Farewell To Manzanar Essay

Book commentary on Farewell to Manzanar Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s book.

Farewell to Manzanar, was about Japanese- americans during World War II, but more importantly was based off of her childhood life and experiences. Through Jeanne’s true life story, readers get a grasp of what it was like to be a Japanese individual in America. Jeanne and her family try as hard as they can to remain stable under the conditions of discrimination. The book goes into detail about the war and the “otherness” in America.

The chapter titled mies Yes No

No” reveals a central tension of fear in America through the characters’ reactions to the draft application, reveals a dilemma of distrust by the way Japanese-Americans were treated in America, and lets the reader know about how discombobulated the war effort really was. mies Yes No No” reveals a tension of fear through the character’s reactions in the book. A tension of fear is presented in this chapter through Jeanne’s brother Woody.

“But if I answer Yes Yes I will be drafted anyway, no matter how I feel about it.

Summary Of Farewell To Manzanar

That is hy they are giving us the oath to sign. “(89) Woody is tense about draft application because he knows he has to answer Yes Yes. Woody knowing that he will go to war makes him even more frightened. Papa is also aware that his son must answer Yes Yes, but is fearful of losing a son to a war. Papa became frustrated and turned to drinking.

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Much arguing took place between the Japanese people in Manzanar because of the draft, which revealed their tense and fearful state. The Japenese- Americans had no choice but to go to war against their home country.

Not only were Japanese-Americans scared, but many Americans feared any Japanese person they saw and could not trust them. A dilemma of distrust about is revealed through the way the Americans treated the Japanese-Americans. The Americans started to not trust any Japanese individual since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Americans became frightened by Japanese people within America so they put them in camps such like Manzanar. On top of that, they made Japenese man within the camps sign up for the draft to fight against their home country.

After the war, many Americans still had their doubts about Japanese- Americans. Jeanne asks her friend Radine if she could Join the girl scouts, but Radine’s mother declines her request Just because she is Japanese. ( ) Japanese people in America were discriminated and it is as if the Americans had a some kind of reputation to keep. Jeanne and her family would try their best to be optimistic and eventually gained some respect. The tension of fear and dilemma of distrust lets the reader know about how discombobulated the war effort was.

America expected more from its citizens in this time of war. America took necessary precautions by putting Japanese-Americans into camps. On the other hand, instead of Americans being loyal to their country by volunteering to fght in the war, a draft was issued and resulted in drafting some soldiers that were part or fully Japanese. America made life a living hell for Japanese people within their country. Americans were supportive of their country, but afraid. They trusted their soldiers over seas, but not the people within their borders.

America put in effort, but not enough considering that they had to use the Atomic bomb. The time during World War II was a strange, tense period, where no one knew who they could trust. The chapter mies Yes No No” reveals the tension of fear and dilemma of distrust about the war and “otherness” in America. This “otherness” in America was the way Americans reacted/treated the Japanese individuals within their country. The war effort was there for America, but was strange as they turned to their enemies Oapanese-Americans) in search for allies.