essay
can someone help me edit my essay please OTL
Snow Falling on Cedars
Society is often portrayed as a force that has power and influence over people. In the
Novel Snow Falling on Cedars it reinforces that view of society but also shows humane features
Rather than something that’s completely evil and controlling. The novel uses beautiful imagery
and compare and contrast between society and innocence as well as showing people who are
torn between two different cultures in society where both cultures have very different point of
views on the “duty of life”.
First of all, they make the comment about society of how it is humane through
Kabuo, a Japanese-American who has been accused of murdering Carl Heine, another
fisherman who has been found dead after a fishing trip. They use the imagery of the snow
In the novel to show the innocence and purity and as Kabuo looks out the window he compares
It to him and how “un-pure” he is since he has killed many German soldiers in world war two,
although it was his duty as a soldier to do so. Therefore even though he was innocent and
wrongly accused of the crime he did not say a word because that was his way of atoning for the
killing of the Germany soldiers. As described in the following passage from the novel:
“Everything was conjoined by mystery and fate, and in his darkened cell he meditated on this and it became increasingly clear to him. Impermanence of all things. What a mystery life was! Everything was conjoined by mystery and fate, and in his darkened cell he meditated on this and it became increasingly clear to him. Impermanence, cause and effect, suffering, desire, the precious nature of life. Every sentient being straining and pushing at the shell of identity and distinctness. He had the time and the clarity about suffering to embark on the upward path of liberation, which would take him many lives to follow.” Chapter 11, page 169
Secondly is while Kabuo was under prosecution, Ishmael (the protagonist)
find evidence that will help clear Kabuo’s name. He is hesitant on whether or not he should
bring the evidence to the light of the courtroom. The reason being when he was young he was
well acquainted with Hatsue Miyamoto (Kabuo’s wife) and she soon left Ishmael to marry
Kabuo, breaking Ishmael’s heart. Not only that but he has also grown bitter from the sights of
world War || and losing his arm. Despite those facts he decides to help Kabuo in the very end
and Put everything behind him.
Another character whom has showed a humane character towards society is the
dead fisherman, Carl Heine. Although he has been dead throughout the whole novel he plays a
major role in being the first character in that town to be willing to sell 7 acres of land towards a
Japanese-American as well as being able to treat them as a person. He did this despite the fact
That he dislikes the Japanese but he used to be close friends with Kabuo when they were still
Young. Carl Heine is also known in the novel as a character who is an imagery for “ideals”. He
Represents the ideals of those in society who are able to put aside the differences in race and
What they have done to each other in order to live together, which is another portrayal of the
Good and humane part in society.
Despite those facts shown of humane in society there are different factors
Affecting the choices made by the people of society. For example it may change depending on
The culture they were raised in. A character portraying that fact is Hatsue Miyamoto, Kabuo’s
wife. She has the choice to either choose Ishmael or Kabuo. Ishmael being raised in a more lax
environment and Kabuo being in a more strict environment. Showing the difference between
the Western and the Japanese. She was in love with Ishmael and despite that fact alone she felt
guilty because her mother wanted her to marry a Japanese so she abides to her mother’s
wishes and marries Kabuo. Yet when Kabuo leaves for the war to serve America she tries to
convince him to stay and says two people who are in love should stay together despite what
society wants of them which shows how she has been affected by the western culture.
During the novel a imagery used is how snow is compared to Kabuo in a sense
where he is pure and unpure, but it is also a way of moving the story. The snowstorm drives
people to certain places and unites people as well as well as controls them. Another imagery
that has been used is the tree where Ishmael and Hatuse would meet. The tree is where they
would gather together to express their love in secrecy so they are not judged by the public
society.
200 words to go|||| this is so bs'd but it's due tmrw OTL