THE TEACHER WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO: BETWEEN VULNERABILITY AND EMPOWERMENT IN THE LIFE STORY OF A JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHER

Abstract

This article, the second part of a larger project focusing on identity construction for nonnative Japanese language teachers, examines the life story of Dana, with a particular focus on the tattoo as life story. I explore the role of Dana’s dragon tattoo in order to examine the function it plays in constructing her identity. My conclusion is twofold: firstly, I argue that the tattoo represents a thin border between the self and the other, while being, at the same time, a canvas onto which Dana projects herself. Dana’s story is also a story of personal growth in which she chooses to make her vulnerabilities visible in order to confront them, thus trying to solve the clash between social and cultural expectations and her true self. Secondly, with regard to methodology, I suggest that by incorporating the tattoo into life story research we can identify and unpack a deeper meaning to the story.