Obasan

Obasan: Characters

Here is a look at the most important characters from Joy Kogawa's Obasan.

Naomi Nakane

The narrator and protagonist of the book, Naomi, is the literary stand-in for author Joy Kogawa. As a 36-year-old, Naomi prefers to avoid the past and feels it is morbid to dwell on her time in the internment camps. However, this staunch resistance to looking back masks her inability to cope with the trauma inflicted on her family during WWII. Despite the past, Naomi has forged a respectable living for herself as a dedicated middle school teacher. She prides herself on her ability to work hard and fit in.

Although Naomi is the novel's narrator, she reveals little about herself to the audience. This silence reflects a cultural and personal coping strategy that allows Naomi to function despite the past. Naomi is part of the family's Sansei, or third generation. Though she feels connected to her Japanese heritage, Naomi feels torn between her Canadian and Japanese identities.

Fig. 4 - Each generation of Naomi's family is classified by their connection to Japan. Naomi and her brother Stephen are part of the Sansei (third) generation.

Obasan Ayako Nakane

Obasan is Naomi's aunt and wife of the recently deceased Uncle. When Naomi and Stephen become separated from their parents during WWII, Obasan acts as a surrogate mother to the pair. She is tremendously generous and supportive and bears the burdens of life in the internment camp with patient silence.

Obasan was born in Japan and is part of the Issei, or first generation. She embodies a traditional Japanese approach to life, remaining stoic and silent in contemplation even in the face of massive trauma and hardship. Though this trait offers Obasan and the family a grew deal of strength, Naomi believes this silence has a damaging impact in the long run.

Aunt Emily

Unlike Obasan, Naomi's Aunt Emily is an outspoken woman of action who refuses to remain silent on the treatment of Japanese Canadians. Emily is a member of the Nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Canadians, but sees herself as wholly Canadian. Rather than practice the stoic silence of Obasan's generation, Emily becomes an activist for women's rights and is dedicated to exposing the truth about the internment camps. In the beginning, Naomi views Emily's quest as a pointless wallowing in the long-gone past, but as she comes to terms with her trauma, she recognizes the importance of breaking the silence of shame.

Obasan: Themes

Naomi's journey into the past raises many important questions about identity and the danger of memory.

Identity

Throughout the book, Naomi faces the struggle for identity on both a personal and group level. Her family is made up of people who were born in Canada of Japanese descent and Japanese people who emigrated to Canada. Those in the first group have a strong sense of Canadian identity and patriotism, while those born in Japan, the Issei, have a stronger connection to their homeland.

During the war, the family's divisions become less important as everyone is viewed with suspicion because of their connection to Japan. This traumatic experience is rooted in identity and has a different impact on the various members of the family. Naomi finds some sense of belonging within her community but not in her home country, while Stephen rejects his Japanese heritage and attempts to blend into White Canadian culture.

Fig. 5 - Naomi struggles to balance her Japanese heritage and Canadian identity.

Aunt Emily first sees herself as a Canadian and downplays the significance of her Japanese heritage. Uncle Sam and Obasan are traumatized by their treatment and become closed to their Japanese identity, refusing to partake in any Canadian customs. Ultimately, Kogawa shows that none of these identity approaches are healthy.

Memory and the Past

In the beginning, Naomi is hesitant to face the past. She believes it is healthier to live in the present and ignore the pain she worked hard to forget. Naomi views those who focus on history as weak; however, with her uncle's death, she is forced to face the painful memories caused by her family's time in the internment camp.

Many of the characters in Obasan have their method of dealing with the past. Naomi's relatives represent the two extremes. On one side, Obasan and Uncle Sam work hard to forget the past and focus instead on happier memories; on the other, Aunt Emily is a tireless campaigner for justice who believes everyone should face the past head-on.

Naomi's painful journey through the past reveals that it is essential to deal with the past and acknowledge suffering and trauma. On a personal level, Naomi can only make sense of herself and her identity when she faces the past. This reflects the broader need of society to face up to its past mistakes to avoid repeating them.

Obasan: Analysis

Although Joy Kogawa drew from her own experiences in an internment camp during WWII, the novel is not directly autobiographical.

While the events of Naomi's life are fictionalized, Kogawa draws from her experiences to paint a vivid picture of life for Japanese Canadians in the internment camps. The novel's themes reflect Kogawa's journey as, just like Naomi, she struggled with her identity as a Japanese Canadian for many years. The author also drew on her family for inspiration as the character of Obasan is based on Kogawa's mother. The writer's journey from denial to acceptance also reflects the journey of the Japanese Canadian community. The novel first appeared in 1981, just as the Japanese communities in Canada and America began to break their silence on the trauma they endured in WWII.

The idea of silence constantly reappears throughout the novel. Kogawa explores how silence can be both beneficial and unhealthy when people are faced with repression and trauma. As the Canadian government began implementing restrictive and discriminatory laws against Japanese Canadians, many within the community remained silent. They believed their acceptance was the best way to display their loyalty to the country. This reflects a broader cultural norm in Japanese culture. Naomi remembers her mother imploring her to remain silent as a sign of obedience and good behavior.

Fig. 6 - By the 1990s, many members of the Japanese Canadian community were ready to break the silence about their experiences during WWII.

This form of obedience is represented by Uncle and Obasan, who often do not speak out or dwell on the bad memories. Obasan shuts herself off from the world and remains silent to protect herself from racism and violence. While this silence sustains them through tough times, Kogawa shows that, in the end, it turns them to stone. She ends up walled off from the truth of their past and other people.

Most of the time, silence results in negative consequences. As a child, Naomi cannot share her experience of sexual abuse and suffers in silence. Stephen also retreats into silence as a coping mechanism. After she is disfigured in the bombing, Naomi's mother uses silence to shut herself off from her children.

Obasan: Quotes

In Obasan, Joy Kogawa draws on her personal experience to tell the story of the Nakane family. Here is a look at some meaningful quotes from the book.

Silence is both a strength and weakness to members of Naomi's family. While some draw on it as a means of protection, others see it as a way to avoid the real pain of their shared past. In the beginning, Naomi thinks that speaking out about history only serves to reopen old wounds.

Aunt Emily fiercely proclaims her identity as a Canadian and often completely ignores her Japanese heritage. Despite the racism and discrimination faced by her family, Aunt Emily still believes in Canada. She argues that everyone needs to be open and honest about the past.