25th Annual Student Research Conference
Hiding the Truth: Homosexuality Confronted in Yukio Mishima's Confessions of a Mask (1949)
Rachel R. Mertens
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
Set in Imperial Japan, Yukio Mishima's Confessions of a Mask (1949) tells the story of the childhood conflicts of a young boy, Kochan. Struggling with his sense of identity, he forces himself to comply with society's standards by concealing his homosexuality and playing the role of a heterosexual male. Drawing on Judith Butler's Gender Troubles, this paper will explore how Kochan's seclusion from his peers at an early age, the concealment of the secret of his sexuality, and his effort to comply with society's norms causes him to bury a natural part of himself. The paper will further discuss how these norms are actually societal constructs as is evident in Kochan's attempt to appear as a normative male to his peers.
Keywords: Homosexuality, Identity, Sexuality, Literature
Topic(s):Education
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 410-5
Location: VH 1228
Time: 3:30