Social Memories of Isan Society in Transition in the Novella “Khopon”

Abstract

This article examines the social memories of Isan society in transition and                                                                          the narrative strategies used to represent them in Aiko Hamasaki’s novella Khopon, applying the framework of memory studies. The findings reveal that these memories consist of two main dimensions. The first involves recollections of Isan society, reflecting the struggle to overcome poverty and the departure from subsistence agriculture to migrate to the capital as working-class laborers. The second encompasses war-related narratives, linking individual experiences to the structural impacts on the economy, society, and cross-cultural relationships during the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Regarding narrative strategies, the author employs an experiential mode of storytelling combined with layered narration to create autobiographical realism. Additionally, the multi-voiced discourse invites readers to interpret the past alongside the characters. This demonstrates that Khopon not only conveys personal experiences but also serves as a cultural space and historical record, reflecting the collective memory of the Isan community and Thai society in transition.