Looking at page 61 of the hardcover edition of Miné Okubo's Citizen 13660 we are faced with a normal day-to-day activity of life in the Tanforan internment camp: going to the post office.
The first thing we see is a long line of people waiting for their turn to pick up packages and pick up and send off their letters to loved ones, as the text on this page tells us. Parallel to them, in the background of the illustration, we see rows upon rows of neatly organized barracks. These two elements (the queue of people and the buildings) seem to mirror each other, lending the image an aesthetic quality and balance—which contrasts with the ugly and deeply disturbing motives behind the situation (or internment).
We also notice that none of the people in the illustration look at us. None of them seem defiant, rather, they seem busy with their own thoughts. Even Miné Okubo looks off into the distance. Her cryptic gaze seems to show worry, nerves, or even disillusionment with her current situation and what has brought her to this moment.
It's also interesting to note that there is an oversized American flag flying at full mast. Having in mind the symbolism of what this flag represents (not just America but the idea of freedom as well), the reader or onlooker cannot help but notice the irony of this scene. The letters Okubo receives from friends in Europe, who say she is lucky "to be free and safe at home" serve to highlight this disconnect between ideal and reality. Okubo and her fellow Japanese and Japanese-American citizens are prisoners, trapped in an internment camp in a nation which claims to protect people's freedom.
Lastly, nearly every element in this image seems to lead our gaze to the upper left corner. The post office building, the queue of people, the fences, and the barracks all create a vanishing point: a seemingly endless path where one woman walks. One could ascribe meaning to this path, calling it perhaps a path to freedom. It is long and the woman is still far from reaching its end, yet she keeps walking, in spite of this.
In pages 156-157, we have two very different events but both are an attempt at keeping up with traditions, even Japanese traditions.
In the first page there is a drawing of a family of Japanese descent trying to enjoy Christmas in the internment camps. The text below tells us the families tried hard to celebrate but there was a notable lack of “holiday spirit”; the image on top demonstrates this by how none of the people shown are smiling or laughing. However, we can also note the attempt at celebrating normally by the presents near the makeshift tree and the stockings on the clothesline. Miné Okubo also does not appear in this drawing but in the text below we find out that the Trek team, an art and literary magazine that was started in the camp, made their own party. Although, it seems like it was just as unsuccessful as the families’ celebration according to Okubo’s description.
On the opposing page, Okubo returns, looking over the mochi-making that was set up on New Year’s Day to celebrate the Japanese New Year. Once again, this is an attempt at holding up tradition; however, this isn’t a religion-related tradition like Christmas, it’s a very typical Japanese custom. In this drawing none of the people are looking at the reader and even though, Okubo tells us that this custom added more cheerfulness, they don’t seem particularly cheerful, rather focused. It’s a sign of bravery that these internment residents still try to uphold a sense of normalcy and tradition, even if it’s a Japanese ritual.
On page 145 the image represents how the residents in Topaz could find happiness during their unfortunate situation. Even though they are in an undesirable position, the author and the others manage to find excitement and happiness with the snow that fell that day. Some of them had never seen snow before.
To me, the fact that they could get excited enough to start a snowball fight says a lot about them. After all, having no privacy and it being a space where most were probably not to blame for anything they were accused of. This kind of situation can break people's spirits and hopes.
Therefore, if they could find happiness and excitement during such an event could mean they haven't lost their hope for a better future and justice, yet.
On page 52 we see people standing but we don't see their faces. They are looking to the distance, as if they are longing for a life without bars. The only face that is visible is the face of the baby and half of the face of Okubo herself. She is the observer of the story. The baby can stand for the future and there is still hope for the future. As if the future is still in sight. The text that goes with this drawings is; "Women, from grandmothers to toddlers, wore slacks or jeans." Even person, from every class from society is the same in the camp. It is as if the persons have lost their identity. -Hanna IJsselstein Mulder
On page 209, the last page of Citizen 13660, the image depicts the closing scene of the book: the narrator breaking free from the camp. Throughout the book the reader witnesses as a large group of people, people who were forcefully taken away from their homes and were faced with less than poor living conditions, gradually overcome their difficult situation and work together in order to build something close to a “home”, even if a provisory one. Upon being allowed to finally leave the camp, the narrator seems to delay leaving, and it is only when she no longer has any reason to stay (when she finishes her drawings) that she finally starts preparing her departure. She does admit in the text portion to feeling “chained” to the camp, and states her fear for the young and old people she is leaving behind: “”My God! How do they expect those poor people to leave the one place they call home.”” The young and old, most left without a family, gather in the gate to watch as more people leave, feeling stuck to the camp due to the lack of any other home, and unable of letting go of their fears so that they too can break free and resume their lives in the outside world.
