The Dark Side of Paradise
Hawaiʻi has always had an aura of beauty and mystery that attracts many to visit the islands. However, unbeknown to these visitors is the hidden world of drugs, crime, poverty, and corruption that takes place. Lee Cataluna in her work Three Years On Doreen’s Sofa and Chris Mckinney in his book The Tattoo both express the highs and lows of surviving in paradise. These authors take readers on an emotional rollercoaster of personal and public conflicts. The characters and issues that fill their works take both the high and low road of surviving life in Hawaiʻi. As Jeffery Paul Chan states “If you're local, you won’t laugh. Laughing inside these pages is for tourists” (Cataluna). The real troubles of Hawaiʻi are what divides those true locals and the other residents of the state.
In Cataluna’s novel, Bobby is the typical high school deadbeat. His main personal conflict is his substance abuse and addiction habits. This sad fate is one that affects many youth in the islands. “[In] Hawaiʻi, it’s estimated that 10,000 children aged 12 to 17 have used an illicit drug in the past month” (Eckardt). This problem only continues with the list of many other factors that drive drug abuse. The particular issue in Bobby’s case is the lack of parental influence. In the novel Three Years On Doreen’s Sofa, Bobby was raised by his grandmother. This is because his mother was a regular client of the Hawaiʻi judicial system. Sadly, statistics have shown that “Fathers accounted for 1,372,000 of the total number of children with a parent in prison; 126,000 children had a mother in prison” (Lengyal 2). This is an increasing trend, especially in the state of Hawaiʻi, that the state neglects to address. The mental hindrance created by the loss of a parental generation is why youth end up in the same cycle as their parents.
There are many cases where parents are serving time for a crime and because children have witnessed parents go down this road follow suit. Some of the time it is an unintentional habit that children begin to commit crimes. However, there is also the strong issue of children believing in the good of their parents’ crimes that they follow. Bobby is part of the group of children that unintentionally follows in the bad lifestyle choices of his mother. As Bobby states, “I only feel good when I cannot feel nothing” (Cataluna 208). A depressing life indeed, as drugs become not only a coping mechanism for children but an escape from the realities of the world they live in.
Kenji Hideyoshi, or Ken for short, also fell into that lifestyle. In Chris McKinney’s The Tattoo the main protagonist Ken grows up in the countryside of Oʻahu during a time period that was still heavily segregated between locals and “haole,” or foreigners, knowing nothing of the outside world other than the wrongs the world had committed towards the people of Hawaiʻi. The drug of choice for Ken and his friend Koa was cocaine; just like what Bobby had been convicted for. However unlike Bobby, addiction affects people differently. Ken enjoyed the high and fun of consuming this drug, however his intellect is what separated him from Koa and Bobby. Taking his actions into a personal account, Ken understood how his ancestors were “broken by the drugs the haoles gave them” (McKinney 75).
This was enough motivation for Ken to quit being a user. However, the personal ambition to quit did not catch on to other characters that struggled with addiction. As Ken expressed, drug addiction had nothing to do with personal strength or willpower. Characters like Bobby and Koa fell into a category of locals who “did not give a fuck” (McKinney 76). These types of locals have no ambition other than staying in their area of the state, starting a family, and struggling to make a living. This comfort zone is a sad fate that too many people end up in, although they have the greatest potential like Ken and Koa to excel at whatever they put their minds and bodies to.
This lifestyle, as easy as it sounds, has drawbacks apparent in relationships such as those Bobby’s sister Doreen has had. According to research findings, “In Hawaii, perhaps as many as 44,000 children witness domestic violence each year” (Coffee & Coffee 174). On top of the issue of abuse, the drugs that individuals abuse also contribute to the defective relationships. The relationship of Koa and his wife Kahala in The Tattoo was a fictional example of real life relationships. As drugs overtake an already deficient mind, spousal abuse rises from miniscule conflicts to life threatening. In extreme cases that have occurred in recent years, taking the life of a spouse has become a horrifying problem. Hardships of society only increase tension in relationships and build up to these types of events.
