Novel Assignment #1 on When the Emperor was Divine
Part 1 on these sections: "Evacuation Number 19" and "Train"
1. Two major characters that I think are important, are "The Mother" and "The Girl" as they are part of the situations they are being through. The Mother was a 40-year-old woman wearing glasses and squinted out of habit. She belonged to upper middle-class Japanese-American housewife living in Berkley, California. She paid for the stuff she bought at Joe Lundy's shop right away even though he said that you can pay later, this indicates that she never liked to take loan from anyone and was an honest human being. Caring deeply about her absent husband and two children, she alone shoulders the burden of preparing the children to evacuate during the Japanese American internment, performing the necessary actions with methodical determination and a bit of resignation to her fate. Reason why she is important to the story is because, Firstly, she is all by herself and keeping herself strong and packing things to follow the orders issues by government. Secondly, she is very caring as she packs her son's suitcase but leaver her daughter as there was a do not disturb note on her door, this indicates the respects privacy too. Thirdly, she though it's her responsibility to take care of her family and she followed all the orders and she never thought of disagreeing to the order which also indicates that she trusted her government even after the evacuation order was issued. The 11-year-old girl is inquisitive, friendly, and has a strong American identity: she wears Mary Jane shoes, listens to Dorothy Lamour, and loves American candy. Because she has internalized white American beauty standards, she often looks in the mirror and fears that she is a plain-looking girl. The girl is an important character to the story firstly because, she is smart as she knows about mustangs and lakes and tells her brother about that too. Secondly, she doesn't speak Japanese when the man tells her something in Japanese, this indicates that she is purely American and has nothing to do with being a Japanese spy. Lastly, the girl is very innocent as she answers Ted very innocently and asks him about his financial status without any hesitation. Concluding everything mother's character gives us the hint of being strong even in difficult times and girls character describes that we should never fear and do whatever we like to do.
Thesis Statement: Two major characters that I think are important, are "The Mother" and "The Girl" as they are part of the situations they are being through.
Pieces of Evidence:
I. Honest – She paid for the stuff she bought at Joe Lundy's shop right away even though he said that you can pay later.
II. Strong – she alone shoulders the burden of preparing the children to evacuate during the Japanese American internment.
III. Responsible – she though it's her responsibility to take care of her family and she followed all the orders and she never thought of disagreeing to the order which also indicates that she trusted her government even after the evacuation order was issued.
IV. Innocent – she answers Ted very innocently and asks him about his financial status without any hesitation.
V. Smart – she knows about mustangs and lakes and tells her brother about that too.
Conclusion: Both the mother and the girl are very similar as they cared for their family members and both are very brave.
Transition words:
1. Firstly
2. Secondly
3. Thirdly
4. Lastly
2. The main character of the story so far is the mother. The mother has been through many problems in taking care her children out of Berkley as per the evacuation orders. The first problem she faced was when she was trying the read the small printed letters of the evacuation orders plastered all over town. The second problem she faced was arranging the things to pack so that she take them with her, but she was not so sure what she has to take. Third problem was she was all by herself raising her children as a single parent as her husband was arrested. Fourth problem was she had to pack all her stuff and lock it up in a room by herself after which she was tired. Fifth problem she faced was to take care of the animals she had as she couldn't take them with her to the camp, so she gave the cat to the neighbors, killed the white dog and flew the bird away. After that she sips some vine and laughs but soon starts crying as she realizes the fact that she has to leave her home and everything and go live in a military camp. Another problem she had to face was that she didn't know where they were going after she went with her children to the civil control station. After boarding the train when her daughter put her hand out of the window she was worried again as she might lose her hand and asked the same to her daughter. When her daughter grew sick and wanted to vomit it tensed her even more about her daughter as they have never ever travelled like this before. When her son told her that he forgot his umbrella she made him relax by telling him that she will get him another one when they get off the train to which girl replied," We're never getting off this train", which tensed her even more, but she still replied her by saying that we will. With everything going on concurrently it creates a feeling of imprisonment in her and leaves her with responsibility of her young children.
Thesis: The mother has been through many problems in taking care her children out of Berkley as per the evacuation orders.
Pieces of Evidence:
1. Squinting: she was trying the read the small printed letters of the evacuation order.
2. Packing: she had to pack all her stuff and lock it up in a room by herself after which she was tired.
3. Alone: she was all by herself raising her children as a single parent as her husband was arrested.
4. Responsibility: she faced was to take care of the animals she had
Conclusion: The Mother had to fight a really tough battle raising her children as a single parent even though the husband was alive but imprisoned.
