Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston Essay -- essays resea

Farewell To Manzanar     In the true story "Farewell to Manzanar" we learn of a young girls lifeas she grows up during globe War II in a Japanese internment camp. Along withher family and ten thousand other Japanese we see how, as a peasant, theseconditions squeeze to shape and mold her life. This book does not directly placeblame or hatred onto those persons or conditions which had forced her to endurehardship, but rather shows us through her eyes how these experiences have heldvalue she has been able to grow from.     Jeanne Wakatsuki was just a seven year growing up in Ocean Park, atomic number 20 when her whole life was about to change. Everything seemed to begoing fine, her get down owning two fishing boats, and they lived in a large housewith a large eat table which was located in an entirely non-Japaneseneighborhood. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese was themoment Jeannes life was critic tout ensembley alt ered. This started WWII and all Japanesewere seen as possible threats to the nations safety. It is not difficult to see,but difficult to justify this view, and therefore Jeanne Wakatsuki, just a child,was now seen as a monster. Her overprotect was immediately arrested and taken away,being accused with furnishing oil to Japanese subs off the coast. And now,Jeanne left without a father, her mother was trapped with the burden of Jeannesrapidly aging granny knot and her nine brothers and sisters. Too young tounderstand, Jeanne did not exist why or where her father had been taken. But shedid know that one very important part of her was gone.     Jeannes father was a very strong, military-like, proud, arrogant, anddignified man. He was the one who was always in control, and made all thedecisions for the family. He grew up in Japan, but left at the age of seventeen,headed for work in Hawaii, and never again went back. Leaving his own familybehind and never contacting them ever again. But now it was time for Jeannesfamily to do something. They launch refuge at Terminal Island, a place wheremany Japanese families live either in some transition stage or for constantresidents. Jeanne was terrified. " It was the first time I had lived amongother Japanese, or gone to school with them, and I was terrified all the time."Her father, as a way ... ...ruly come to know a place Farewell."This says it all. She had finally been able to see that Manzanar was one giantstepping stone she had climbed, and that gave her worth, so she could feel atpeace with herself. Her life had really begun at Manzanar, but she isnt aboutto let it end there.     In conclusion, this story was well written and I could sympathize withevery trial and tribulation she encountered. Some may say she didnt value herJapanese heritage enough or was pitying herself for being Japanese. But she, inmy view is a hero because she took everything that was impose d on her andendured through it. She was able to accept herself through a kind of spiritualgrowth, which was both revelational, and inspirational. I only hope that oneday I evict make some sense of the things gone wrong in my life, or at least growfrom them. Jeanne is a woman now, who as a child was thrown around in a racialroller coaster, and can accept herself as an important part of society and life,rather than needing others to accept it for her. billet I really enjoyed this book and the next time I head out to Mammoth LakesI will definitely try and find Manzanar.