Reflections on Obasan

After reading Obasan, I am glad that Chia-Chi and Christine chose this to be the last novel. I think this is the ideal novel to end the class because it ties in many themes of previous novels and class lectures. I was completely new to the historical context of Obasan. Before reading the novel, I heard of Japanese internment in the US, but I did not know that Japanese internment occurred in Canada. This last topic provoked a question. While reading Obasan, I asked myself, why are we reading about Japanese Canadians in an Asian American class?

I guess the answer to this question relates to the Wen Ho Lee case. Asians in non-Asian countries are seen as perpetual foreigners. Even Asians who are born in this country or in any other non-Asian country are continuously seen as outsiders. They are seen as outsiders because natives believe that Asians are more loyal to their ethnic country. Perhaps the most obvious explanation for the perception of Asians as perpetual foreigners, is the difference in appearance. Either way, if Asians are seen as perpetual foreigners, then they will never be accepted into the societies that they live in. Another issue addressed in Obasan, is racial profiling. All Japanese Canadians were seen as spies simply because they were Japanese. I guess we are reading about Asian Canadians in an Asian American class to be aware that mistreatment of Asians can occur anywhere.

A dialogue between Aunt Emily and Naomi was strikingly interesting to me. Aunt Emily points out that Germans can kill and relocate people because Germany is an authoritarian state and asks, how could this be happening in Canada-- a democracy? This excerpt was particularly alarming because I observed that internment in Canada was not that different from the ghettoes of Germany, except for the mass genocide. This historical example shows that this could happen to any of us. Thus, this is a call for a cohesive Asian identity and a call to action. Aunt Emily's character illustrates the importance of political involvement in order to have a say on government policies.

Perhaps the biggest obstacles for a cohesive Asian identity are inter-Asian animosities and passivity. One example of inter-Asian animosities is between Chinese and Japanese. Some Chinese children are instilled with the idea that the Japanese are bad people. These children are told about how Japanese soldiers ransacked villages, killed men, and raped women. It is no wonder that it is difficult for some Chinese to care about the welfare of Japanese or let alone be included under a same identity: Asian. Another prominent obstacle for an Asian identity is passivity. As children, most of us are taught to stay out of people's business because this will only bring trouble upon ourselves. Therefore, it's not hard to believe the inaction of some minority groups during the Japanese internment. But by allowing this to occur, we are indirectly approving the actions of the wrongdoers and allowing the possibility for this to happen again.