The Racial Discrimination Seen Through Obasan

Racial Discrimination Present in Joy Kogawa’s Obasan
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by: Natasha T. Discrimination is the unfair difference in treatment of people based on gender, race, disability, or religion. Being discriminated against is very hurtful, which is seen through Joy Kogawa’s Obasan. During World War II, the Japanese Canadians face racial discrimination, like Naomi and her family. Stephen faced several incidence of racial discrimination which leads him to hate himself and his race, Aunt Emily has been more motivated to fight for rights. Naomi learns about her past through the racism she faced. Moreover, the book Obasan exemplifies how racial prejudice against people can deeply penetrate, change one’s lifestyle, and outlook to life. Indeed, Stephen faces a lot of racial discrimination during his childhood which has affected him. He endures enough racial discrimination to make him obtain a negative outlook towards his heritage. This is seen through several incidents in the book. For instance, when Stephen is given the Yellow Peril board game, he expresses how downgrading it is to be a yellow pawn, Japanese. “To be yellow in the Yellow Peril game is to be weak and small. Yellow is to be chicken. I am not yellow” (pg.165). This quotation exemplifies how Stephen is not proud of being Japanese or appearing as an Asian. Furthermore, Stephen is picked on a lot by school peers which results in him being very cold. One day he comes home from school with his glasses broken. A peer tells him, “All the Jap kids at school are going to be sent away and they’re bad and you’re a Jap (pg. 75).” Those words hurt Stephen. Moreover, those words have obviously been picked up from the child’s parents. Also, this shows how children soak up words from their parents and become brainwashed. The exposure of children to racism is tormenting. Furthermore, Stephen starts to separate himself from his race. Stephen tries to cut off his Japanese relation by all means. This is seen in Obasan, “He grunts as Obasan tries to help him with it. Stephen has made himself slowly but surely unfamiliar with speaking Japanese (pg. 55)." This quotation demonstrates how Stephen, at a young age is slowing cutting of his relation to his ethnic background. This leads to a conclusion that, he is the type who ‘runs away’ from his problems. Not only does Stephan turn away his cultural heritage, he runs away from his his family too. On the contrary, Aunt Emily has the opposite effect from Stephen. She becomes more motivated by the torture, the Canadian Japanese and herself have to endure. From the conference she attends in California, she shows all of her seminar notes on the persecution of Japanese people to Naomi. "What a conference! Naomi you should have been their. There was so much to learn" (pg.33). This quote illustrates how Aunt Emily is motivated to act against the racial prejudice! She wants to fight for what she believes in. Further, the relocation of the Japanese Canadians has impacted Aunt Emily, “But for all we hear about the states, Canada 's capacity for racism seems worse... their property wasn 't liquidated as ours was (pg.33)!" This quote highlights Aunt Emily feelings toward racial discrimination displayed in both US and Canada. She claims that the United States of America are less racist than Canada. Furthermore, the letters that Aunt Emily provides is not only her past, but the history of Japanese Canadians during World War II. Naomi has noted that, “every time the worlds “Japanese race” appears in the news articles or in pamphlets, Aunt Emily has crossed them out and written “Canadian citizens” (pg. 43). This quotation exemplifies how Aunt Emily feels towards the racial prejudice. The Japanese Canadians are treated as the enemy and not treated as fair Canadians. Also, she is a source a documentation, which helps Naomi understand her past. Thus, Aunt Emily is the opposite of Stephen, she will not be silent, and she will demand that justice be served. Additionally, the events of World War Two also had affects on Naomi. As a girl, Naomi suffered serious traumas: racial prejudice and sexual molestation. She was also ridiculed and faced racism nearly everywhere. “We are the despised tendered voiceless, stripped of car, radio, camera, and every means of communication. (pg. 132)” This quotation exemplifies how Naomi, a Japanese Canadians face cruel racial discrimination. Also, she is teased at school based on her oriental features. However, she endures and copes with the hardship in silence, a typical Japanese behavior. Instead of voicing anger at the defeater, she seals their lips in shame which is taught from Obasan. Moreover, Naomi is influenced by her aunts view points during the traumatic experience she faces during the war. Obasan believe that the past should be left in the past rather than be spoken about. On the other side of the spectrum, we see Aunt Emily who believes by endlessly reconsidering history’s wrong, she ensures that they never happen again and seek justice. Naomi on the other hand, falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, not knowing where she belongs. Additionally, even after the war, when Naomi is in her thirties, racism still exists. “That’s the one sure-fire question I always get from strangers. People always assume when they meet me that I am a foreigner. (pg.7)” The quotation highlights how ignorant minded some people are, even after the war. Hence, her strong beliefs will allows her to overcome the hardship and realize her past will construct her future. In retrospect, Obasan by Joy Kogawa captures the essence of the characters pain enduring such discrimination, with an innocent child’s perspective and mature adult who has already been victimized. Over all the affects of racial prejudice against members in this family has an adverse affect of all the members. Stephen is been taught to hate himself and his race, Aunt Emily is more motivated to fight for her cause, and Naomi is forced to choose a life style that is different. Thus, strong beliefs and having faith can be a powerful weapon against hopeless odds and immense hardships.
Work Cited
Kogawa, Joy. Obasan. Toronto: Penguin Group, 1981. Print.

Cited: Kogawa, Joy. Obasan. Toronto: Penguin Group, 1981. Print.