Poverty in the case of many of the characters of these stories is a losing battle. Doreen, although she does have a job that helps to support her family, is like most, struggling. Living in a disgusting apartment, sending her kids to public schools for low-income families, being a single parent, this is a nightmare. Having three kids each from a different abusive and drugged out boyfriend is what pushed her personal growth to an intense level. This is a very realistic approach to a mother who has to raise children by herself without child support. Bobby stated that, “She was the first to get off assistance” (Cataluna 17). Growing up in a world where even Doreen's own mother needed help was a major accomplishment. Doreen is one of the few who actually has the persistence and drive to change their lives. In Hawaiʻi, surveys have shown that “8.1 percent of Hawai’i County’s 64,605 households received cash assistance from the government in 2011, compared to 3.8 percent of 62,584 households in 2010” (Lauer). In due part to some of the highest costs of living in the nation, if not the highest, Doreen is a rare example of a person actually wanting to get off of government assistance. According to statistics:
Hawaiʻi actually has the ninth highest median income in the nation, at
$59,605. That sounds great to many people on the mainland, but when the
cost of living is factored in, Hawaii slides down to the 21st highest median
income. And we pay more for goods and services than residents of any other
state. (Murakami)
Looking at only a few of the social issues of Hawaiʻi, the reasons people resort to crime becomes a little bit more clear. Criminal activities become a lot more enticing when the earnest path is set for failure. Hawaiʻi is estimated to have about 49 crimes per square mile which is over the national mark of 37.9. This makes sense when crime does pay better than a regular job. Although it is commendable for people Like Doreen to want to work for that dream of easy living, Ken and Bobby-like many others-chose the life of crime. Selling drugs is a popular job of choice because of the increasing amount of clients and the tax-free sales. This is a good reason for Bobby and Ken to indulge in that lifestyle. However the drawbacks of being a user is bad for business. Ken recognized this flaw within Koa. To make money selling drugs the number one rule is don't get high on your own supply. Ken was able to make a lot more money because he understood this. Bobby however, is a fiend for drugs. He allowed it to take over his life and ended up getting caught because of this. The addiction of drugs is a nasty habit, and Bobby through his story comes full circle back to his drug use; even going as far as consuming methamphetamines.
Ken, being a highly intellectual individual, is a rare case. It is because Ken had a positive influence from his mother that he was able to want to grow in life. Ken, growing up being considered a part of local brotherhood with Koa, was allowed the possibility to question his own life. Seeing this lifestyle change, Ken actively worked toward a goal of opening up his world to new possibilities. The major shift for Ken was that he made the personal choice to go to college and live outside of his comfort zone, which in his case was moving to the non-local side of the island. Bobby, however, could never get over leaving his comfort zone. Symbolically, the plaid sofa that becomes a part of Bobby is the comfort he comes to be attached to. The scariest thing that these books show is people trying to escape the confines of their comfort zones.
Looking at characters like Koa, these are individuals whose families have lived on the same plot of land for generations. This traditional style of living in the new changing word has become a very detrimental factor for the youth of Hawaiʻi. Ken was lucky to not have been completely tied to a particular landscape because idealistically he himself was haole to the land he called home. Bobby, because he was so used to the low life of living, never learned to strive for a goal. Although he continues to speak as though he wants to change, this can only be seen as speculation on his part due to the choices he makes. Ken sells drugs and actually saves up his money. However Bobby’s spending habits help supply his own personal addictions. This problem for Bobby only got worse over time as he would even resort to stealing from the families that took him in.
It is because of these types of actions that the sympathy most have for Bobby is lost over time through the story. Bobby’s addiction is clearer the more the story goes on, and his habits never change. This comfort zone Bobby feels extends from drug and alcohol abuse, to even the relationships he makes. He also suffers from abuse from his sister who regularly beats him for fun. This is also seen in his relationship with Corina, an ex girlfriend from years before, who is mixed up in multiple relationships herself. Bobby makes choices only to fulfill his immediate needs, not looking for a future in anything; and when he does it's easily forgotten with a few beers and smokes.
