Manzanar Scrapbook

Manzanar Memoirs Yellum p. 4

-PEARL HARBOR NEWSPAPER- On december 7, 1941 Japanese planes bombed Pearl harbor, which is located in the hawaiian island of oahu. Over 20 american ships and 300 airplanes were destroyed, 2,500 soldiers found dead, and 1,000 were wounded. This is very important in the book because this is one of the big turning points, especially to the japanese. The bombing of Pearl Harbor led to hardships for the Japanese. It led to paranoia of impending war which brought discrimination towards japanese. Everything fed into the eventual Chapter 1 internment of all Japanese on the West Coast beginning in early 1942.

“That night Papa burned the flag he had Chapter 1, pg. 5 brought with him from Hiroshima thirty-five years earlier. It was such a beautiful piece of material, I couldn’t believe he was doing that” (5). This beautiful piece of material meant so much more than its beauty. The burning of Papa’s homeland flag was an act that symbolized the biggest horror of this time. It meant the tears dropped as you burn Papa’s Japanese Flag something that represented your home, pride, ancestors: your whole culture. It meant losing control over who you side with, losing identity, loyalty.

Mama’s China During the time the Wakatsuki Family was getting ready to move out of Terminal Island to Boyle Heights there was a man that came into their house asking for their porcelain set. He offered Jeanne’s mom $15, but her mom wouldn’t take it because the fine China was worth so much more, especially to her. Rather than giving it away for such a low price she ended up breaking it. Her action towards the situation is very crucial because it shows how strong Mama is. Mama breaking her own China demonstrates that she’d rather destroy her own precious items than to give it away to an Chapter 2, pg. 11 someone unworthy.

Executive Order 9066 Executive Order 9066 was a United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by the United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 authorizing the Secretary of War to Chapter 2, pg. 11 prescribe certain areas as military zones, clearing the way for the deportation of Japanese Americans.

Mama had bought Jeanne and her siblings new winter The coats before going to the camps. She grew up in eastern Washington and knew that it would get very cold in early Coats April. The coats show Mama’s knowledge of climates despite not knowing where they’d end up. They resemble warmth as the Wakatsukis delve into the cold unknown. Chapter 2 pg 13

Chapter 2, pg 13 Each Japanese American that got sent to an Internment Camp had to wear a “luggage tag” on themselves and on their luggage as well. The tag they had to wear was actually a number tag, so the American Government could keep track of all of them. The luggage tag showed how the Japanese were just labels. That they were nothing more than their nationality, disloyalty, and a number on their tag. Luggage Tag

Papa’s cane was self-carved and polished back In North Dakota. Its significance lies in its imagery. Papa arrived back at Manzanar with a newly brandished cane. The cane represents Papa’s pains from Fort Lincoln as well as pains Chapter 5, pg. 32 from Manzanar. Fort Lincoln hurt him, not physically, but mentally, causing him to wield the cane. His pain from Manzanar, shame, caused Papa to become an abusive, antisocial, alcoholic. It was then that the cane morphed into a samurai sword. The “sad, homemade version of the samurai sword his great-great-grandfather carried in the land of Hiroshima,” resembles to end of Papa’s life. The ending of his life, not by death, but by the loss of his chance at succeeding life. The cane can also be seen as Papa’s source of power. Without it, he is vulnerable and feeble, or, in other words powerless. With the cane, Papa wields it as his source of tyranny over his family.

This is a newspaper from 1942. Papa had a trait that people would love to have. He was able to read and speak in English and Japanese. Since he was in America, it was was helpful to be able to read Japanese writing because if there was something the Americans didn’t want the Japanese to read, Papa would be one of the few able to translate it for the fellow Isseis. The newspaper made Papa feel proud. Papa’s Newspaper Chapter 6, pg. 42

The Loyalty Oath caused an uproar as it asked whether they were willing to fight for the U.S. and declare allegiance with the U.S., forswearing any previous allegiance they had with Japan. Papa and Woody debated long and hard about the true meaning of loyalty. It was difficult for Papa because if he checked 'no,' he would most likely be sent to Tule Lake and from there shipped back to Japan. If he were to check 'yes' (he did vote yes), that would mean pledging loyalty to the United States; the same country that accused him of delivering oil to the Japanese and possibly fighting his own countrymen if drafted. He voted 'yes' because he knew the United States was much stronger than Japan. Loyalty Chapter 11, pg. 59 Oath

Papa’s Examples of the rock gardens that Issei men would work on together, complete with flowers. This was a Rock way of connecting with tranquility and traditions, or just complete normality and reminding oneself of Garden reality. Chapter 12, pg. 71 “He hauled stones in off the desert and built a small rock garden outside our doorway… Near it he laid flat stepping stones leading to the stairs” (71). Jeanne remembers Papa working on their own beautiful garden, located right next to the new barracks that they had move into after a few years, since many men had gone to war. The building of these gardens was like a way of saying “shikata ga nai,” “it can’t be helped” (71). Instead of grumbling and waiting around for the war to be over so they could go back, they built gardens and took care of those gardens, representing their willingness to accept what was going on to them, this “slap in the face” (24).

