deeply-rooted in Japanese society forces Chizuko to accept what has been destinied for her despite the fact she does not want it. Moreover, from the
dialogue above it is obvious that she does not like her „new‟ role. She used to be a
housewife who took care of her family and depended on her husband, but suddenly everything changed, her husband died and she had to take over his job. It
proves that Chizuko does not intentionally want to be a breadwinner, it is because her condition forces her to do so.
She assimilates to western culture and way of thinking in order to survive in California since she realizes that she will not be able to make enough money if
she is only a housewife. Chizuko‟s hybrid identity begins from the dire neccessity,
it is not because her desire to be accepted in American society. Chizuko adopts both eastern and western culture yet she is neither „native‟ japanese nor
„american‟, but she has become a hybrid self. Chizuko‟s hybrid identity also comes out as a result of her diasporic experience, her movement from Japan to the
USA. We cannot tell if she is a „real‟ japanese for she has already adopted western
way of life and we also cannot say if she is an american because she has no intention to neglect her japanese culture instead, she still upholds on to it. If it is
seen from postcolonial perspective, Chizuko‟s attitude somehow reveals kind of
complexity, it is her complicated state of mind when she tries so hard not to lose her native culture while her circumstance forces her to adopt western culture to
survive. For instance, she emphasizes the principle of togetherness within a family, but she creates a gap between her and her children, she tells her daughter
to do household chores instead of working outside while she is doing plowing in
the field. The quarel involving Chizuko and her daughter, Aki that has been examined earlier, gives an significant point to this discussion. Chizuko‟s strong
desire to perpetuate eastern culture which is heavily patriarchal, triggers a fuss between her and Aki who is already westernized. Their conflict also implies the
different perspective between two generations, Issei and Nisei.
c. The Search of Identity
The isolation area in which Chizuko has lived for years is kind of metaphor for her, who is isolated in marriage, within the family and obviously
from Japan. Chizuko Sakata is a woman who was raised and living in a patriarchal society. Following her husband to the USA, Chizuko, of course, expects a better
life and future since the USA seems promising for immigrants. Unfortunately it does not turn out as Chizuko had thought.
CHIZUKO. When I left Japan I never knew it would be like this. The babies came so fast... and me, by myself, no mother no sister
—no one—to help. I was so young... never dreamed it would be like this. Never thought
my life would be so hard. I don‟t know what is to be a... a woman anymore ... to laugh ... to be soft ... to talk nice ... sh
e can’t look at Kaoru Yamauchi, 1997 : 426
CHIZUKO. I want a change too. But some of us... glances at her children
we‟re not free to do that. Change. Yamauchi, 1996: 408 Chizuko Sakata as a Japanese woman immigrant, seems to undergo kind of
restriction neither in Japan nor in California. She comes to the USA voluntarily in search of a better life, living a tough life is definitely not what she had dreamt of.
In this play, Chizuko attempts to adapt to her all restrained life. Her neighbor, Nakamura, earlier in this play says that working is the way Chizuko cries.
Nakamura also assumes that Chizuko must be crying all the time since she works harder and harder p. 414.
The night when Chizuko finds Kaoru violates her daughter becomes a turning point in this play. The way Chizuko sees Kaoru is no longer the same. She
insists on sending Kaoru away and refuse to listen to his excuses. She did not expect this problem will come along and throw her family into total confusion.
Chizuko is very disappointed with Kaoru because at first she had already set a high expectation toward him.
ICHIRO. counting the money I knew what was going on. I should have knocked some sense.
CHIZUKO. No. If... no. I was thinking of myself all the time... the farm. It was easier with a man helping. I was thinking... I‟m getting old... tired...
Yamauchi, 1996: 446 Chizuko used to think that Kaoru would help her
„escape‟ from her hard days. She was happy Kaoru came since she thought that there would be someone
whom she could always count on no matter how difficult it is to live in such isolated agricultural area. Chizuko feels like she is not able to continue working
alone as she is getting old and tired, therefore, she agreed on employing Kaoru. In last scene of the play, Chizuko conveys her plan to move from Imperial
Valley, California. Her decision to expel Kaoru is an example how Chizuko performs her role as a decision-maker, nobody can argue her since her position is
higher than anybody in the house. By letting Kaoru leave, Chizuko implicitly declares that she can decide her own life and be totally independent like a man.
She finally finds out that having a grown man in the house does not give much
