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When The Emperor Was Divine Essay

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When The Emperor Was Divine Essay
Imagine having to adapt to an entirely new culture, already starting at a disadvantage of being misjudged. In Julie Otsuka’s When The Emperor Was Divine, the boundaries of culture and identity are tested as a Japanese immigrant family try to find their way through being viewed as the enemy of America in their own backyards. Cultural diffusion can lead to a loss of identity and change in moral compass.
Through When the Emperor was Divine, the Japanese are viewed as the enemy which eventually changes even their own minds into believing so. The main way the Japanese were identified with hatred was by their physical appearances. “We looked at ourselves in the mirror and did not like what we saw: black hair, yellow skin, slanted eyes. The cruel face of the enemy. We were guilty” (120). What use to …show more content…
As Jin thought that his new identity was bring him fortune, his false solitude could not last forever. In the novel American Born Chinese, Danny breaks down during the end of the novel as he turns back into his true identity of a Chinese boy. Throughout the novel, Danny experiences a lot of chaos and unhappiness. His transformation back into a Chinese boy represents him letting go of his false identity by accepting and embracing who he really is. Stated in the novel, Jin and his friend Wei-Chen got into a disagreement over a girl that was not yet resolved when Jin tried to kiss Wei-Chen’s girlfriend. Based off of the argument that took place, Wei-Chen agreed that Jin has lost himself in his new identity that had become unrecognizable. After Danny’s transformation back into Jin, Danny’s Chinese personality, his problems suddenly started to fade away. The earlier disputes in Jin’s life were resolved with the truth bringing him the happiness that he once experienced before he was discriminated against for being who he is. Jin found that by embracing one’s true identity, one’s true morals can be
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