Student Question

In Kogawa's Obasan, what does Stephen mean when he says "We are both the enemy and not the enemy"?

Quick answer:

Stephen's statement "We are both the enemy and not the enemy" in Obasan captures the internal conflict and identity crisis faced by Japanese-Canadians. It reflects the complex emotions of self-hatred and societal judgment, highlighting the difficulty in assigning blame for their predicament. This duality underscores the struggle of reconciling past injustices with present realities, emphasizing the intricate and reflective nature of terms like "enemy" within the context of their experiences.

Expert Answers

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Stephen's idea of hate and self- hate help to explain why there is so much intensity of emotions from a social and psychological level in the work.  Stephen's ideas of being both the "enemy" and "not the enemy" help to bring out the challenge facing the Japanese- Canadian identity in the story.  It reflects the difficulty in being able to assess where blame starts and where it ends.  The quote helps to display the reflective nature of hatred, something that Stephen himself feels about his predicament.  It shows how much of a challenge it is to assess where blame lies in much of what is being displayed.  Stephen's quote also reflects how the self- hate that is evident in being Japanese- Canadian helps to drive home how judgment and perception are both impacted by social reality.  For Naomi and Stephen, there is much in way of struggle and challenge in validating voice and finding out how to make peace of what is happening in the past with their own sense of the present.  There is no simplicity, and only complexity.  This is the reality that is revealed through Stephen's quote where terms like "enemy" are reflective and contextually driven.

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