The middle section of “The Tattoo,” is an inside look on the workings of a life affected by society, and demonstrates the enormous effect that our surroundings and culture have on our behaviors.
When Ken moves to town and begins working for Mama-San, he is transported from his previous position of relative deprivation to a world where he can afford to live a lifestyle of extravagance and luxury. Immediately, his environment and position in society begin to change his views- where he previously viewed Mama-San’s ostentatious apparel ridiculous, he himself begins wearing a gaudy thick chain of gold to symbolize his wealth. He is able to afford things that had previously been completely out of his realm of affordability, and through acquiring a condo, a nice car, and expensive jewelry, Ken quickly becomes a member of a different social class. If viewed through the lens of symbolic interaction, these material possessions are more than mere luxuries for Ken to enjoy- they are a sign to others that represents an attitude and message that Ken wishes to send to others. Additionally, through his involvement in Mama-San’s often-illegal business endeavors, Ken adapts to new norms, such as violence in order to help the loan-sharking business.
Through the character of Claudia, “The Tattoo,” provides us with another perspective, one which both differs from Ken’s by providing a viewpoint from a different culture as well as a different socioeconomic background. One interesting quote by Claudia reads, “It pisses me off. Koreans get a bad rap for a bunch of stuff. You notice every bad driver in Hawaii is a Korean lady? Every little grocery store, the ones that sell pornos behind the counter, is owned by a Korean… All of us aren’t bad-driving bar and grocery store owners. But people like my mother perpetuate it,” (pg. 30, McKinney). This is intriguing on several levels. First of all, the book had previously mentioned the patrons of Mama-San’s strip club—this included Japanese patrons, tourists from Waikiki, and college students. It is interesting that Koreans are given a “bad rap,” as Ken calls it, for providing a business which has patrons of diverse groups, often the groups that hold the stereotype. Additionally, it is interesting that Mama-San experienced the horror of being a prostitute, yet still perpetuates the cycle by creating a business in which she profits off of behavior which had previously victimized her. This could be connected to cumulative-causation—Mama-San had been socialized in a culture where such behaviors had been common. In addition, Koreans are stereotyped as owners of shady businesses. In response, she may have heard the stereotypes and determined that it would be an easy way to make money, thus opening loan-sharking and stripping businesses which in turn perpetuate the stereotype.
“The Tattoo,” though depicting a story set a couple decades back, still gives insight into the Hawaii of today. Though Hawaii contains many cultures, and represents diverse backgrounds, it is still far from being a “melting pot.” Amalgamation has not occurred to a full extent- different cultural groups still tend to band together, and persistent stereotypes continue to resonate. This reading brings to mind the article, “Talking Story with Hawaii’s Youth.” Even though many cultures live side by side with a small, island environment, differences continue to be seen. It is not easy to determine any one factor. Certainly, stereotyping, persistent norms, and the “vicious-circle” phenomenon all play a role in Hawaii’s past and present.
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