Transition Words:
1. First
2. Second
3. Third
4. Fourth
5. Fifth
6. Another
3. The most interesting character so far according to me is "The Girl". The reason for being that is, firstly, the girl is very young and innocent as she is just 11-years-old. Secondly, she likes to wear Mary Janes and listen to Dorothy Lamour and likes candy which implies that she is more in American Culture than her own Japanese Culture. Third reason why she is interesting is because she is very curious kid as she often asks questions like when she asked the man about his initials on his handkerchief or when she asked her mother about her face and everybody's looking at it. Another reason being is she is very smart as she knows about lakes and mustangs and she tells her brother too. She even wakes him up in late night to make her see the mustangs when she sees them after pulling the window shade above. She also knows about habitat and lifestyle of mustangs and environment of desert. She is very talkative and answers back instantly. She misses her father very much and doubts when the man says him that her doesn't write to her, but her doubts are cleared when mother assures her that he does. She really loves her brother and takes care of him very much by sharing her food and drinks with him and also allowing him to keep his head on her laps. This shows the brother-sister love between both of them. She is very innocent as she asks very silly questions out of nowhere. Overall character of the girl is very joyful and innocent, and the girl does not shy at all even with strangers and asks questions out of curiosity. She loves her mother and brother very much and misses her dad too.
Thesis: The most interesting character so far according to me is "The Girl".
Evidence:
1. Joyful: she likes to wear Mary Janes and listen to Dorothy Lamour and likes candy
2. Curious: she often asks questions like when she asked the man about his initials on his handkerchief or when she asked her mother about her face and everybody's looking at it.
3. Smart: she knows about lakes and mustangs and she tell her brother too.
4. Caring: She really loves her brother and takes care of him very much by sharing her food and drinks with him and also allowing him to keep his head on her laps.
Conclusion: The girl s very happy-go-lucky kind of person and tries to find joy in every moment.
Transition Words:
1. Firstly
2. Secondly
3. Third
4. Another
Part 2 on these sections: "When the Emperor was divine"
1. The Japanese-Americans were treated very differently throughout their time in the camp. They faced many problems by the camp guards and authorities and even from the employers who came to recruit men for farming jobs. The camp guards and authorities created several rules to be followed by the Japanese-American such as, the first and foremost important rule on the camp was not to roam around the fence. No matter what happen, they were not allowed to go near the fence, even if their kites were stuck in tree they were forced to let it go thereby proving loyalty to the country by following orders. The guards even shot dead a person who according to them was trying to escape but according to his friends was just trying to get hold of rare flower he saw on the other side of the fence. The second rule was that no one was allowed to take the name of Emperor, which literally hit the sentiments of Japanese-Americans. Third problem they faced was that the Japanese-Americans were not allowed to worship their God which hit their religious beliefs. People in the camps were treated like slaves. Fourth rule that was a real shock was that meal would only be served once except milk and bread. Fifth rule was that no one was allowed to read Japanese books or even carry them with themselves inside the camps. The one to do so was treated as disloyal. Another problem they faced throughout the camp was naming for example the mess hall was called dining hall and Internal police was called Safety council. All these rules and regulations and discrimination created a feeling of slavery among the Japanese-Americans in the camp, they were treated as if they had done something really wrong.
Thesis Statement: The Japanese-Americans were treated very differently throughout their time in the camp.
Evidence:
1. No independence- The first and foremost important rule on the camp was not to roam around the fence.
2. Struggle- Third problem they faced was that the Japanese-Americans were not allowed to worship their God which hit their religious beliefs. People in the camps were treated like slaves.
3.Adaption- Another problem they faced through out the camp was naming for example the mess hall was called dinning hall and Internal police was called Safety council.
Conclusion: Japanese-Americans were forced to prove their loyalty to the nation even though they were innocent and they had face racism and discrimination thoughout this time.
