1.The High-Heeled Shoes, A Memoir
- This story describes the sexual harassment which occurred to the storyteller and other women and how the status of women was at that time.
- As Japanese or Japanese American, and as women, and also as Japanese American women, they have struggled hard during that time, probably even now. It’s important to discuss these issues in society.
2. Seventeen Syllables
- This story tells how the relation between issei and nisei was like. It expresses generation gap. I thought that nisei has more assimilated into American society and culture, but still issei might not get into that. It seems to be difficult to do both of keeping own culture and assimilate into new culture.
- Also, I saw strict Japanse patriarchal system in this story.
3. The Legend of Miss Sasagawa
- This story shows generational gap between issei and nisei and intersection of ethnic and patriarchal oppressions.
- Because of the different levels of consciousness by issei father and nisei daughter, it’s really hard to understand each other.
4. Wilshire Bus
- This story describes nisei’s anger and sadness of racism and enforced confinement.
- “Why don’t you go back to China, where you can be coolies working in your bare feet out in the rice fields, you can let your pigtails grow and grow in China. Alla samee, mama, no tickee no shirtee. Ha, pretty good , no tickee no shirtee!” (p.36). When white guy said this to Chinese couple, Esther pretended ignorance he feels sorry about them, but also he didn’t feel sincere sympathy.
- After enforced confinement, Japanese American was called “model minority” because many Japanese Americans assimilated into white culture. This story describes that situation, too.
5. The Brown House
- This story shows patriarchal system of Japanese and how women’s right and freedom were not free. Even though women’s right and liberty are improving in recent Japan, still the role of women as wife is replaced in some animation or film.
- In this story, the connection and situation between Japanese American and African American are expressed.
6. Yoneko’s Earthquake
- This story shows how Japanese American see Filipino American. There were prejudice against Filipino American and movements for avoiding marriage with Filipino American.
- I was curious if Yoneko’s mother fell into love with Marpo even Yoneko liked him.
7. Morning Rain
- This story implies generational gap between Issei father and Nisei daughter in term of difference of tradition and value.
- She married American man and there were awkward situations between issei and nisei.
8. Epithalamium
9. Las Vegas Charley
- Charley reacts against issei’s lifestyle and culture, identifies himself as American. This story shows conflicts of “Japanese or American.”
- In term of food, using position of person feeding someone and also as person being fed, he established the relationship with others.
10. Life Among the Oil Fields, A Memoir
11. The Eskimo Connection
12. My Father Can Beat Muhammad Ali
13. Underground Lady
14. A Day in Little Tokyo
15. Reading and Writing