Summary Of Farewell To Manzanar

The novel Farewell to Manzanar follows the story of a seven year old Japanese-American girl, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and her family's life struggles within the Manzanar internment camp. Written by Jeanne Wakatsuki and James D. Houston, this book is a dramatic autobiography that takes place mainly in Owens Valley, California, when the Japanese-American families arrive at Manzanar. Jeanne Wakatsuki narrates this novel and describes her life in the internment camp over a span of three years. In the following analysis of the Houston’s work, Farewell to Manzanar, I will offer a summary of the novel, the weaknesses, such as the authors’ failure to mention in-depth details about life in the internment camp, the strengths of the book, which include the authors providing background information on the War, and the significance of this certain era in American history. The novel opens up on Sunday, December 7, 1941, when Jeanne discovers the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan. She recalls her father burning everything he had that exhibited his patriotism towards Japan. Shortly after the bombing, her father is arrested by the FBI because he reportedly supplied oil to Japanese submarines. For Jeanne, this foreshadows all the dreadful events

Before reading Farewell to Manzanar, I was not that educated on this topic as I only knew that the Japanese-Americans were put into concentration camps. This novel expanded my knowledge on the Japanese-American internment period. I was well informed on how the Japanese-Americans were treated after they were let out of the concentration camps. I also received a first-hand account of how it felt to be a Japanese-American during and after World War II. I think this date in history serves as an example of a mistake the United States made, and it should be recognized by everyone that this is not how we should treat our innocent citizens, as we are all