Transition Words:
1. First
2. Second
3. Third
4. Fourth
5. Another
2. Throughout the chapter the author has provided many instances of flashbacks when the boy remembers his father. He is missing is father so much that he used to see him in stranger's faces. In the first instance the boy thinks he sees his father in the faces of the other adult male prisoners. Everyone looks alike to him: black hair, slanted eyes, thin lips, yellow skin, high cheekbones. But whenever he calls out for his father, the men turn around and the boy realizes they are not his father. When he sees these strangers' faces, he thinks that they all seem unknowable and inscrutable. Secondly he thinks he's still dreaming and that he'll wake up to find his father making breakfast in the kitchen. The boy remembers his father as a small, handsome man with delicate hands. He was always polite and when he walked into a room he softly closed the door behind him. He knew which restaurants would serve their family lunch and which barbers would cut their hair. He said the best thing about America was the jelly doughnut. In a recurring dream, the boy always sees a wooden door. The door is the size of a pillow. Behind that door there is another door, and behind the second door there is a picture of the Emperor. No one was allowed to see the picture because the Emperor was divine, a god. In the dream, the boy is always about to open the second door when something goes wrong: the doorknob falls off, or he has to bend over to tie his shoe. Sometimes, a bell rings and he wakes up to find his father still absent. The boy also remembers that three FBI agents had come for the father after midnight, months before. They had taken him out of the house while he was still in his slippers and bathrobe. Whenever the boy thinks of his father, he imagines him at sundown leaning against a fence in a camp for dangerous enemy aliens. He likes to think of his dad as an outlaw, wearing boots and riding a big horse. Then the boy feels ashamed that the FBI agents led his father away in his bathrobe and slippers, and the image of his father as a cowboy disappears. Late at night in his cot, the boy imagines his father arriving at the camp with a single white pearl, asking whom it belonged to. Then the boy imagines sitting next to his father on his cot. Pulling out his pipe, his father would lean back in the cot and ask the boy to tell him everything he had missed.
Thesis: Throughout the chapter the author has provided many instances of flashbacks when the boy remembers his father.
Evidence:
1. Dreams – In the dream, the boy is always about to open the second door when something goes wrong: the doorknob falls off, or he has to bend over to tie his shoe. Sometimes, a bell rings and he wakes up to find his father still absent.
2. Memory – The boy remembers that three FBI agents had come for the father after midnight, months before. They had taken him out of the house while he was still in his slippers and bathrobe.
3. Father's Face – He is missing is father so much that he used to see him in stranger's faces.
Conclusion: The boy really missed his father and his father's arrest and then the evacuation had greatly impacted his life.
Transition Words:
1.Throughout
2.first
3.secondly
4. Recurring
5. Also
6. Then
3. There have been various changes through the life of the boy and the girl from the time of evacuation orders passed to the days in the camp in Utah. At first, the boy and the girl seemed to be very helpful and joyful. They used to go to school together, come back together. They used to help each other, for example, when the boy was practicing his test on prime numbers and made a mistake by saying 16 as the prime number then the girl corrected him by saying that it's not a prime number. Another instance where they used to enjoy each other's company was their journey on the train. When the boy asked about horses during their journey for whether they would see them or not, the girl in reply replied that she doesn't know much but still told him about what she remembered from the National Geographic and told him about the wild mustangs. This instance show's that they really cared for each other. The girl even used to let the boy keep his head in the girl's lap and she would take care of him as her baby brother. But as soon as they reached camp and grew older, their relationship took a sharp turn and they distanced themselves from each other. The girl withdrew herself from the family completely and used to spend her time with her friends in the camp. Over the last few months, She ate all her meals with her friends, smoked cigarettes, explored the camp past curfew, and ignored the boy when he was around.
Thesis: There have been various changes through the life of the boy and the girl from the time of evacuation orders passed to the days in the camp in Utah.
Evidence:
1. Helpful- when the boy was practicing his test on prime numbers and made a mistake by saying 16 as the prime number then the girl corrected him by saying that it's not a prime number.
2. Caring- The girl even used to let the boy keep his head in the girl's lap and she would take care of him as her baby brother.
3. Deviated- The girl withdrew herself from the family completely and used to spend her time with her friends in the camp. Over the last few months, She ate all her meals with her friends, smoked cigarettes, explored the camp past curfew, and ignored the boy when he was around.
Conclusion: The Evacuation caused drastic changes between their brother-sister relationship.