However, there is a particular aspect of this image that makes it stuck out from the others of the book: the change of Okubo’s expression. All throughout the book, the narrator’s expression is always the same sorrowful one, but in the last image of the book the reader finally catches what seems to be the beginning of a smile in her face. That change of expression symbolizes the beginning of a new stage, as the narrator finally breaks free from her chains and goes back to the world to reclaim her life. As she says in her closing sentence: “My thoughts shifted from the past to the future.” In the end she stops to think of her moments in the camp and the barracks start gradually fading way into the distance, and it is only when that distance is achieved that the narrator is able to leave the camp behind with a smile on her face. This idea of letting go may be considered the moral of the story, that is, that it is important that no matter what hardships may come our way, we must always fight through them and look ahead to the future.
At first glance, on page 155, the reader seems to watch one more daily routine in Topaz internment camp. It is depicted a small group of evacuees constructing something watched by Miné Okubo and her brother. We while as observers take a second position of viewers. Miné Okubo expression is shown neutral such as their lateral position are emphasizing them as watchers. Since that the main theme is about Freedom cessation depicted in draws and in a quite neutral language, as I told in class, this is the highest moment of irony (or humiliation as I am thinking now). Bear this in mind and looking in a symbolic perspective “fence post and watch towers” are the glaring objectification of lack of freedom. We can amplify this discussion wondering why they do that? For fear, for respecting a whole country political system, to bear in their mind that is just a temporary situation, or because they are not desperate enough to try to runaway such others prisoners did.
Looking at page 61 of the hardcover edition of Miné Okubo's Citizen 13660 we are faced with a normal day-to-day activity of life in the Tanforan internment camp: going to the post office.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing we see is a long line of people waiting for their turn to pick up packages and pick up and send off their letters to loved ones, as the text on this page tells us. Parallel to them, in the background of the illustration, we see rows upon rows of neatly organized barracks. These two elements (the queue of people and the buildings) seem to mirror each other, lending the image an aesthetic quality and balance—which contrasts with the ugly and deeply disturbing motives behind the situation (or internment).
We also notice that none of the people in the illustration look at us. None of them seem defiant, rather, they seem busy with their own thoughts. Even Miné Okubo looks off into the distance. Her cryptic gaze seems to show worry, nerves, or even disillusionment with her current situation and what has brought her to this moment.
It's also interesting to note that there is an oversized American flag flying at full mast. Having in mind the symbolism of what this flag represents (not just America but the idea of freedom as well), the reader or onlooker cannot help but notice the irony of this scene. The letters Okubo receives from friends in Europe, who say she is lucky "to be free and safe at home" serve to highlight this disconnect between ideal and reality. Okubo and her fellow Japanese and Japanese-American citizens are prisoners, trapped in an internment camp in a nation which claims to protect people's freedom.
Lastly, nearly every element in this image seems to lead our gaze to the upper left corner. The post office building, the queue of people, the fences, and the barracks all create a vanishing point: a seemingly endless path where one woman walks. One could ascribe meaning to this path, calling it perhaps a path to freedom. It is long and the woman is still far from reaching its end, yet she keeps walking, in spite of this.
— Rita Cunha
In pages 156-157, we have two very different events but both are an attempt at keeping up with traditions, even Japanese traditions.
ReplyDeleteIn the first page there is a drawing of a family of Japanese descent trying to enjoy Christmas in the internment camps. The text below tells us the families tried hard to celebrate but there was a notable lack of “holiday spirit”; the image on top demonstrates this by how none of the people shown are smiling or laughing. However, we can also note the attempt at celebrating normally by the presents near the makeshift tree and the stockings on the clothesline. Miné Okubo also does not appear in this drawing but in the text below we find out that the Trek team, an art and literary magazine that was started in the camp, made their own party. Although, it seems like it was just as unsuccessful as the families’ celebration according to Okubo’s description.
