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The influence of history on American literature
Can literature help us understand history
The influence of history on American literature
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Conflict leads to change by changing people’s perspective and thoughts of others. When a problem arises, people generally find someone to put the blame on or mark as traitor even though they could be innocent: This can be shown in the article “Home Was a Horse Stall” by Jim Carnes. Tsuyako “Sox” has been living peacefully with her family for most of her life. From a ruined restaurant to a lost opportunity for a strawberry farm, her family has faced their own conflicts and struggles with determination and hope; that is, until the Pearl Harbor bombing happens. Shops and agencies that used to be friendly towards Sox’s family and other Japanese people now turn them away. (Carnes, 1996) Through these acts of hostility, it can be shown
that many people are changing their opinions of the Japanese. It is simply unacceptable to be on the enemy’s side. After President Franklin Roosevelt passes the law that all Japanese people should be excluded from the West coast, Sox moves and lives in inhospitable places, including a horse stall for four months. Later, she and her family move into barracks provided by the USA in the desert. There is a rumor that the USA is going to drop a bomb on the Japanese people after they move in. However, when Sox finds out that the barracks are very nice and clean, she speculates that the nation did not want to kill them. (Carnes, 1996) Even though the conflict is still raging on, the USA starts to change their opinion about the Japanese Americans. They slowly begin to realize that these humans are innocent victims, thus feeling empathy for them and changing their opinion to a positive one. Conflict can also make people’s reputation better or worse through perception of the whole story. In the book The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, most fellow Greasers view Johnny and Ponyboy as two timid and nice young boys. This opinion changes after a Soc, the Greaser’s natural enemy is killed by Johnny through self-defense. Even though it is thought that it will never to be done, Johnny is suddenly bold enough to actually protect himself from a Soc. (Hinton, 1967) For the Socs, Johnny’s acts make him look a boy who will perform any vicious act to seek revenge. Unlike the biased Socs, the Greasers think Johnny’s act is actually for self-defense. This shows that people change their opinions about people by not only the individual, but by the society itself. Later, when Johnny, Ponyboy, and their comrade Dally go save some kids in a church fire, their reputation changes again. The gang used to be known as juvenile delinquents, but in reality, they are just misunderstood. After the incident, the boys are known as heroes. (Hinton, 1967) The start of the change of people’s opinions is presented through a newspaper and an interview with Ponyboy and his family. Anybody would name people heroes for their acts regardless of background. Ponyboy and his friends could have decided not to do anything when the church fire strikes, but they still do out of integrity. This shows that they unknowingly choose to take the steps towards a positive reputation for themselves; changing people’s opinions about the Greasers. Instead of looking at the group, everyone starts looking closely at the individuals. In conclusion, people adjust their personal thoughts of various groups of individuals when conflict strikes, thus change happening.
It was no secret that when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, countless Americans were frightened on what will happen next. The attack transpiring during WW2 only added to the hysteria of American citizens. According to the article “Betrayed by America” it expressed,”After the bombing many members of the public and media began calling for anyone of Japanese ancestry။citizens or not။to be removed from the West Coast.”(7) The corroboration supports the reason why America interned Japanese-Americans because it talks about Americans wanting to remove Japanese-Americans from the West Coast due to Japan bombing America. Japan bombing America led to Americans grow fear and hysteria. Fear due to the recent attack caused internment because Americans were afraid of what people with Japanese ancestry could do. In order to cease the hysteria, America turned to internment. American logic tells us that by getting the Japanese-Americans interned, many
This is not the case. Before the war began, most average Americans mixed amicably with the Japanese. The group who had the most trouble with the Japanese was the politicians. Governor William D. Stephens of California said that the “present agitation in California was inspired by candidacy for office” (Kawakami). The reasons the politicians did this was to gain favor and promotion in their offices. Prior to Pearl Harbor, the politicians caused trouble and planted doubt and fear into American minds. The majority of Americans had never had any contact with Japanese, it was only on the West Coast, so politicians from each political party tried to convince Americans that the whole country was in danger. To take the focus away from the Great Depression and suffering of the 1930’s, many politicians tried this tactic to gain votes. They were pressured by the public to bring about a change in America, and they knew that someone who promised an answer would become more powerful. One of the leading men behind Japanese internment was Earl Warren, the Attorney General of California in 1942. He saw the Japanese situation as the “Achilles heel of the entire civilian defense effort.” He believed that unless the government took action, “it may bring about a repetition of Pearl Harbor” (Myer 17). His justification for his choice was that in a time of war, every citizen may have to give up some of his rights to protect the nation (Brown). He believed that the Japanese were exemplary citizens, but he still chose to push for their internment. This seems contradictory, but it shows the flow of public opinion and the pressure that was put on leaders to promote
The racial conflict with Japanese-Americans began when the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, a military naval base located in the state of Hawaii. “Behind them they left chaos, 2,403 dead, 188 destroyed planes, and a crippled Pacific Fleet that included 8 damaged or destroyed battleships” (“Attack” 1). The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on the Empire of Japan. The fear that resulted from the attack on Pearl Harbor caused many white Americans to hate the Japanese-Americans. Many Japanese were accused of being spies and were arrested without proof. “Rabid anti-Japanese American racism surfaced the first days after Pearl Harbor. The FBI and the military had been compiling lists of "potentially dangerous" Japanese Americans since 1932, but most were merely teachers, businessmen or journalists” (Thistlethwaite 1). In February of 1942, all of the Japanese on the West Coast of the United States were sent to internment camps.
