Analysis Of Farewell To Manzanar By Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

Farewell to Manzanar is a book that was written by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. This book depicts the early life of a young Houston who was forced into a Japanese internment camp during World War II. She writes of the horrors that she found there, but also of the revelations she had as a person living in such a harsh environment. The reason Houston wrote Farewell to Manzanar is because she wanted to share her experience with the world. It was to give insight on the happenings that went on inside those internment camps. Most people during this time period or even in the present day do not comprehend the things that actually happened inside the walls of these camps. She also wrote this book as a history lesson to everyone in the world. Not only to give the details of the inside of the camp,

No not because the Japanese people are being culturally accepted in the United States, but more of a yearning, by Houston and her family, to be accepted by American society. “At Manzanar I suppose there was some rejoicing too. At least we were no longer the enemy” (127). This quote is Houston’s feeling towards the end of the war and their release from the internment camp. She is hoping that she will finally have the acceptance of the American people in society; however, this idea will be short lived when she reenters the community. There is also anger that is portrayed because of the way they are treated in these camps. Their living spaces were horrendous and just about every aspect of the daily life they were facing is considered inadequate by any standard. “Woody, we can’t live like this. Animals live like this” (24). This was said by Houston’s mother when she was fed up with the living conditions they were forced to endure. It was dirty, needed serious repairs around the room, and simply just too disgusting to live there. She was quite frankly disturbed that anyone would ever be forced to live in such a