Throughout the novel, Obasan, the author Joy Kogawa uses literacy devices such as motif and imagery to illustrate some of the major themes of the novel; importance of family, absence of family and it devastating impact, and silence and its devastating impact. Naomi Nakane, the protagonist, shares a great relationship with her mother, however, her mother’s sudden departure , and later on her death result a great confusion in Naomi’s life. Naomi suffers her whole life questioning, and struggling to find out what has happened to her mother, but the only response she is getting to her question is silence. Naomi’s family who keeps silence from her has their reasons too; to protect Naomi from getting hurt, but their silence only seems to hurt Naomi
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Naomi often uses imagery to describe her mother, and her relationship with her mother; “I am clinging to my mother’s let, a flesh shaft that grows from the ground, a tree trunk, which I am an offshoot — a young branch attached by right of flesh and blood” (77). In this quote, Naomi describes her mother as the tree, and herself as the branch of the tree, and this shows the strong attachment between Naomi and her mother, because a tree and its branches are always together, and part of each other. Naomi uses the words; blood and flesh, which emphasizes the undeniable biological relations between her and her mother as well. The quote also reveals how Naomi’s mother; the tree is the ultimate foundation of Naomi; the branch, and how Naomi greatly depends on her mother. “To travel with confidence down this route the most reliable map I am given is the example of my mother’s and Grandma’s alert and accurate knowing” (68). This is another quote where Naomi’s dependancy on her mother is evident. Naomi refers her mother as the most reliable map, that makes her feel safe and confident, which are not the usual senses of feeling s that Naomi encounters. Throughout the novel, Obasan, it is clear that Naomi truly loves, trusts, and depends on her mother, and that her mother has a great impact on her …show more content…
“Listening and listening to silent earth and the silent sky as I have done all my life” (288). In Naomi's whole life, she strives to find the answers to questions about her family, and specifically her mother, who has a significant impact on her. However, no one shows any kind of response to Naomi’s endeavour to find the truths. The continuous silence of her family leads Naomi to feel heavy with worries and frustrations, and eventually, it influences her to have the negative personalities she has now; confused, hopeless, and fragile. Although Naomi’s family decides to keep silence to protect Naomi from getting hurt from knowing the truth, their silence only makes Naomi suffer more. Throughout the novel, Obasan, it is evident that Naomi suffers from the silence of her family since from a young age, and how silence has a devastating impact on her emotional, and psychological growth. Some questions must be answered even if the truth may hurt, especially when it is about something that has a great impact on the person seeking for the answer. Silence will not make the truth less hurtful, but only cause more agony by making the person anxiously and hopelessly endeavour to find the answers solely on his or her
Naomi often uses imagery to describe her mother, and her relationship with her mother; “I am clinging to my mother’s let, a flesh shaft that grows from the ground, a tree trunk, which I am an offshoot — a young branch attached by right of flesh and blood” (77). In this quote, Naomi describes her mother as the tree, and herself as the branch of the tree, and this shows the strong attachment between Naomi and her mother, because a tree and its branches are always together, and part of each other. Naomi uses the words; blood and flesh, which emphasizes the undeniable biological relations between her and her mother as well. The quote also reveals how Naomi’s mother; the tree is the ultimate foundation of Naomi; the branch, and how Naomi greatly depends on her mother. “To travel with confidence down this route the most reliable map I am given is the example of my mother’s and Grandma’s alert and accurate knowing” (68). This is another quote where Naomi’s dependancy on her mother is evident. Naomi refers her mother as the most reliable map, that makes her feel safe and confident, which are not the usual senses of feeling s that Naomi encounters. Throughout the novel, Obasan, it is clear that Naomi truly loves, trusts, and depends on her mother, and that her mother has a great impact on her …show more content…
“Listening and listening to silent earth and the silent sky as I have done all my life” (288). In Naomi's whole life, she strives to find the answers to questions about her family, and specifically her mother, who has a significant impact on her. However, no one shows any kind of response to Naomi’s endeavour to find the truths. The continuous silence of her family leads Naomi to feel heavy with worries and frustrations, and eventually, it influences her to have the negative personalities she has now; confused, hopeless, and fragile. Although Naomi’s family decides to keep silence to protect Naomi from getting hurt from knowing the truth, their silence only makes Naomi suffer more. Throughout the novel, Obasan, it is evident that Naomi suffers from the silence of her family since from a young age, and how silence has a devastating impact on her emotional, and psychological growth. Some questions must be answered even if the truth may hurt, especially when it is about something that has a great impact on the person seeking for the answer. Silence will not make the truth less hurtful, but only cause more agony by making the person anxiously and hopelessly endeavour to find the answers solely on his or her