English Teacher
Summer Reading
4 September 2013
Acceptance of Internment Treatment
In the novels Farewell to Manzanar and Slaughterhouse-Five, the prisoners felt that their treatment in the internment camps is deserved. The Japanese cooperated because they had loyalty for American and it was the best way to survive. They felt the need to be accepted, but at the same time understood the prejudice will always exist. The American soldiers were weak and not the slightest bit prepared for the war. They knew this and saw the imprisonment as a blessing rather than a hardship.
In Farewell to Manzanar cooperation is crucial to the characters because they felt that it is the only way to survive. “She would quickly subordinate her own desires to those of the family or the community, because she knew cooperation was the only way to survive.” (Houston 33) The Japanese place high value on privacy and dignity. The American government, however, did not allow the Japanese to abide by these values. The occupants in the Manzanar camp have great endurance in the face of hardship. They had to live in cramped barracks with knotholes and slits. Also, the latrine had no partitions. Most of the Japanese viewed the Manzanar camp as an adventure rather than a hardship. This is what got them through. The Japanese believed that fighting against their oppressors is useless; instead they worked together to survive. They took surplus material and sewed it into useable garments, and shared cardboard boxes used as toilet partitions. The expression “shikata ga nai” represents the forbearance and motivation that the Japanese display throughout the novel.
The Term Paper on Japanese American Concentration Camps
Japanese American Concentration Camps On February 19th of 1942, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a document that would determine the fate of some 120,000 Japanese and Japanese-American residents of the United States, both citizen and foreigner alike. Executive Order 9066 ordered that all residents of Japanese descent be 'relocated' into internment camps established by the ...
The Japanese Issei thought they deserved the treatment inside the internment camps because of their loyalty to two countries. “When your mother and your father are having a fight, do you want them to kill each other? Or do you just want them to stop fighting?” (Houston 64) George Ko Wakatsuki left Japan for the great opportunities in America. He still had strong ties to his Japanese culture and still saw Japan as his homeland. America was his adopted home, even though he isn’t granted citizenship; George appreciates the opportunities it brought his children. The charges of the military interrogator and the Loyalty Oath put George and the rest of the Issei under a difficult position. They had to declare loyalty to one country, which would ruin their connection with the other.
The desire of acceptance is another factor of why the Japanese allowed the treatment. “I feel no malice toward this girl. I don’t even envy her. Watching, I am simply emptied, and in the dream I want to cry out, because she is something I can never be, some possibility in my life that can never be fulfilled.” (Houston 172) Jeanne dreams about a beautiful blonde who is liked by everyone because of her friend Radine’s rise in popularity. This girl in Jeanne’s dream represents her desire for acceptance. All Jeanne wants is to be liked and admired by her peers. She does not hate the girl in her dreams, and she does not envy Radine for her accomplishments. Jeanne has a great sense of maturity about her, but she realizes that her dreams can never come true. Jeanne has come to terms with the fact that prejudice against those of Japanese ancestry is a simple fact of life. When she is excluded from girl scouts and sororities, Jeanne doesn’t complain or cry. She accepted the fact that things will never change. Jeanne blames herself for her differences.
The Japanese allowed the treatment because they accepted the fact that prejudice will always exist. “I smiled and sat down, suddenly aware of what being of Japanese ancestry was going to be like. I wouldn’t be faced with physical attack, or with overt shows of hatred. Rather, I would be seen as someone foreign, or as someone other than American, or perhaps not be seen at all.” (Houston 158) Radine was surprised at Jeanne’s ability to speak English fluently. This event allowed Jeanne to see prejudice and understand what it means to be Japanese. Radine’s reaction made Jeanne realize that hatred and prejudice are two very different things. Prejudice is not always meant to be hurtful. Radine made her comment based on beliefs from her mother. An example is about a Girl Scout troop that Jeanne wanted to join. Despite the two girls being close friends, Radine’s mom denied Jeanne acceptance. Jeanne does not blame Radine for her views. Jeanne links the relocation on the Japanese with the Americans’ incapability to perceive the Japanese as individuals.
The Term Paper on Surrender War American Japanese
Evaluate the wisdom of American insistence on the "Unconditional Surrender" of Japan. Introduction The United States of America is a warrior nation. To pretend otherwise ignores a national history colored in red blood and gun smoke. Despite this, the American national conscience seeks forever the moral high ground. This national need extends to America's ability to wage and sustain war. World War ...
In Slaughterhouse-Five the American soldiers didn’t mind being prisoners behind German lines because they were weak and unprepared. “A German measured Billy’s upper right arm with his thumb and forefinger, asked a companion what sort of an army would send a weakling like that to the front. They looked at other American bodies now, pointed out a lot more that were nearly as bad as Billy’s.” (Vonnegut 83) There are many stereotypes that portray American as the best country and Americans as the best people of the world. Americans are rich and supposedly have it all. The truth is that the American soldiers were the least prepared and trained. For example, the Englishmen were in shape physically. They lifted weights during their imprisonment. They were clean and strong, and had plenty of good food. They made the Americans look like a joke during the war. Vonnegut is testing these stereotypes. He was in the war with the busted up Americans. All the troops lacked something. They were too young, too old, or not strong enough to be there. Americans were just thrown into war because of the need of soldiers.
The American soldiers were unfit and not good at war. They considered the imprisonment a blessing. Being a prisoner of war meant that you didn’t have to fight. The soldiers just had to live within boundaries. They didn’t have to worry about anything. Food, shelter, and clothes were provided. Sure they weren’t the best quality but it was better than getting slaughtered.
Both novels exemplify the acceptance prisoners witness in internment camps. This acceptance is the key factor to both novels. This phenomenon demonstrates mankind’s need to adapt. This adaptation creates a façade that the prisoners are still in control. Humanity needs to be in control. Without control, we feel lost. These novels serve to remind us of this. We need this reminder to better understand ourselves so we can to the best for each other and the world.
The Essay on Were Blundering Politicians The Main Political Cause Of The American Civil War
Discuss the view that the main political cause of the American civil war was the leadership failings of a blundering generation It is felt by many that the main cause of the American civil war was the failings of politicians such as Stephen Douglas, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. They are considered to have made a series of political blunders, such as Douglass handling of the Kansas - ...
