Farewell
to Manzanar
By Armando Ortiz
The book Farewell to Manzanar details the life of
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, before, during and after World War Two. The book
tells the story of her family that lived at the Manzanar War Relocation Center,
which is located in Manzanar, California and the different modes of
socialization that shaped her life; from family, religion, media and the people
she met at camp. It is also about her life as an American that despite being
U.S. citizen she was treated differently, and regardless of all the barriers
that were confronted, hopes and dreams, as well as independence were nurtured
in her family.
I was
surprised to find out how quickly Japanese-Americans became targets soon after
the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the haste with which they were relocated to
camps. People took advantage of them by paying pennies for the valuables and
property that they owned. Nonetheless, the narrative shed some light into the manner in
which people cope with tough circumstances. At Manzanar, a community formed and
people adapted to their new environment and made the land theirs, for example a
lot of the bungalows started to have small stone monuments in front of every
entrance, and the community built a small park to have normality in their
lives.
Jeanne’s father was authoritarian and influenced her life and
though as time passed she lost respect for him, his disposition in conjunction with
an adventurous spirit and independent mind were aspects of his character that
greatly socialized her. Having taken the risk of moving to America, and
spending time in places like Idaho and Washington made him a man with a full
life experience. There is a point in the story where she tells of the time she
wanted to convert to Catholicism and he tells her that she was not old enough
to think for herself, thus stopping the conversion process. Jeanne describes an
instance where Mr. Wakatsuki and her brother, Woody, had a long discussion on
the rational and moral consequences of becoming a soldier for the United States.
Eventually, Woody, joined the Army and went on to fight in Europe. It was through
such examples of giving his children feedback that Jeanne and Woody were raised
to think for themselves independently. 
While growing up in Inglewood, her access to Japanese
culture was limited, but at Manzanar she came to discover socio-cultural similarities
between the community that developed there with its traces of Japanese culture,
and the American culture she knew outside of camp. At camp, she learned about
Japanese traditional dancing, and was exposed to Japanese aesthetics and
symbols, like rock gardening. This was well illustrated when she explained the
connection between the Japanese National Anthem, also known as “Kimigayo,” and
the Japanese belief that even in a barren landscape, like a rock island, hope
can exist, which is symbolized by the moss that grows on the rock.
Religion was a socio-cultural force that she kept
experiencing throughout her stay at Manzanar. There catholic nuns offered
catechism classes to the community, and at one point she decides to convert to Catholicism
though she was too young to really understand the choices she was making.
Though not explicitly told, her experience at Manzanar accented certain aspects
of Japanese culture in her life. Towards the end of the book she states her
belief in spirits and ghost, as she explains the sense of respect and silence that
gripped her during a visit to Manzanar as an adult, solidifying her belief of
Shinto traditions.
Media and mainstream culture were prevalent throughout her
life and she connected more with Western and American culture than her Japanese
heritage. She knew the different actors in films, and had liked watching
television. Extracurricular activities like baseball, and ballet classes were
available. Though different forces passively and actively influencing her life,
slowly, and progressively an identity of individuality was being forged in
Jeanne.
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