Weedflower

Weedflower
Written by Cynthia Kadohata

What would it feel like if you and your family were taken away from your home and placed in a building that looked suitable for horses? Would you be angry? Confused? Lonely? This book is about a Japanese-American family during World War 2. Sumiko lived on a flower farm with her brother, Tak Tak, her Aunt and Uncle, her cousins, Bull and Ichiro, and her grandfather, Jiichan. They all worked hard to keep the farm running and to make a living. Sumiko went to school during the day. Her school however was not the one that is mostly Japanese children; it had mostly white. She felt like she did not belong at all. Being a military child, I know what it feels like to be the odd person in the room, that no one really knows. I know about feeling like all eyes are on you, or it is like no one sees you at all. The way she was treated by her classmates and her classmates' parents was really hurtful. I could not imagine turning a child away from a birthday party just because they were of a different nationality. It shows the stereotypical view of Americans and how the white culture should be dominate, while the other nationalities are just savages and not civilized peoples. This kind of fearful stereotyping of Japanese people increased dramatically after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While reading, I could see that even though Americans were "afraid" of the Japanese, the Japanese people were better treated in some cases than the African American or the Native Americans. Internment camps were set up for the Japanese. Some were put onto Indian reservations. In the story, the Japanese people create their own sort of home. I really admire they sense of "Shikata ga nai," (It cannot be helped). Even through the worst conditions they made the best of it. If that were me, I do not think I would look at it in the same light. Bravery, courage, and friendship are important aspects in the book. Sumiko learns what a true friend feels like, while she her self is learning who she is as a person. I really enjoyed this book and it opened my eyes to something I did not even know happened in the country I have lived in my whole life.