Transition Words:
1. First
2. Another
3. But
Part 3 on these sections: "In a Stranger's Backyard" and "Confession"
1. When the family finally returned back home from California they were very happy to be back home but they found their home to be a big mess. When they reached the front door, the mother took the key out, which was hanging in her neck since the day they left. As soon as they entered a home, a familiar feeling and chill ran through everybody. Even though the house was all dirty and turned into a big mess but they were grateful to be back home. It took 3 years and 5 months to come back home but all seemed like happened in a flash of second. When the family arrived home after the war, the children noticed that the trees seemed taller and the rosebush the woman planted in the front yard was no longer there. The paint was peeling, the floor was littered with broken bottles and empty food cans, and the furniture was all gone. Despite the mess, the children ran through the house, yelling "Fire! Help! Wolf!" The woman walks out the back door and stands under the shade of the tree. The boy and the girl think about how they came from a place without any shade, where the only trees were the ones in their dreams. In the upstairs rooms, there were soiled mattresses and old magazines with pictures of naked men and women. The sunroom had been broken into, and the vacuum, the wedding china, and all the family's valuables were gone. On the wall of one bedroom there were slurs written in red ink. Several months later, the woman gets the money to paint the walls over, but the words stay in the heads of the boy and the girl for a long time after that. In the following weeks, the family eats at the table and listens to the same radio programs that they had listened to before the war. The names of the streets were the same, and the fashions people wear were the same. The boy and the girl tell themselves nothing had changed, that the war had been an interruption and they can move on now. They decide to listen to the music everyone listens to, dress like everyone else, and change their names to sound more like everyone else's names so that they will never be mistaken for the enemy again. The war relocation authority had sent each family home with train tickets and twenty-five dollars, which was the same amount given to criminals on the day they were released from prison. With this money, the woman bought thick mattresses for the boy and the girl to sleep on in the front room-until the night someone threw a whiskey bottle through the window. After that, the children slept in the back bedroom, the one with the slurs on the walls. Though the mother tried to cover them up with posters but they had made an impact in children's mind.
Thesis: When the family finally returned back home from California they were very happy to be back home but they found their home to be a big mess.
Evidence:
1. Dirty: The paint was peeling, the floor was littered with broken bottles and empty food cans, and the furniture was all gone.
2. Happy: Despite the mess, the children ran through the house, yelling "Fire! Help! Wolf!" The woman walks out the back door and stands under the shade of the tree. The boy and the girl think about how they came from a place without any shade, where the only trees were the ones in their dreams
3. Missing Stuff: The sunroom had been broken into, and the vacuum, the wedding china, and all the family's valuables were gone. On the wall of one bedroom there were slurs written in red ink.
Conclusion: Even though the war had impacted their life's grately and their house turned into a big mess, they were happy to be back home.
Transition Words:
Even
1. When
2. Even
2. As soon as the family arrived back home after spending 3 years and 5 months in the camp, everything seemed familiar, the streets were same the house was same except for that fact that it was left a mess by people who lived there after the family. The one thing that was very odd happening with the family was the way they were treated after returning back. They were treated as if they were criminals and had done severe crimes and still roaming freely. It created a feeling of racism for the them from the people. The following instances prove that how time spent in camp had affected them, at first, when the family walked towards their house for the first time since returning, the man next door, not the same man who lived there before the war, raked leaves in his yard and nodded to the family. The woman ignored him, making no response back. The children wondered if he was one of the men their mother warned them about, the men who would not be happy to see Japanese people returning to their homes. Second, on the first night back, the family all slept together in the room at the foot of the stairs. Long and narrow, this room resembled their room in the barracks. All night, the boy and the girl thought of the stories they had heard about the people who had went home before them. One man's house was doused with gasoline and set fire with him inside. The woman made the children sleep in their clothes because, she said, "We will not be caught dead in our pajamas." Third, the war relocation authority had sent each family home with train tickets and twenty-five dollars, which was the same amount given to criminals on the day they were released from prison. With this money, the woman bought thick mattresses for the boy and the girl to sleep on in the front room-until the night someone threw a whiskey bottle through the window. After that, the children slept in the back bedroom, the one with the slurs on the walls. Fourth, as American soldiers came back from war and told gruesome stories of the torture they suffered at the hands of Japanese prison guards, the boy and the girl looked at themselves in the mirror and saw what they though is the face of the enemy. They felt guilty but told themselves that all they need to do is behave in order to convince everyone that they are loyal to America. From then on, they avoided their reflections in the mirrors. It created a sense of loss of identity between the young minds. Fifth, the children's classmates at school were polite, but were no longer friendly, and the boy and the girl kept mostly to themselves. If people whispered behind their backs or called them something unkind, the children pretended not to notice. They kept their heads down and didn't cause any trouble. They spoke softly and followed all the rules. If they did something they felt is wrong, like accidently touch another person's arm, they imagined themselves saying that they were sorry, that they never wanted to touch you, that they've always wanted to touch you, that they will never touch you again. Lastly, the woman began to look for work, but every time she applied for a job, the business owners said that they don't want to upset the other employees or customers by hiring her. She eventually found a job cleaning the houses of wealthier, white families. The woman told the boy and the girl that it's easy work. If they ask you scrub the floors, you get on your hands and knees and scrub.