On the opposing page, Okubo returns, looking over the mochi-making that was set up on New Year’s Day to celebrate the Japanese New Year. Once again, this is an attempt at holding up tradition; however, this isn’t a religion-related tradition like Christmas, it’s a very typical Japanese custom. In this drawing none of the people are looking at the reader and even though, Okubo tells us that this custom added more cheerfulness, they don’t seem particularly cheerful, rather focused. It’s a sign of bravery that these internment residents still try to uphold a sense of normalcy and tradition, even if it’s a Japanese ritual.
- Ana Narciso nº150886
On page 145 the image represents how the residents in Topaz could find happiness during their unfortunate situation. Even though they are in an undesirable position, the author and the others manage to find excitement and happiness with the snow that fell that day. Some of them had never seen snow before.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the fact that they could get excited enough to start a snowball fight says a lot about them. After all, having no privacy and it being a space where most were probably not to blame for anything they were accused of. This kind of situation can break people's spirits and hopes.
Therefore, if they could find happiness and excitement during such an event could mean they haven't lost their hope for a better future and justice, yet.
Joana Pereira
152077
On page 52 we see people standing but we don't see their faces. They are looking to the distance, as if they are longing for a life without bars. The only face that is visible is the face of the baby and half of the face of Okubo herself. She is the observer of the story. The baby can stand for the future and there is still hope for the future. As if the future is still in sight.
ReplyDeleteThe text that goes with this drawings is; "Women, from grandmothers to toddlers, wore slacks or jeans." Even person, from every class from society is the same in the camp. It is as if the persons have lost their identity.
-Hanna IJsselstein Mulder
On page 209, the last page of Citizen 13660, the image depicts the closing scene of the book: the narrator breaking free from the camp. Throughout the book the reader witnesses as a large group of people, people who were forcefully taken away from their homes and were faced with less than poor living conditions, gradually overcome their difficult situation and work together in order to build something close to a “home”, even if a provisory one. Upon being allowed to finally leave the camp, the narrator seems to delay leaving, and it is only when she no longer has any reason to stay (when she finishes her drawings) that she finally starts preparing her departure. She does admit in the text portion to feeling “chained” to the camp, and states her fear for the young and old people she is leaving behind: “”My God! How do they expect those poor people to leave the one place they call home.”” The young and old, most left without a family, gather in the gate to watch as more people leave, feeling stuck to the camp due to the lack of any other home, and unable of letting go of their fears so that they too can break free and resume their lives in the outside world.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there is a particular aspect of this image that makes it stuck out from the others of the book: the change of Okubo’s expression. All throughout the book, the narrator’s expression is always the same sorrowful one, but in the last image of the book the reader finally catches what seems to be the beginning of a smile in her face. That change of expression symbolizes the beginning of a new stage, as the narrator finally breaks free from her chains and goes back to the world to reclaim her life. As she says in her closing sentence: “My thoughts shifted from the past to the future.” In the end she stops to think of her moments in the camp and the barracks start gradually fading way into the distance, and it is only when that distance is achieved that the narrator is able to leave the camp behind with a smile on her face. This idea of letting go may be considered the moral of the story, that is, that it is important that no matter what hardships may come our way, we must always fight through them and look ahead to the future.
-Carolina Silva, nº153616
At first glance, on page 155, the reader seems to watch one more daily routine in Topaz internment camp. It is depicted a small group of evacuees constructing something watched by Miné Okubo and her brother. We while as observers take a second position of viewers.
ReplyDeleteMiné Okubo expression is shown neutral such as their lateral position are emphasizing them as watchers.
Since that the main theme is about Freedom cessation depicted in draws and in a quite neutral language, as I told in class, this is the highest moment of irony (or humiliation as I am thinking now). Bear this in mind and looking in a symbolic perspective “fence post and watch towers” are the glaring objectification of lack of freedom. We can amplify this discussion wondering why they do that? For fear, for respecting a whole country political system, to bear in their mind that is just a temporary situation, or because they are not desperate enough to try to runaway such others prisoners did.
Maria Raquel Amado n.149 532