Prejudice And Discrimination In Snow Falling On Cedars
How does Guterson present the prejudice and discrimination against the Japanese Americans in chapter 1-15 of Snow Falling on Cedars.
This book shows a great difference between cultures on the island of San Piedro. To start with the island is a very cosmopolitan island with its residents all from different backgrounds and countries, Japan, England, Germany, Spain and Denmark to name a few. We can tell this from the long lists of shops and their owners on page three.
Chapter one tells us more about San Piedro. It tells us of the great beauty of the island. The "solitary fields and vales of alfalfa", "careless roads" and the animals. It also tells us more about the residents. It says that they are close knit, a lot are deeply religious, they are respectful and are of limited means. The island in very quiet and so the trial is a very big event for them, "San Piedro generally lay clear of violence". They also seem serious minded and conservative and traditional in their way of thinking.
With the story being set after the Second World War and the bombing of Pearl Harbour the people of Japanese origin are experiencing the most discrimination on the island. In chapter four there is a scene with the fishermen at Amity Harbour. When they are talking about the accused man - Kabuo Miyamoto - also a fisherman, Dale Middleton referred to him as Miyamoto, not his first name. He then goes on to call all Japanese "suckers" and says "Never could tell them guys apart". The term "Jap" is used throughout the book to refer to the Japanese. This is very insulting and sounds quite racist and rude. The first time this is used is by fellow fisherman William Gjovaag. This is the first real indicator in the book of the Japanese status on the island.
Ishmael Chambers is the islands reporter and he is of Irish and Scottish descent. His function in the book is to be the person who experiences an inter-cultural relationship with a Japanese American girl. He isn't a racist and his job as
This book shows a great difference between cultures on the island of San Piedro. To start with the island is a very cosmopolitan island with its residents all from different backgrounds and countries, Japan, England, Germany, Spain and Denmark to name a few. We can tell this from the long lists of shops and their owners on page three.
Chapter one tells us more about San Piedro. It tells us of the great beauty of the island. The "solitary fields and vales of alfalfa", "careless roads" and the animals. It also tells us more about the residents. It says that they are close knit, a lot are deeply religious, they are respectful and are of limited means. The island in very quiet and so the trial is a very big event for them, "San Piedro generally lay clear of violence". They also seem serious minded and conservative and traditional in their way of thinking.
With the story being set after the Second World War and the bombing of Pearl Harbour the people of Japanese origin are experiencing the most discrimination on the island. In chapter four there is a scene with the fishermen at Amity Harbour. When they are talking about the accused man - Kabuo Miyamoto - also a fisherman, Dale Middleton referred to him as Miyamoto, not his first name. He then goes on to call all Japanese "suckers" and says "Never could tell them guys apart". The term "Jap" is used throughout the book to refer to the Japanese. This is very insulting and sounds quite racist and rude. The first time this is used is by fellow fisherman William Gjovaag. This is the first real indicator in the book of the Japanese status on the island.
Ishmael Chambers is the islands reporter and he is of Irish and Scottish descent. His function in the book is to be the person who experiences an inter-cultural relationship with a Japanese American girl. He isn't a racist and his job as