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Balboa "discovered" the Pacific Ocean which prompted European exploration along the west coast of North America. (historylink.org). “San Piedro was an island..named by lost Spaniards who moored offshore..They’d sailed in search of the Northwest Passage, as many Spaniards did in those days”(Guterson 5). Guterson sets the stage so the reader can understand its demographics which will be crucial later on in the story. Image: historylink.org -
Native Americans in the Puget Sound region had built intricate economic, social, and cultural formations (historylink.org). In describing the founding of San Piedro Island David Guterson says that the Spanish settlers “were murdered almost immediately upon setting foot on the beach by a party of Nookta” (Guterson 5). This is ironic because the Native Americans would be the ones getting murdered by the European settlers. Image source: kirklandreporter.com -
The Alien Land Laws were laws that prohibited all Japanese immigrants from being able to own land. The goal was to limit their rights and limit their presence starting in 1913 through 1945 (washington.edu). “…they couldn’t really own land anyway. They were from Japan, both of them born there, and there was a law… that prevented them” (Guterson 121). Guterson uses the dialogue between Etta and Alvin to explain how unfair and prejudiced the law was. Image: depts.washington.edu -
The “Dear John Letter” was common during the Second World War. Each letter was written by a woman, relaying that the relationship was over (1940s.org). “Dear Ishmael …I don’t love you…I am not yours anymore…'' (Guterson 353-354). The use of a Dear John Letter emphasizes the love triangle in Guterson’s story. It’s clear that she plans on leaving things between her and Ishmael in the past, and moving on with her life without Ishmael in the picture. Image: (nationalww2museum.org) -
Following Pearl Harbor, Americans started being fed racist propaganda of Japanese people being a dangerous non-human enemy (ohiohistory.org). Ismael talks with his mother about the propaganda in the military, “They wanted us to be able to kill them with no remorse, to make them less than people” (Guterson 344-345). Guterson uses the dialogue between Ismael and his mother to highlight the extreme prejudice and racism that is in the minds of the jury in Kabuo’s trial. Image: ricorl.com -
December 7, 1941, was the aerial attack made by the Japanese navy on Pearl Harbor (archives.gov). “Ron Lamberson had a newspaper…‘Here’s the deal,’ ...‘The Japanese are attacking all over the place, not just Pearl Harbor. They’re making raids all over the Pacific Ocean…And they’re arresting Jap traitors in Hawaii and other places–the FBI’s on it…’” (Guterson 179). Guterson uses an allegory to show the discrimination against the Japanese within San Piedro. Image: (libraryofcongress.gov) -
Anyone of Japanese descent was forcefully relocated to internment camps in California due to fears of national security (archives.gov). Hatsue’s mother reflects back to when they were taken to an internment camp in California. “They were herded onto buses… to a place called Manzanar…see the barbed wire and the rows of dark barracks… ”(Guterson 218). Imagery allows you to be in the shoes of the Japanese people in describing the horrible conditions of the camps. Image: militaryhistorynow.com -
The Battle of Tarawa was the first battle in the Pacific that the U.S. had fought. Marines took a hold of the island after brutal 3 days of combat (history.com).. “...his company was assembled on the top deck and told that they were moving toward Tarawa atoll…a strongly defended island” (Guterson 236). Imagery is used to give a sense of the dangerous battle Ishmael and his fleet were about to embark on.
Image: wusa9.com -
The Battle of Okinawa was the last major battle of World War II in which 180,000 US Army and Marine Corps forces converged on Okinawa, a Pacific island, for a final assault against Japan. “ Carl… had served as a gunner in the U.S.S. Canton, which went down during the invasion of Okinawa. He'd survived the war--other island boys hadn't…” (Guterson 15). Guterson uses irony because Carl survived a shipwreck on the U.S.S Canton but he is found dead in his boat’s fishing net. Image: history.com -
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial, also known as the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the resting place of 1,102 sailors and Marines killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. “He is counting on you to act on passions best left to a war of 10 years ago” (Guterson 417) Dialogue is used to express how the racism of Japanese people is still being felt from a war that happened 10 years ago which has no place in a jury. Image:cnn.com