The Role of cuisine in shaping personal and cultural identity in Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko

Abstract

Contemporary literature serves as a powerful tool for representing the experiences of marginalized communities. Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko centers around the Korean diaspora, with an emphasis on the everyday lives of Koreans and Korean immigrants in Japan during the 20th century. This thesis examines the portrayal of Korean cuisine in Pachinko with a specific focus on its importance in shaping and upholding the characters’ personal and cultural identities during the Japanese annexation of the Korean Peninsula and the subsequent migration of the characters to Japan. The thesis is divided into four sections: the introduction, the literature review, the empirical analysis, and the conclusion. The introduction positions Pachinko within the context of Asian American literature, particularly through the lens of postcolonial theory, and states the aims of this study. The first chapter contains a literature review that provides a concise overview of the interplay between food, culture, and politics, specifically in the context of colonialism, as well as the current research on the novel. The second chapter presents an empirical analysis of the novel, focusing on the importance of Korean cuisine in the story of Pachinko by examining its connection with the characters’ heritage, use of language, and as a source of empowerment. The conclusion summarizes the findings of the thesis.