Redeeming American democracy in Sayonara

Affection is perceived as something natural, pre-existing Culture and,therefore, free form discursive constructions. However, insofar as reality is mediated, ifnot given existence by language, human relationships are inevitably fashioned bynarratives. Romance fictions and in particular heterosexual, interracial love stories havebeen used in U.S. popular culture as a means of promoting American democratic valuesof racial harmony at home and abroad. This will be exemplified by analyzing James A.Michener’s 1953 novel Sayonara together with Joshua Logan’s 1957 film adaptation.