Obasan and Itsuka

The world is filled with different kinds of hatred caused by different reasons. For instance, people may hate others because of their gender, or for having different beliefs. Perhaps people hate others based on their cultural representation instead of who they really are as an individual, whether that representation is a religion or a race. This single fact of racial discrimination has caused many terrible and tragic events in history such as the holocaust, slavery, and among them is the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Canadians during World War II. In the novels Ў®ObasanЎЇ and Ў®ItsukaЎЇ by Joy Kogawa, the main protagonist Naomi and her family go through the mistreatment and racial discrimination, which occurred to all Japanese Canadians during World War II. Obasan, which focuses on the past, and Itsuka, which focuses on the present, are novels that are similarly based around NaomiЎЇs experiences during the war. These painful experiences leave Naomi with tormenting memories, which she will never forget or fully recover from. However, NaomiЎЇs strong beliefs help her to eventually overcome the immense hardships. Finally, NaomiЎЇs past is becomes the very soil that allowed fruition of her future. Both novels Obasan and Itsuka are similar in a way that it is focused on protagonist NaomiЎЇs experiences during the relocation, with her strong faith allows her to overcome the hardship and realize her past has constructed her future.

The painful experience that Naomi lives through leaves her with terrible memories. In the novel Obasan, the main character Naomi, a young female Japanese Canadian, faces racial discrimination in her childhood during World War II. Naomi and other Japanese Canadians consider themselves to be ordinary Canadians until the attacks on Pearl Harbor. All Japanese Canadians who were most like had nothing to do with the attack find themselves classified as dangerous aliens. This incident leads to the separation of Naomi and her mother, which in turn causes her to be raised by her strong and silent aunt Obasan. Obasan, like many others, feel depressed and sorrow about their unfair treatment, and talks to herself while shedding tears by saying, 'let us rest now...' (P.20). Obasan then continues to be silent. Also, when Naomi's families had to be evacuated and relocated from their own land, before Naomi Uncle's death, he use to say, "I am Canadian... This is my own, my native land!" (P.39) with a painful voice. Lastly, as Naomi and Obasan plan to go to the city, Obasan warns Naomi by saying, "Keep your eyes down...that way they may not see you. That way you offend less" (P.187). This shows that the war has denigrated Japanese Canadians as a something even less then even second-class citizens.

The painful experience leaves tormenting remembrance that requires people to take a long time to recover. In Ў®ItsukaЎЇ which is a continuation of Ў®ObasanЎЇ, the protagonist Naomi is haunted by her memories of her childhood growing up in the World War II period of Japanese Canadian evacuation and internment. Naomi was involved in the movement for reparation from the Canadian government for the forcible relocation and confiscation of property of Japanese Canadians during World War II. As Naomi went through her painful experiences during her childhood, she realizes the importance her cultural identity. Naomi makes a comment to her aunt, Obasan, "...today, finally, though we can hardly believe it, to be Canadian means what it hasn't meant before. Reconciliation. Liberation. Belongingness. Home" (P.277) and reminiscent the tough past that she had to face during World War II. Japanese Canadians were mistreated because of their racial background, as Japanese Empire was the enemy of Canada during World War II. While Naomi was evacuated and relocated from their own land and her mother, the youth of her life was ruined and memories of her pain are reflected on this quote, "There was a silence that could not speak. There is a silence that will not speak..."(P112). Which explains how irritated and painful her live was. As Japanese Canadian go through their deprived lives, the experience leaves the scars that will not easily heal. Naomi, now an adult, she stands up herself with more maturity and thinks that, 'I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for paradoxesЎЇ (P.28) so she could be a better person, not just sulk about what had already transpired.

Having strong beliefs and faith are crucial if one needs to endure immense hardships. During the World War II Japanese Canadians were mistreated, and so as Naomi and her families. Naomi goes through her racial discrimination, as a young children, she experiences painful events which makes her