When The Emperor Was Divine

During WWII, from 1942 to 1945, over 100,000 Japanese-Americans were sent to internment camps; Living through terrible conditions. In the story “When the Emperor Was Divine” by Julie Otsuka the lives of a family are illustrated in this situation. Otsuka uses person vs society conflict to describe the events of the Japanese encampment during World War 2 and the Discrimination the Japanese faced during this time. The story switches between the perspective of the boy, the girl, and the mother. These 3 are forced to stay in a Japanese encampment for many years; their character changes heavily throughout the experience. The cause for the encampments was rooted in the hatred the American society had towards the Japanese. Discriminating and Judging

The American Government had posted a notice overnight on the internment camps. These notices, “appeared overnight. On billboards and trees and the backs of the bus-stop benches” (Otsuka 3). The notices hadn’t given any reason why they were going but it was clear that it was based on discrimination due to the war. Although it was the midst of WWII, forcing over 100 thousand citizens into encampments for “3 years and 5 months” (Otsuka 108). This would affect their daily lives both while in the internment camps and out. The camps had also lead to the American view of the Japanese to lower and for them to discriminate against the Japanese. These families had an difficult time dealing with this discrimination due to the government abducting their fathers on the suspicion of being a spy. The family in the story had their father taken away, with the FBI “com[ing] for him just after midnight. Three men in suits and ties and black fedoras with FBI badges”(Otsuka 73). The FBI had come with no prior warning and with no apparent reason. The government used the excuse that he was a “possible spy” to tear apart their family and to mentally torture the man. This is an clearly a hate crime as the father has been living in America for a while with no clear cause for suspicion.The text describes many government actions to show and explain how the government hated the

Throughout the story, many people openly discuss their distaste for Asians in front of the children both through actions and words. People weren't content with the fact that they were only being sent to an encampment camp one man went as far as “Throw[ing] a brick through the window” (Otsuka 43) of the train taking them to the encampment. Due to the cruel actions of the Japanese government, the American citizens held a deep grudge against the Japanese and anyone related to them. This prejudice was towards everyone of Japanese descent even children such as, the boy and the girl even when there was nothing children like them could do against America. Society was forcing Japanese-Americans to take responsibility for actions they had no part in. This hatred towards the Japanese was conditioned into society for both children and adults and lasted even after the war. Even after returning home the boy and the girl had other children acting as if they didn't exist and boys harassing them after school the girl stated, “Sometimes groups of boys would appear out of nowhere and circle us slowly on their bicycles”(Otsuka 123). After spending years in an internment camp the life waiting for them outside wasn't any better. Everyone treated them differently, old friends ignored them and strangers harassed them. The Japanese citizens are all ordinary people that have nothing to do with the war and should be treated as such.