Obasan (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Joy Kogawa
- First Published: 1981
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Historical realism
- Time of Work: 1972, with flashbacks to the 1940’s
- Setting: British Columbia and Alberta, Canada; Nagasaki, Japan
- Principal Characters: Naomi Nakane, Isamu Nakane, Ayako Nakane, Emily Kato, Stephen Nakane, Sensei 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
The Story:
Naomi Nakane was in the middle of teaching her fifth- and sixth-grade class in the small town of Cecil, Alberta, when she received word that her uncle had died in Granton, 150 miles south. Going home for his funeral meant for her a sad reunion with several family members, notably the quiet widow, the “Obasan” of the book’s title, and Stephen, Naomi’s older brother. Obasan and Uncle Isamu had actually raised Naomi and her brother from the time that they were young children. Flamboyant Stephen, who had essentially renounced his Japanese heritage and had been...
[The entire page is 1995 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
Related Topics