Jeanne started taking baton twirling lessons in fourth grade. Her teacher was a chubby 14 year-old named Nancy. Jeanne learned all of her tricks from Nancy, and even participated in the school’s baton twirling club as well as contests. Mama also bought a baton from the Sears, Roebuck catalog since Jeanne had already had a passion in baton twirling. After Manzanar, Jeanne continued to baton twirl, even teaching her friend Radine all of her tricks. Eventually Jeanne got to become lead majorette of her high school. The recurring item is very important to Jeanne’s life. In only fourth grade, Jeanne had already taken up a passion in baton twirling. Her holding a baton and twirling it is symbolic to Jeanne holding her life in her hands. It represents how Jeanne is in control of her life and in control of all the obstacles in her way. The baton, like in track and field, also resembles the passing of passions. First from the teacher, Nancy, to Jeanne, and then from Jeanne to her best friend Radine. Chapter 13, pg. 79

The Manzanar Yearbook, published in 1945 along with the closing on Manzanar’s high schools in June of that The Manzanar Yearbook, published in 1945 along with the closing on Manzanar’s high schools in June of that year, was the high school’s second yearbook. In it summarized the accumulation of the years at camp as well as year, was the high school’s second yearbook. In it summarized the accumulation of the years at camp as well as captions quoting “From Our World . . . through these portals . . . to new horizons . . .” This important piece of captions quoting “From Our World . . . through these portals . . . to new horizons . . .” This important piece of memorabilia leads us to recall the events of Manzanar from beginning to end. Manzanar went from a divided memorabilia leads us to recall the events of Manzanar from beginning to end. Manzanar went from a divided and poorly built incarceration site to a prosperous community and the yearbook showcases that. Not only does and poorly built incarceration site to a prosperous community and the yearbook showcases that. Not only does the yearbook show that the Japanese made their own lives livable but that they made life enjoyable through the yearbook show that the Japanese made their own lives livable but that they made life enjoyable through schooling and recreational activities. schooling and recreational activities. Chapter 17, pg. 97

After Manzanar, Jeanne went to Long Beach Polytechnic High School and involved herself more in activities, partly because of wanting just normal acceptance and partly because of the racism she felt that made her want to show that not all Japanese were what stereotypes say they are. One of the most important event that happened during her senior year was being the first Oriental Carnival Queen. She had “decided to go exotic, with a flower- print sarong, black hair loose and a hibiscus flower behind [her] hair” (124). Later, she is announced queen, therefore demonstrating that beauty is found in everyone, no matter what race they come from. If only people had realized this before the camps, they would have been more understanding. Chapter 21, Jeanne also broke the stereotype; it’s not only blond, blue-eyed girls who pg. 130 can be successful and accepted, but all races, including Japanese. Jeanne’s Crown ← a flower-print sarong

+THE CEMETERY SHRINE+ While Jeanne, her husband, and her three children were visiting Manzanar they went out into the area where all the bodies were buried. All those people who died in Manzanar were buried near the obelisk shrine that read “A Memorial to the Dead.” Reminiscing about her mother’s death nearly 7 years prior she hears inaudible whispers around her. While walking in the cemetery, the whispers became low murmurs until they slowly faded away. The voices in Jeanne’s head show that there is a deeper connection between Jeanne and Manzanar. To the bottom left are some of the gravestones while the picture on the bottom right is the shrine that gives memory to those who have passed. This is very significant in the story because it is a remembrance to those who lost their life at Manzanar. Chapter 22, pg. 136

The Flagpole Chapter 22 pg 138 The flagpole circle was where the Circle American flag was hoisted every morning in the camp. It was built by Wada and Crew June, 1942 A.D. This is where all the Japanese in the camp had to gather every morning to watch the flag get put up. The flagpole circle shows a legacy. The inscription on it will live forever, engraved in stone. Jeanne knows this on her trip back to Manzanar. It recalls to her mind the man who engraved in there, and his voice joins the thousands of others swirling around Jeanne’s brain. It is significant because it shows that even though many died at Manzanar, the memory of them and the incarceration camp will not fade. Forever will it be engraved in that stone as a monument, forever in the novel Farewell to Manzanar, and forever as a legacy in history.

t a b l e 6 Claire Monahan Keila Ilusorio The Coats · Luggage Tags · The Flagpole Papa’s Flag · Papa’s Rock Garden · Jeanne’s Circle Crown Keanna Rabina Ryan Chao Pearl Harbor Newspaper · Mama’s China · Papa’s Cane · Jeanne’s Baton · Manzanar Cemetery Shrine Yearbook Taylor Pawlik Executive Order 9066 · Papa’s Newspaper · Loyalty Oath