The Cultural Code in Tiffany Tsao’s, The Majesties

Upon reading The Majesties, written by Tiffany Tsao, I was immediately drawn to the numerous cultural codes littering the plot. Because the story involves many ideals surrounding close knit families in Japan post World War II, absurd wealth, privilege, and upper class ideals, it was easy to discern these specific elements, which are aspects of what are called cultural codes. In her piece titled “Rewriting the Classic Text,” Kaja Silverman explains that cultural codes  speak “the familiar ‘truths’ of the existing cultural order, repeat what has ‘always been already read, seen, done, experienced'” (Silverman 242). I want to take some time now to discuss in depth the uses of cultural codes throughout The Majesties.

One of the first occurrences of a cultural code can be found on page 18 of Tsao’s novel. Gwendolyn, the book’s narrator, is discussing the importance of familial wealth, sharing that “Her father was right. It was material wealth that ensured his survival and that of his family during the Japanese Occupation, and afterward too, during the tumultuous years of the country’s struggle for independence from the Dutch,” (Tsao 18). This is a reference to World War 2, when Japan occupied Indonesia. Besides this allusion to a historical event, the passage also discusses a topic that will be explored throughout the entirety of the novel. Gwendolyn and her sister find the struggle for power and wealth to be disturbing, especially when it affects their family in such negative ways. Though they enjoy the luxuries of having wealth, they despise the effect it has on their family. It is revealed later in the plot that the family is not only divisive, but secretive when it comes to the upstanding physique they wish to show to the world. 

Later in the text, another cultural code is explored. Tsao spares no details when it comes to eating disorders. This first becomes clear on page 47, “Our father’s alcoholism was consistent, whereas it was impossible to predict when Ma’s eating disorder would strike. These past few months had seen it in full shine” (Tsao 47). The way Tsao discusses eating disorders, which I found are very common in not only American culture, but Asian culture as well, is blunt. I think this only lent more credibility to the extent in which it plagues society, to the point that it has become a cultural phenomenon. 

There are also cultural codes included that are specific to Asian culture. For example, on page 48 of Tsao’s novel, the specific speaking rights of Indonesian culture are discussed; “By rights, it was Yudi’s father, Putra Handoyo, who should have been the object of such a gesture. Or at the very least, he shouldn’t have been overlooked,” (Tsao 48). Opa, who the celebration had been held for, responds to this mistake in a culturally appropriate way. He chastises Om Gerry for speaking out of turn calling him, “Liar! Liar! How dare you, you snake!” (Tsao 48).  The feeling’s of Om Gerry are not spared when it came to this custom. And following with the cultural code, Tsao writes this particular scene with cultural accuracy. 

A recurring theme that comes in as a moral compass throughout the novel is the idea of redemption. Gwendolyn and Estella make it their mission to find some reason to bring back their family that seems so far gone. Morality is a cultural code that spans most all cultures. This is one of the cultural codes that stood out to me the most in the text. A line in Tsao’s novel sums up the sister’s mission; “Redemption. You know. So we can change. Be better. Honest. Open. Like normal people,” (Tsao 55). Estella speaks these words as if their family has been alienated from the rest of society. Although they both know there are other families that lack morality, she speaks it in such a way that Gwendolyn is shocked. 

There is a really insightful scene midway through the book which represents a misappropriation of asian culture. The two sisters enroll in college in the United States, and find that a lack of knowledge about their culture and ethnicity, as well as misappropriation are common for them, and the reader can assume that this would apply to most Asian people. The sisters decide to join a club, BASA, which stands for Berkeley Asian Students Association. While attending they run into two situations within pages of each other that represent a larger issue; “‘Seriously?!’ exclaimed a senior girl in a blue bandana and a yellow T-shirt that read GOT RICE?” (Tsao 96). The second event occurs with an american student, “After she talked at us for ten minutes straight about anime, we realized she thought we were Japanese,” (Tsao 97). The book raises a cultural issue at play; Americans don’t seem to understand other cultures, sometimes completely disregarding an individual and their personal knowledge at hand and sticking to the ‘lack of knowledge’ they have. 

Tsao’s novel was heavily influenced by cultural codes. At times, I found myself underlining, highlighting, and tabbing multiple events in the span of just one page. I think that reading with just the cultural code in mind left me with so many options that I didn’t know where to start. While the novel has occurrences of the other codes mentioned by Silverman, I thought it would be most important to highlight the slew of cultural codes included in “The Majesties.”