Japanese were treated unjustly which inevitably affected Hana and Taro very quickly. “The President of the United States authorized the Secretary of War and his military commanders to prescribe areas which any or all persons could be excluded...'It means we are all going to be evacuated one day soon,' Taro explained sadly, 'It means we are all going to be uprooted from our homes and interned without a trial or a hearing," (p. 154 Uchida). When Japan bombed the U.S., it really opened Hana’s eyes to how cruel the world can be, especially since it was her homeland. What this event also did was flip the definition of America to Hana and Taro. They always thought of America as a safe place to be themselves and a fresh new start to form their lives but now they were taking away the Japanese-American rights one by one. While in the Japanese concentration camps, tragedy struck Hana when she didn’t think life could get any worse. "'There was an accident, Mrs.Takeda,' the director said, ' your husband was shot by one of the guards. He was walking near the barbed wire fence and the soldier thought he was trying to escape," (p.211 Uchida). Hana was furious at the unreasonable and awful death of her husband but rethought her relationship with Taro. She forgot all the little things that bothered her and focused on their
This caused the Japanese to become a scapegoat of America’s fear and anger. The Issei and Nisei who once moved to this country to find new opportunities and jobs were now stripped of their homes and businesses and were forced to live in poor living conditions (DISCovering). Although many Americans believed that Japanese American internment was justified because it was used to protect us from attacks by Japanese Americans, it was very unlikely that they were ever going to attack us in the first place. For example, in Dr. Seuss’ political cartoon, many Japanese Americans are lined up to get TNT and waiting for a signal from Japan to attack (Seuss).
When individuals face obstacles in life, there is often two ways to respond to those hardships: some people choose to escape from the reality and live in an illusive world. Others choose to fight against the adversities and find a solution to solve the problems. These two ways may lead the individuals to a whole new perception. Those people who decide to escape may find themselves trapped into a worse or even disastrous situation and eventually lose all of their perceptions and hops to the world, and those who choose to fight against the obstacles may find themselves a good solution to the tragic world and turn their hopelessness into hopes. Margaret Laurence in her short story Horses of the Night discusses the idea of how individual’s responses
On December 7,1941 Japan raided the airbases across the islands of Pearl Harbour. The “sneak attack” targeted the United States Navy. It left 2400 army personnel dead and over a thousand Americans wounded. U.S. Navy termed it as “one of the great defining moments in history”1 President Roosevelt called it as “A Day of Infamy”. 2 As this attack shook the nation and the Japanese Americans became the immediate ‘focal point’. At that moment approximately 112,000 Persons of Japanese descent resided in coastal areas of Oregon, Washington and also in California and Arizona.3
Inevitably, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, that began World War II, Japanese-Americans were frowned upon and stereotyped because of their descent. However, Japanese immigrants contributed to economic expansion of the United States. Whites resented the Japanese immigrants, but reaped economic profit from the Japanese-American residents’ discipline and hard work. Japanese-Americans of this time seem to be attacked; however, they choose to uphold their disconnection with the rest of the Americans. Many Japanese felt they had superiority over Americans, creating tension and disconnection.
American society, like that of Germany, was tainted with racial bigotry and prejudice. The Japanese were thought of as especially treacherous people for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The treachery was obviously thought to reside in ...
The problem with Japanese American treatment during World War II was harsh and cruel but was approved of at the time. The japanese descendants were taken from their homes and businesses because the government had passed a law that said the Japanese Americans had to move inland to safe camps that were ready for them. The truth was that the government and the military was scared of the Japanese Americans going to fight with the japanese. Some may of wanted to go peacefully but others did not want to leave everything behind, there were protests from the Japanese Americans, that are listed in multiple documents, in which they wanted to stay by the coast. The government had made it sound as if the movement was like a wonderful vacation where everything was taken care of and the living conditions were amazing but the conditions were actually rough and cruel but everyone thought the government was treating them kindly.
Movies are a great way to take a break from your hectic life and just relax. Movies have been entertaining you and everyone around the world since the mid 1800’s. The evolution movie went from black and white pictures to color and sound to finally 3-D film. Directors, artists, and inventors took hundreds of years to just perfect putting the one by one captured pictures in a fluid motion to make a ten second movie. So, just think about trying to create the 3D effect or even how movies were created.
Dorothy Johnson in “A Man Called Horse” writes about a young man who was born and raised in Boston. He lives in a gracious home under his grandmothers and grandfather’s loving care. For some reason, he is discontent. He leaves home to try to find out the reason for his discontent. Upon leaving he undergoes a change in status and opinion of himself and others. He begins a wealthy young man arrogant and spoiled, becomes a captive of Crow Indians- docile and humble, and emerges a man equal to all.
A home, many people spent their whole life in search of his or her home. It has many different definitions to different people. To some people it may be their home country, to some it may be where they were born, to some it may be where their family is. home's most basic trait is its ability to provide shelter from weather. Rain or snow, a house will always be there to shield the elements from the family. In the cold times of the year, the heater will be there to warm the house. The heat of the summer is no problem for a good home. The ideal dwelling definitely must have a dependable central air conditioner. When located in an area abundant with tornadoes and hurricanes, a home must have a safe place. A storm shelter or a basement is an excellent place to hide. But to most people home has more meaning than just dwelling it should be a place where their family is, where they could have family times together.
Gamble, Adam, and Takesato Watanabe. A Public Betrayed: An inside Look at Japanese Media Atrocities and Their Warnings to the West. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Pub., 2004. Print.
“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends (Robot check).” A place becomes a home for me when I am around all the things that I enjoy and love. For example, when I am around everyone that I love, I enjoy a peaceful environment and the beautiful landscapes around me. The interpretation of home for me is not a physical thing that I see or that I can remember or even certain thoughts that I can relate, but it is a sensation that overcomes me when I envision being in the comfort of my own home. However, I know that this is a feeling that is calming to my soul and it quietly reassures me that I genuinely belong in a place where I can be free from people constantly judging me.