Farewell to Manzanar: Internment Camp Experiences and Loyalty Oath Challenges
Farewell to Manzanar: Character and Conflict
Papa’s Early Experiences and Character
Why Papa Refused to Leave His Cubicle
According to the opening scenes of the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, why does the author, as a child, think her father refuses to leave their cubicle?
He thinks he is better than the other camp residents and does not want to associate with them.
Describing Papa’s Character
Which of the following words best describe Papa as he appears in the selection from Farewell to Manzanar? Choose three options.
- Bitter
- Proud
- Emotional
The Government’s Loyalty Oath
Internees’ Response to the Oath
According to the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, how do many internees respond to the government-issued Loyalty Oath?
They become resentful and strongly anti-American.
Consequences of Declaring “NO NO”
As explained in the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, what might happen to Papa if he declares “NO NO” on the Loyalty Oath?
He might be sent to Tule Lake with other “disloyals.”
Papa’s Reaction to Being Called an “Inu”
According to the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, why does Papa chase and leap upon the man during the meeting about the government’s Loyalty Oath?
The man calls Papa an inu.
Key Vocabulary from the Selection
Defining “Collaborator”
During the war, the collaborator shared vital information about his fellow citizens with the commander of the invading army.
Someone who cooperates with or assists an enemy.
Understanding “Conspirators”
If conspirators meet at someone’s house, what are they most likely doing?
Making plans to act together to do something harmful.
Identifying “Espionage”
If someone has committed espionage, which of the following is most likely true?
The person has spied on a government organization to obtain secret information.
Analyzing Character and Themes
Part A: Why Papa Was Called an “Inu”
In the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, why do the two women leaving the latrine call Papa an inu?
They think he is an informer.
Part B: Supporting Evidence for “Inu” Accusation
Which excerpt from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?
But the rumor was that, as an interpreter, he had access to information from fellow Isseis that he later used to buy his release.
The “Comical” Effort to Weed Out the “Disloyal”
Why might the government’s effort to “weed out the ‘disloyal’” be described as “comical”? Choose two options.
- While recruiting for this unit, no Japanese American, even a guilty one, would admit to committing espionage.
- Instead of inspiring the loyalty it required signers to have, it inspired militant anti-American sentiment.
Part A: Author’s Feelings About Papa
Which sentence best describes how the author of Farewell to Manzanar recalls feeling about her father at the camp?
She fears him and is embarrassed by his behavior.
Part B: Supporting Evidence for Author’s Feelings
Which excerpt from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?
He terrified all of us, lurching around the tiny room, cursing in Japanese and swinging his bottles wildly.
Theme of Endurance in the Japanese National Anthem
Toward the end of the selection from Farewell to Manzanar, the author gives this English translation of the lyrics to the Japanese national anthem, highlighting the theme of endurance:
May thy peaceful reign ……..
Direct Characterization of Woody
Which of the following excerpts from Farewell to Manzanar comes closest to directly characterizing Woody?
Woody always answered softly, respectfully, with a boyish and submissive smile.
Direct Characterization of Papa
In which of these excerpts from Farewell to Manzanar does the author characterize Papa directly?
I had never seen him so livid, yelling and out of his head with rage.
Part A: Mama’s Character
Which statement best describes Mama as she appears in the selection from Farewell to Manzanar?
She is a devoted comforter to her husband.
Part B: Indirect Characterization of Mama
Which excerpt from the selection is the example of indirect characterization that best supports the answer to Part A?
Back inside he sat by the stove holding his teacup and didn’t speak for a long time. One cheekbone was raw where it had been mashed into the sand. Mama kept pouring him little trickles of tea.
Suffixes and Word Origins
The Latin Suffix “-or”
How does the Latin suffix -or change a word’s part of speech?
It changes a verb into a noun.
Defining “Perpetrator”
The word perpetrator comes from the Latin perpetratus, which means “to accomplish.” Use this information and your knowledge of the suffix -or to choose the most likely definition of perpetrator.
A person who carries out a crime.
Narrative Perspective and Shifts
First-Person Point of View
Which of the following sentences is expressed from a first-person point of view?
I stumbled along the dirt road as darkness settled, hoping a moon would rise to light the way.
Shift in Narrative Perspective
In the following paragraph, which sentence marks a shift in narrative perspective from a child to an adult looking back at childhood?
I decided to head… That, at least, is what I thought at the time.
Signaling a Narrative Shift
In which of the following sentences do the underlined words signal a narrative shift?
It still eats at me when I remember how I let those days pass without doing more.
Loyalty Oath: Manzanar vs. George Takei
The Loyalty Oath Question 28
The families in the selection from Farewell to Manzanar and the video “Interview With George Takei” both struggled to answer this question in the Loyalty Oath:
28. Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or any other foreign government, power, or organization?
George Takei’s Father’s Response
How was George Takei’s father’s response to this question different from that of Papa and Woody?
Takei’s father answered NO because he decided he would not give up his dignity.
Unaddressed Loyalty Oath Issue
What important issue with the Loyalty Oath did George Takei say concerned his family but was not part of Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s account in Farewell to Manzanar?
Answering either YES or NO implied loyalty to the Japanese emperor.