This is an excellent story of a Hawaiian Japanese American boy who is coming of age during World War II, and also a dirt poor time of working class Hawaiians. I found this to be a heart breaking story of this teenage boy who has a longing of a life of his own, but instead he is faced with huge debts that his parents left him with because of their misfortune and bad decisions and also the poor labor conditions.
All characters in this story struggle I noticed but they seem to persist on with family loyalty, guts and humor. I feel the title and story has an aspect that is about a coming-of-age, the internal struggles of a Japanese family or Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans). The title is about finding the old ways grating and confining but yet also finding pride in heritage as Tosh, does one of the main characters. Kiyoshi, the other main character is more comfortable in the divide between the Hawaiians and Japanese divide and just wants to understand the good points of the old ways, but knows his generation is different. Tosh is the one who says, “All I asking for is my body” which is an emotional statement. I also feel that the way the title is worded is due to the author, Murayama who kept traditional English, but much of the dialogue is Hawaiian pidgin Creole, which captures to me the difference between the ways the issei and Nisei communicate as well as strongly but subtly shows the divide between the two cultures and the life on the Hawaiian plantation which is another draw that I feel is related to the title of this book. The title fascinates me because it gives a realistic way to see races pit against one another to benefit corporations milling cane, this also resonates in today’s political world.
Segregation by debt is depicted in this story well, as well as keeping poor in their place being shown such as Kiyoshi’s family as they are trapped in their massive debt and low wages and also resembles the title. Tosh too supports the title as it is shown he is suffocated as if he is in prison, both boys reactions are varied but yet the complexity of their emotions are reflected in the story which reflects the title.
Concluding that the title captures Japanese-American experience in Hawaii, plantation life, reactions to Pearl Harbor bombing, the traditional Japanese family system and the confidence the characters have in themselves. This is displayed in Kiyoshi as he has a very strong family community structure around him.
This book is very well told in the eyes of perceptive Nisei who are in difficult situations and forced to make tough choices and completely reflects the title for me because of this as well as it gives a feel of living through your ancestors and just wanting your own title.
Lastly, this book and title truly are a power of emotions for the reader as to how a man is in search of himself.
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you brought up the wording of the title. It's definitely Hawaiian Creole English. The omission of the "am" is meant to emphasize the "I"; it's as if "I" is a proper noun or name. It's also a strong statement against Mrs. and Mr. Oyama's emphasis on the collective, in which there is no "I". No one has the right to ask from the position of "I"; one is only allowed to operate from the "we" or "us" of family.
Issei is a first generation Japanese immigrant and Nissei is second generation, usually born in the U.S. In some ways, while the specifics may differ, the struggles Kiyo and Toshi endure are shared by many children of immigrants who must learn to define themselves and create ethnic identities in the face differences between their "homelands" and their new country.
Thanks for your insights.
Take care,
Lauren
Hello Daye,
ReplyDeleteI believe the title says a lot about the social class and the education the Oyama’s family had. The time the story takes place was a very difficult time to make money because minimum wage was so low; I think this discourages Tosh because he knows that earning six thousand dollars would take him his whole life and possible his children’s too.
Thanks,
Natalia
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteWhat is interesting to me is that I am sure that their were many Japanese children that might have been some what educated like Tosh,even had dreams of their own but because of their tradition they never stepped out and made a change in their life even if they could have. I guess what I am trying to say is that no matter what their is alway going to be Kiyoshi’s, kids who even if they could get out would not because of their honor and respect for their family. I love the fact that this story shows two different perspectives on how children from a Japanese family might handle this situation.
Thank you for all your insight I always learn so much when I read your post.
Thanks Stacy
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteYes, this was a well written book. I really enjoyed the reading. I believe that there were other children that felt the same way that Tosh did but they didn't rebel like he did. I am sure there had to be other peole who felt like that. They were just raised to do what the felt was right and that was to take care of your family when you are the oldest of sons. He was to take on the resposibiltiy of all their debts. As Lauren states " there was no I, it was always we in this culture of Japanese children." Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Dina
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great book. I loved to read about the herritage of the Japanese. People live so differently and it's very interesting to me to learn about other cultures. The title does say a lot about the story. Tosh and Kyoshi just really wanted to live their lives the way that wanted and not have to live up to the way of how they were supposed to be. The wanted to go to school and do their own thing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Dina
Second posting
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteI posted here the other day did you get an email of what I posted here. I don't see me post
Thanks Stacy Lambertz
Hi Daye,
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I always learn so much from you when i read your post. I agree with you that this was a great book. I would have never know that this existed in the Japanese culture, if I had not read the book. I am also glad that we had two perspectives, Tosh and his brother. Tosh was the one who wanted his body back. He truly thought that he should be able to lives his life free and clear from his parents debit no matter what his culture said and I respect him for that.
Can you imagine trying to come to a place to have a better future for you and your family only to continually struggle with no end, have a child that seems to go against everything that you have grown to believe, and then have to tell everyone that everything that you believe in isn’t what you believe it because you are afraid of what might happen to you and your family. No matter if you believe that the traditions that the family follows are something that you value or not I think everyone can be sympathetic to the pain that the father and mother had to endure when their oldest when against them and then the new world that they came to were maybe out against them because of the bombing.
ReplyDeleteI do have to agree how this could be viewed as a story trying to find yourself. Being liberated from debt period will give you a sense of having "your body back." If we compare that to what is going on today, many people may feel that they feel stuck having to pay an overmountain of debt, in which we may look at as never ending. $6k in early 1900 is a lot of money then and I could only imagine how much that could translate to in todays money.
ReplyDeleteHey Daye,
ReplyDeleteI think your first paragraph says it all. They wanted so bad to break free from the harsh working conditions and the bad wages but they couldent because of their parents. I would like to also agree that Tosh and Kiyoshi felt stuck and trapped like in a prison. I also found this story very interesting and I was glued in on reading it. Thanks for the thoughts.
-Callie :)