Analysis of Kokoro - a Play by Velina Hasu Houston

Analysis of Kokoro

Kokoro, a play by Velina Hasu Houston, received a limited special presentation at the Japan Society, New York, in May of 1994 and its world premiere at the Theater of Yugen, San Francisco, in June 1994. Kokoro is a tale of a Japanese family's evolution from a happy threesome 1978 to a sad, but cohesive two in 1984 because of the death of daughter, Kuinko, caused by her confused mother, who was only trying to protect her. Her mother's confusion and shame stem from the actions of her husband. The mother, who all through her years in America, has been struggling to learn English and adapt to American life while retaining Japanese culture in herself and her young daughter, wants to return home to Japan. She feels that she and her family need the familiar surroundings and cultural mores to be happy. Her husband openly denounces her inability to adjust to her new surroundings, yet still expects her to conform to the traditional Japanese family female role model. When she discovers her husband's three year affair and must deal with threats from his mistress, she believes the only way to preserve her dignity, hide her shame, and protect her child is oyako shinju, parent-child suicide. Her attempt at oyako shinju was interrupted by people at the beach who dove in the ocean to save them; she lived but her daughter did not. This thrusts her into the middle of emotional, cultural and legal conflicts as her husband and the American people react to what she has done.

The social climate of the play revolves around the Yamashita family of Yasako, the traditionally raised Japanese wife and mother of Kuniko, the daughter, Hiro, the husband, who Yasako calls Papa, Shizuko the mistress, Evelyn who is the Yamshita's neighbor, Angela, Yasako's attorney after she is arrested, the American public and legal system. The interactions of the husband and wife as they both try to influence Kuniko's upbringing, understand Yasako's maladjustment to American life, and resolve the conflict of the wife and mistress dichotomy, is set in San Diego, California. The year is 1984; the year Ronald Regan was re-elected. Yasako and Shizuko are both shin-issei woman, native born Japanese women who have come to America and grow through the process; although their growth paths are different, they both love and want Hiro. Shizuko, the mistress, has become a bold, self -assured English speaker, who uses American slang and curses, is divorced from an American GI, works, and lives alone. Yasako, although college educated in Japan, has a hard time acclimating to America, has limited English, and prefers the Japanese way of politeness and deference and is a stay at home mother.

Yasako's strength comes from the close relationship she had with her deceased Okaasan (mother), Fuyo, who raised her in the traditional Japanese manner regarding her responsibilities as a wife and mother.