Farewell To Manzanar By Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

John Sterner

Sarp Sok

Modern American Civ (HIST 104): Discussion Section B02

29 March 2023

Farewell to Manzanar Response Paper

After the imprisonment and internment of Japanese Americans because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, American-born people with Japanese heritage were treated even worse than they already were for not being white. After suffering discrimination, Japanese Americans had to adjust to life in the camps and the hardships that came with it. Once they began to reaccept these Americans back into society, people were divided on how to react to the injustices they had gone through. This can be seen in the novel by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, Farewell to Manazar, within the dynamic between the characters Ko and Woody Wakatsuki. The

Her view demonstrates the personal experiences and hardships each man was going through, how the war affected them differently, and the disagreement on what occurred afterward. The attitude towards the United States by Japanese Americans after being held in internment because of the government was split in two ways: either despising the country and how it disrespected them, or, felt like it was their duty to exhibit how they belonged to this country and being a good American, even after everything that was endured. This distinction between these two sides is exemplified through the course of the book and the character development that both men go through.

Ko Wakatsuki was a good man, and a good one to his family. From the beginning of the book, it is clear that he cares about his family very deeply, and is dedicated to working to make sure he gives his children fortune and happiness. But once ‘Papa’ as he is referred to in the book, is sent to

While his father was taken away, Woody rose to take on the role of the patriarch of the Wakatsukis. It is clear that he shares his father’s skill for making use of a situation and doing what he can during it, but Woody utilizes it better in their present situation. From Jeanne’s perspective of the book, Woody becomes the father figure in her life while Papa is in Fort Lincoln, and even when he comes back, Woody still takes on the responsibilities of being the man of the household. As stated earlier, Papa was not capable of supporting the family or working, so once again, Woody picked up the slack left behind by his father. Woody is this fascinating character that comes to be the antithesis of his father and all that he represents about his feelings towards the United States. Woody’s wife and children, along with his siblings and parents all had to go to Manzanar. Because of this executive order, they had to uproot their lives, and along with many other Japanese Americans, change their lives forever. Although being taken at first by the FBI, Papa becomes a drunkard and depressed for a while, trying to figure out how to remain honorable and what his position was in a country that had become home for him. Woody is never this confused about where he belongs, not hesitating to sign up for the military when it helps his family by providing them with