December 7, 1941 is a date that the Wakatsuki family would never forget. On that day in history the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaiian territory. Thousands of
Japanese-American families were affected by this assault on the United States as they were moved by the U.S. government to internment camps across America. Manzanar, California is one these infamous camps and is the place that the Wakatsuki family was relocated to during World War II. In Farewell to Manzanar Jeanne, the youngest of the Wakatsuki family, writes about her experiences and the effects it had not only on herself, but on her family from when they first stepped into the camp and until they passed away.
The effects of Manzanar are everlasting for Jeanne and …show more content…
She came into the camp at a young age and was unaware of what was actually going on around her in the outside world. Jeanne was somewhat thankful for her time spent in Manzanar. If she had not been sent there, she would not have gotten involved with “American” type activities such as baton twirling or glee club ( Houston, 94-95). In Manzanar Jeanne is also introduced to catechism and begins to fantasize the idea of being baptized. This idea is not received well by her father and causes another argument in the family. At Manzanar is where Jeanne began to not look up to her father as much for approval, but rather doing what she believed was right for …show more content…
The age difference between Jeanne and other Japanese people living in the camp helps determine how they felt about what happened in the camps. Her imagination and innocence could also have altered her memories of what occured during her time in Manzanar. She did not fully understand the reasons why she and others were being sent there to live. Jeanne only knew a little about what was going on in the outside world. Like other children there she also had activities to keep her preoccupied such as going to church, ballet classes, and school, whereas adults were preoccupied with worries about being deported, making money, and what they were going to do when the war was over with. So her account of Manzanar is not technically inaccurate, but for other Japanese Americans their experiences and time in the camp were much different from
Japanese-American families were affected by this assault on the United States as they were moved by the U.S. government to internment camps across America. Manzanar, California is one these infamous camps and is the place that the Wakatsuki family was relocated to during World War II. In Farewell to Manzanar Jeanne, the youngest of the Wakatsuki family, writes about her experiences and the effects it had not only on herself, but on her family from when they first stepped into the camp and until they passed away.
The effects of Manzanar are everlasting for Jeanne and …show more content…
She came into the camp at a young age and was unaware of what was actually going on around her in the outside world. Jeanne was somewhat thankful for her time spent in Manzanar. If she had not been sent there, she would not have gotten involved with “American” type activities such as baton twirling or glee club ( Houston, 94-95). In Manzanar Jeanne is also introduced to catechism and begins to fantasize the idea of being baptized. This idea is not received well by her father and causes another argument in the family. At Manzanar is where Jeanne began to not look up to her father as much for approval, but rather doing what she believed was right for …show more content…
The age difference between Jeanne and other Japanese people living in the camp helps determine how they felt about what happened in the camps. Her imagination and innocence could also have altered her memories of what occured during her time in Manzanar. She did not fully understand the reasons why she and others were being sent there to live. Jeanne only knew a little about what was going on in the outside world. Like other children there she also had activities to keep her preoccupied such as going to church, ballet classes, and school, whereas adults were preoccupied with worries about being deported, making money, and what they were going to do when the war was over with. So her account of Manzanar is not technically inaccurate, but for other Japanese Americans their experiences and time in the camp were much different from