Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment

Recognizing that Manzanar was “where things finished” for Papa (47), Jeanne reflects on his life. Papa was born in the late 19th century, which was a chaotic period in Japanese history because of Western pressure to industrialize. After dropping out of naval school in Japan, he borrowed money from his aunt to sail for the Hawaiian islands. On the island of Oahu, he met a man from Idaho who offered Papa room, board, and a ticket to the continental US in exchange for three years of work. Papa agreed to the proposition after seeing a large number of Japanese and Chinese immigrants working under difficult conditions on Oahu.

After working various tasks for the man’s family for five years, Papa entered the University of Idaho to study law. While studying, he met Mama, a woman of Japanese descent who was born in Hawaii and moved to Spokane, Washington, at age 10. Papa was not well-liked by her family; in fact, Mama’s parents were “terrified when they saw him coming” (53). The couple eloped, initially settling in Oregon. They would eventually have nine children.

Throughout his life, Papa always sought the next venture that would bring his family’s name honor.