Last week, we went to the UBC library to take a look at Joy Kogawa fonds, the author of the infamous novel Obasan. Prior to the expedition, I did not enjoy Obasan very much, I felt that the book was too descriptive and flowery, and was not too invested into the plot. However, after looking through the Kogawa fonds, my group saw many reviews written in magazines and newspapers, mostly published in 1981 (the year Obasan was published), and I was very surprised as to how much attention it received, and how many people were moved by this novel. I was also blown away by how realistic this book is, and the history of most of the characters portrayed were not fiction, instead were based off real or near real scenarios.

Moving on from my feelings of Obasan, to me relief, it seems that even Kogawa struggled with writing. However different to my circumstances where I am usually uninspired to write, her struggle was to find words to put out, piecing the memory of such a horrific past together, as she described in one of her entries, forcing herself to “vomit” these experiences onto a page. These descriptions of the pain in which she went through to produce her perspective of Japanese Canadian citizens during world war two is creates a different outlook on the novel. Looking past the overpowering descriptions, the novel showed me history that was often not recalled by many. When asking about world war two, not many of whom would remember the discrimination and hatred put out towards Japanese Canadians, who virtually have no connection with mainland Japan, nor are part of schemes, yet are being prejudiced against. Lastly, I admire not only Kogawa’s writing of the novel, but also her faithful pursuit in trying to build attention to the novel. I believe that this novel, especially for Canadians is very worth a read, as it dives into the past that not many remembers, is a lesson for everyone that prejudice, though may seem unthinkable currently, under times of heavy stress and conflict occur out of thought, and is a grim reminder of the cruelties of the past.