Obasan (Masterplots II: Women’s Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Joy Kogawa
- First Published: 1981
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: 1941-1972
- Setting: British Columbia and Alberta, Canada; and Nagasaki, Japan
- Principal Characters: Naomi Nakane, Ayako, Isamu, Emily Kato, “Nesan”, Mark Nakane, Stephen Nakane, Reverend Nakayama
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Social realism, Domestic realism, Historical fiction
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, 1970’s, Family or family life, Mothers, Parents and children, Racism, 1940’s, World War II, Oppression, Canada or Canadians, Asian Americans, Atomic bomb, Japan or Japanese people, Japanese Americans
- Locales: Alberta, Canada, Vancouver, Canada, Nagasaki, Japan
Form and Content
In Obasan, Joy Kogawa is telling both her personal story and the tale of all Japanese Canadians exiled from their homes during World War II. She was six years old, one year older than the character of Naomi Nakane, when her family was evacuated to the ghost town of Slocan, eastern British Columbia, from Vancouver. Authentic newspaper clippings and real letters of protest written by a Japanese Canadian activist elaborate and enhance her personal memories.
The actual time frame of the story is only a few days, from the phone call that alerts Naomi...
[The entire page is 2212 words long]
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