Exploring the world of "No No Boy"
No-No Boy is a novel written by John Okada, a second-generation Japanese-American who lived in the United States during the Pacific War. He died in 1971 at the age of 47, and this is his only work. From the perspective of a Japanese-American who experienced the war, Okada explores a variety of themes, including identity, family, nation, race, and the individual. We will explore the world of this novel, which is still read today, and its appeal and significance.
Stories from this series
Chapter 13: Letters from Japan
July 22, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
Even after the war ended, Ichiro Yamada's mother still couldn't believe that Japan had lost. Ichiro was angry at her stubbornness and fanaticism, and at the same time, he was angry at his father's attitude of not correcting his mother's mistakes and instead keeping his distance from her. In the fifth chapter, we see my father urging my mother to come to her senses for the first time. My mother had received heartbreaking letters from her sister and relatives living …
Episode 12, Chapter 4: Meeting Emi with a Broken Heart
July 8, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
A positive attitude and a good heart In the fourth chapter, following the introduction of Kenji, a friend of the protagonist Ichiro who lost a leg in battle, the author introduces a striking woman, Emi, who is also Japanese, young and attractive, but also carries emotional scars. Emi is married to Ralph, who is also of Japanese descent, but even after the war ended, her husband Ralph refused to return to America, serving in the military in Europe, because he …
Episode 11, Chapter 3: Reunion with a friend who lost a leg
June 24, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
Author John Okada portrays the inner conflict of the protagonist Ichiro while at the same time making the reader think about various problems in human society. The conflict arises from his interactions with the people he comes into contact with, including his family. Among these characters, the presence of Kenji, a friend who appears in this chapter, is very significant and important to the story. I visited the university where I once studied... In the previous chapter, Ichiro meets his …
Episode 10, Chapter 2: Reunion with a friend in the same situation
June 10, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
After serving two years in prison, Ichiro returns to his home in Seattle. However, his return home is not a relaxing one, and he feels the cold stares of those who did not go to war. Meanwhile, his hatred for his mother, who believes that Japan had not lost, grows, and he is tormented by the question of why he could not turn his back on his mother and Japan. Insanity and hatred towards my mother explode In the second …
Episode 9: Chapter 1: The War Ends, From Prison to Hometown
May 27, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
The first chapter of "No-No Boy," which consists of eleven chapters, begins with the protagonist Ichiro Yamada returning to his hometown of Seattle after being released from prison after the war. He refused to be drafted and served two years in prison, and he reunites with his family while carrying the weight of those two years on his shoulders. In the process, the author first brings to light the essence of the protagonist's problems. Even though he did it of …
Episode 8: Ripples from Pearl Harbor – Reading from the Preface
May 13, 2016 • Ryusuke Kawai
It has been announced that US President Obama will visit Hiroshima. How will Japanese Americans, who found themselves in a complicated position following the outbreak of war between Japan and the US, react to this announcement? Looking back, we can remember how many Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps after the war began. Many of them went on to serve in the U.S. military. There were a few who refused to pledge allegiance to America. The lives and hearts …