Thesis: The one thing that was very odd happening with the family was the way they were treated after returning back. They were treated as if they were criminals and had done severe crimes and still roaming freely
Evidence:
1. Loss of Identity: as American soldiers came back from war and told gruesome stories of the torture they suffered at the hands of Japanese prison guards, the boy and the girl looked at themselves in the mirror and saw what they though is the face of the enemy. They felt guilty but told themselves that all they need to do is behave in order to convince everyone that they are loyal to America. From then on, they avoided their reflections in the mirrors. It created a sense of loss of identity between the young minds.
2. Loss of friends at School: the children's classmates at school were polite, but were no longer friendly, and the boy and the girl kept mostly to themselves. If people whispered behind their backs or called them something unkind, the children pretended not to notice. They kept their heads down and didn't cause any trouble. They spoke softly and followed all the rules.
3. Feeling of being killed: on the first night back, the family all slept together in the room at the foot of the stairs. Long and narrow, this room resembled their room in the barracks. All night, the boy and the girl thought of the stories they had heard about the people who had went home before them. One man's house was doused with gasoline and set fire with him inside. The woman made the children sleep in their clothes because, she said, "We will not be caught dead in our pajamas."
Conclusion: The war had greatly impacted their lives which resulted in loss of friends, job and most important their identity.
Transition Words:
1.First
2. Second
3. Third
4. Fourth
5. Fifth
6. Lastly
3. The major character that came in the end of the novel was of "The Man", the father of the kids and husband of the woman who was arrested by FBI. The father was a small stooped man stepping out of the train. His face was wrinkled, his suit had faded, and his head was bald. Though the boy and the girl have been waiting for him for years, they don't know what to do when they saw him. Firstly, when the father came home, he wore dentures because he had lost all his teeth while he was detained, and he never sang or read stories to the boy and the girl like he used to do before. He never said a word about the years he had been away, and never talked about politics or how he had lost his teeth. But the children were happy he never said anything, as they didn't want to know-they just wanted to forget. Secondly, when he first returned home, the father wandered from room to room, picking up objects in bewilderment, as if he had never seen them before. He was suspicious of everyone and told the boy and the girl never to trust others. Small things like a misplaced pen or a dog barking sent him into a rage. No one would hire him because his health wasn't good, and because he came from a camp for dangerous enemy aliens. Thirdly, the man spent his days scribbling in notebooks. When he asked the children about their days, he seemed to be thinking about something else when they gave their answers. They wondered if he is thinking of the woman, about how she is at work cleaning another person's house. Or maybe he is thinking of the headline in the newspaper he's reading: "Jap Emperor Repudiates His Own Divinity!". Lastly, the father began spending more time in his room. He stopped reading the newspaper and his handwriting in his notebook grew smaller and fainter until it disappeared altogether. Some days he got dressed, but never left the house. He went to sleep right after dinner because he "might as well get the day over with." He slept poorly, always dreaming of being locked outside the barracks five minutes past curfew, fearing that he will never get back inside. The father now is a bitter and weary, reeling from the psychological effects of being unjustly interned as an "alien enemy." Gripped by his rage and resentment at America for imprisoning him and his family, the man slowly disconnected from the family, becoming sullener and withdrew into his inner world. Though he did not physically die at the camp, he did return as a ghost of his former self.
Thesis: Though he did not physically die at the camp, he did return as a ghost of his former self.
Evidence:
1. Strange – When he first returned home, the father wandered from room to room, picking up objects in bewilderment, as if he had never seen them before. He was suspicious of everyone and told the boy and the girl never to trust others. Small things like a misplaced pen or a dog barking sent him into a rage.
2. Lost – When he asked the children about their days, he seemed to be thinking about something else when they gave their answers. They wondered if he is thinking of the woman, about how she is at work cleaning another person's house. Or maybe he is thinking of the headline in the newspaper he's reading: "Jap Emperor Repudiates His Own Divinity!".
3. Scared – He went to sleep right after dinner because he "might as well get the day over with." He slept poorly, always dreaming of being locked outside the barracks five minutes past curfew, fearing that he will never get back inside.
Conclusion – All the events in the man's life had left him with lost identity and lost self-esteem and created a feeling of loneliness within him.
Transition Words:
1. Firstly
2. Secondly
3. Thirdly
4. Lastly