When The Emperor Was Divine Essay

Person versus Society Conflict: Causing Trauma and Uncertainty about Life When people in a society do not like each other, people have to find a way to get through it. Living in fear can be a struggle, and being taken away from home is not comforting. In Otsuka’s book When the Emperor was Divine, a Japanese American family goes through a tough time during WWII and is taken away from their home to an internment camp. They are brought to live at a camp far away and are unsure of what is going to happen. They are constantly living in fear of not knowing where their dad is, having an identity loss, and losing everyone they once knew. The family in Otsuka’s book struggle with a person versus society conflict that shows tough situations in life.

They were living through a difficult period of their lives while experiencing an identity loss. Society had more control over the family and caused the family to have identity losses. The family was constantly living in fear and uncertain about life. After spending their time at the camp, they finally made it back home, but things weren’t normal. All of their friends at school weren't acting the same, and this made the kids confused about their lives. The family was confused because, “[a]t school [their] new teachers were kind to [them], and the students in [their] classes polite, but at lunchtime they would not sit with [them], or invite [them] to join in their games” (Otsuka 120). Not being welcomed at school confused the kids and left them uncertain as to whether they were being welcomed back or not. They used to be friends with these students, but ever since they got back from the camp, they are now uncertain about life. They had been at the camp for years and their dad was gone too, but not with them. When they got back, shortly after, their dad did too. When they went to pick their dad up, he looked different and they weren't sure if it was

Their father stepped off the train, and the kids were unsure of what to do. They were confused as to why he looked so different. After struggling with living in fear, they are now uncertain about everything in life. While they were at the camp and after they got back from the camp, things didn't go back to normal. The family was still uncertain about life. Society was still against them, and they were not sure when that would change. After having a traumatic experience, living life in fear and being uncertain about everything is not uncommon. The family in When the Emperor was Divine, got transported to a camp and they were unsure of what was going to happen next. They were living in fear of what was happening around them. The people around them were causing fear and uncertainty for this family by not telling the family what was going to happen and being in control. When understanding what living in fear is like and reading this book, readers can hopefully understand the person versus society conflict while this family is being taken away to an internment camp and while they are living