantzom Fanonom in njegovim delom Črna koža, bele maske, da bi bolje razumeli Henryjev notranji konflikt in zunanje družbene pri-tiske. Za konec članek ponuja celovito raziskavo korejsko-ameriške izkušnje ter prispeva k širšim razpravam o diaspori, identiteti in kulturni integraciji.

• Keywords: korejsko-ameriška literatura, identiteta in asimilacija, parij in parvenu, diasporna izkušnja, kulturni konflikt