Ken, because he has always been taken out of his comfort zone, learned from a young age to cope with change. He actively reads books and is in constant thought of who he is as a person, addressing fears and pleasures. This is one of the few things individuals in Hawaiʻi fail to do. Growing up, Ken was forced into being tough. Boxing, fishing, diving, surfing, are all things that helped him to build strength as well as address his fears, such as his paranoia of sharks. He has to live up to his father’s standards. Ken’s dad “wouldn't have it, a scaredy-cat kid afraid” (McKinney 16).
A major theme that is incorporated into Mckinney’s novel in particular, which Cataluna’s story helps to solidify, is coming to terms with the past. Hawaiian history has been a very uneven path. Koa and his family, like many locals who hold true to their heritage, are angry. These individuals who grew up in the old ways have a strong opposition to foreigners who they see as in the wrong. “When it came to haoles, he became a fucking blood-thirsty animal. He hated all of them” (Mckinney 76).
The problem wasn’t that people like Koa were evil people. Sure, he had his rascal side that Ken talked about. However “he would do anything for [Ken] and anyone else he called friend. He’d give his last dollar with a smile” (Mckinney 76). The issue was that foreigners stripped the people of their culture and heritage. The theft of a people's identity was to Koa and many others the stealing of their humanity. When it came to actually dealing with these people, they were seen as the enemy. This is apparent when Ken and Koa went searching for a fight with military personnel, which landed Ken into his first time behind bars. But it wouldn't be his last.
The judicial system is another corrupt aspect of society that these books highlight as inadequate. Bobby’s parole officer did little more than file paperwork on Bobby’s progress, While the police officers Ken had to deal with were corrupt and abused their power in underground life. Hawai’ʻi has had a notorious underground history. Gambling rings, drugs, prostitution are all things that drive the economy. This is one of the biggest reasons people look at the overthrow as the downfall of the islands. Ken knows this life very well as he continues to indulge in the amazing pay that crime provides. As prices and cost of living continue to rise, crime can only be seen to increase in the islands. The reason is that most can't afford to provide an honest living. Koa and Doreen are perfect examples of why honest living isn't always the best way to go. This does not condone crime, however it is understandable why people choose this life. Koa struggled everyday to go to work and build houses, only to come home and try to build his own house. Doreen drives the rent-a-car shuttle everyday to keep her and her children from being homeless. In the end we see how this kind of life makes people crack. Koa snapped because he could not take the pressure this life put on him, which is why he resorted back to using drugs and abusing his wife. Doreen continues to fight but got lucky when she had the chance to take Bobby’s money, even though she didn't really put it to good use.
Overall these books show the harsh realities that locals must resort to, in order to live in paradise. This is not the case for every person here, however there is a significant bunch who do face these issues. Living in Hawaiʻi, this is a common scene that anyone can witness. Moreover, what these books tell readers, specifically in Hawaiʻi, is if they can truly survive the hardships that have been put on the islands then they are strong and have willpower. It is really this: if we can come to terms with our pasts, we can overcome anything in our futures.
Works Cited
Cataluna, Lee. Three Years on Doreen's Sofa. Honolulu: Bamboo Ridge, 2011. Print.
Coffee, J., & Coffee, A. W. 1996. An intervention model for child witnesses to domestic violence. Hawaii Medical Journal, 55, 174-176. Print.
Eckardt, Jade. "Sex, Drugs, and Education: An inside Look at Hawaii’s Schools." The Hawaii Independent:. The Hawaii Independent, 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://hawaiiindependent.net/story/sex-drugs-and-standardized-education>.
Lauer, Nancy C. "Welfare Recipients Double." Hawaii Tribune Herald 20 Sept. 2012: n. pag. Print.
Lengyel, Thomas E. Emerging Issues for Incarcerated Parents and Their Children: Hawai’i in a National Perspective. Rep. Honolulu: Department of Research and Evaluation Services, 2003. Print.
McKinney, Chris. The Tattoo. New York: Soho, 2007. Print.
Murakami, Kery. "The Cost Of Living In Hawaii Is Astronomical -- Does It Need To Be?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 4 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2015. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/cost-of-living-hawaii_n_3866645.html>.
