A proverb says: “War does not determine who is right, just who is left”. Left, that is
naturally the veterans who managed not to get killed in battle and thus survived their
mission. But left, that is also the ones who refused fighting in a war for their country,
for whatever the reason. War and its aftermaths clearly do not take a decision on which
of the two behaviors is right. It just leaves the involved people opposing each other contrarily
– like left and right.
In John Okada’s novel No-No Boy, almost all of its characters are immediately
confronted with the previously mentioned discord. Set in the Seattle of 1945, No-No
Boy deals with the outer and inner conflicts of a young Japanese American, named
Ichiro, who refused the draft by a government, which in his eyes deprived him of his
identity as an American. The narration starts with its central character, Ichiro, who had
just arrived at a bus station in Seattle and now sees himself confronted with a drastically
changed and diverse Japanese American community. By telling the story from Ichiro’s
perspective, Okada thereby convinces his audience with an authentic depiction of “a
quest for self-identity under extreme circumstances” (Huang, 2006: 152) in this fragmented
and torn segment of society.
Like his protagonist, Okada himself was an American-born son of Japanese immigrants,
a so-called Nisei, and therefore also got evacuated from his hometown Seattle
during the war years. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Okada was in his
mid-twenties and, unlike Ichiro in the novel, volunteered in the US Air Force, only to
get discharged again directly after the war, in 1946 (see Huang, 2006: 152). Okada
therefore can be rated a prime source for rendering a Japanese-American community in
Seattle which on the one hand “struggles with and seeks to recover from the disruptive
effects of the internment” (Cheung & Peterson 195), and on the other hand has to deal
with the repercussions of a more or less forced recruitment. Moreover, during the progress
of his book, Okada confronts the topic of racism and segregation in the United
States with his “painful, powerful, and nuanced messages” (Huang, 2009: 768) – some
of which the United States of the 1950s were not yet ready for. [...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Historical Background of the Novel
- 3. The Selected Nisei Characters
- 3.1 Minor Characters
- 3.1.1 The Realist: Gary
- 3.1.2 The Traitor: Taro Yamada
- 3.1.3 The Impostor: Eto Minato
- 3.1.4 The Loudmouth: Bull
- 3.1.5 The Daredevil: Freddie
- 3.2 Major Characters
- 3.2.1 The Son of America: Kenji Kanno
- 3.2.2 The Contemplator: Ichiro Yamada
- 3.1 Minor Characters
- 4. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The main objective of this analysis is to examine the concept of failure as represented by the Nisei characters in John Okada's No-No Boy. It seeks to explore how the historical context of Japanese American internment during World War II shaped the lives and experiences of these characters, leading to a sense of pervasive failure in achieving their goals and aspirations.
- The impact of Japanese American internment on individual identity and community relations.
- The concept of failure and its diverse manifestations among Nisei characters.
- Exploration of themes of racism, prejudice, and social injustice.
- The struggle for self-identity and belonging within a discriminatory society.
- The lasting psychological and social effects of war and internment.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis of John Okada's No-No Boy, focusing on the paradoxical situation of veterans who survived war but faced the consequences of refusing the draft. It introduces Ichiro, the central character, whose journey of self-discovery in a fractured Japanese American community forms the core of the novel. The chapter establishes the author's own Nisei background and the novel's significance as a pioneering work exploring the individual and community's relationship with racial politics. The author's personal experiences with the internment and his subsequent discharge from the Air Force are presented as background for his compelling narrative.
2. Historical Background of the Novel: This chapter provides crucial historical context for understanding the lives of the Nisei characters in No-No Boy. It details the anti-Japanese sentiment prevalent in the United States, escalating after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The chapter emphasizes the government's response – the internment of Japanese Americans – as a form of ethnic cleansing, violating constitutional rights and ignoring individual citizenship statuses. The chapter highlights the discriminatory nature of the internment process and quotes government officials to underscore the prejudice and fear that fueled this unjust action, establishing the oppressive environment the Nisei characters navigated.
Frequently Asked Questions: No-No Boy Analysis
What is this HTML document about?
This HTML document provides a structured overview of an academic analysis of John Okada's novel, No-No Boy. It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords, offering a comprehensive preview of the complete analysis.
What is the main focus of the analysis?
The analysis focuses on the concept of failure as experienced by the Nisei characters in No-No Boy, examining how the historical context of Japanese American internment during World War II shaped their lives and led to a sense of pervasive failure in achieving their goals.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
Key themes explored include the impact of Japanese American internment on individual identity and community relations; the diverse manifestations of failure among Nisei characters; racism, prejudice, and social injustice; the struggle for self-identity and belonging; and the lasting psychological and social effects of war and internment.
What is the structure of the analysis as shown in the preview?
The analysis is structured into chapters: an introduction setting the stage and introducing the protagonist, Ichiro; a chapter providing historical context on the anti-Japanese sentiment and internment; a chapter focusing on Nisei characters, categorized into major and minor characters with individual descriptions; and a conclusion (not detailed in this preview).
Who are some of the key Nisei characters discussed?
The preview highlights both major and minor Nisei characters. Major characters include Kenji Kanno ("The Son of America") and Ichiro Yamada ("The Contemplator"). Minor characters include Gary ("The Realist"), Taro Yamada ("The Traitor"), Eto Minato ("The Impostor"), Bull ("The Loudmouth"), and Freddie ("The Daredevil").
What is the significance of the novel No-No Boy according to the preview?
The preview emphasizes the novel's significance as a pioneering work exploring the individual and community's relationship with racial politics in the context of Japanese American internment. It highlights the author's own Nisei background and personal experiences as contributing to the compelling narrative.
What historical context is provided in the analysis?
The analysis provides details on the anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States escalating after Pearl Harbor, focusing on the government's response: the internment of Japanese Americans. It emphasizes the discriminatory nature of the internment and its violation of constitutional rights.
What is covered in the introductory chapter?
The introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis, focusing on the paradoxical situation of veterans who survived war but faced consequences for refusing the draft. It introduces Ichiro, the central character, and establishes the author's background and the novel's significance.
What is covered in the chapter on the historical background?
This chapter provides crucial historical context by detailing anti-Japanese sentiment, the internment of Japanese Americans, and the discriminatory nature of the internment process, underscoring the oppressive environment the Nisei characters navigated.
- Quote paper
- Michael Burger (Author), 2009, The Concept of Failure Represented by the Nisei Characters in John Okada’s 'No-No Boy', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/142139
