We-focused and I-focused stories of World War II in guided tours at a Japanese American museum

Abstract

This article examines stories of personal experience of World War II in guided tours at a Japanese American museum and analyzes the positioning practices deployed in constructing identity within the story world and storytelling. In particular, it shows how older Japanese American docents tell we-focused stories in positioning themselves as part of a group of Japanese Americans and family who were relocated and incarcerated during the war, and I-focused stories in positioning themselves as individuals who acted in response to unexpected events linked to relationships and institutions. The analysis points out ways docents display stances toward past events and ways visitors participate in the telling such as by posing questions. It suggests that stories of personal experience are a vehicle for constructing identities that draw upon historical events, autobiographies, story structure, and interactional contingencies. The findings are related to stories as a tool of teaching and engaging museum visitors.