When the Emperor Was Divine test review

who is Joe Lundy?

the white owner of the general store that the woman visits. at the end of the mother and his convo, when she goes to buy a hammer, she’s like this is the first time I’ve ever called him by his first name

who is Ted?

The rich man who the girl meets on the train. he was once rich but lost everything when he was relocated. Japanese American man.

Who is the house keeper?

Mrs. Ueno. she was the mothers former maid

who is Elizabeth

the boy’s friend and neighbor back in Berkeley( where he used to live before the evacuation ) She was the only friend from home who wrote to the boy

Who are the 2 dead men in the utah camp?

ted and a man who was part of the Otsuka family’s circle of aquaintances

what does the bird mean?

liberation/ freedom. The mom sets the bird free becuase he is not allowed at the camp. the bird refuses to leave and just sits by the window, so it can also signify comfort.

what does the white dog mean?

having to leave your past behind?

what does the horse mean?

freedom and aspiration. They are galloping towards the mountains when the family is first relocated. The boy envisions his father as a cowboy riding one of the horses. The girl imagines a wild white stallion looking at them.

what does the scarf mean?

The blue scarf that the girl wears. It was a gift from her father from when he was on one of his trips. It can be a symbol of her past and identity.

what does the bow mean?(like the act of bowing not like a hairbow)

societal pressure to conform, the rigid social structures of pre-war japan, and the loss of innocence

what does the pearl earrings mean?

the mothers cherished memories and the beauty of her life before the evacuation. The mother lost one of the earrings on the train.

what does the slippers mean?

The were the shoes that the father was wearing when he was taken away. They are a reminder of how suddenly and abruptly the father was taken. The loss of innocence for the family.

what does the key mean?

the loss of home and identity. The mother wears the key all of the time it becomes something she is always seen with. allows the mother to remember the life she and her family had before.

what does the cane mean?

the father is seen with the cane when he arrives off the train. The children don’t recognize him.

what does the rosebush mean?

it was a very pretty rosebush that the mother had that was stolen/dissapeared when they returned home. The children looked for the rosebush everywhere. symbolizes freedom and the ideal of a life unburdened by internmennt and discrimination.

what does the tortoise mean?

it was the boys pet. It had there family number engraved on its shell.

what does the pebble mean?

the father and his sudden removal from the family. The mom has the pebble in her lap when the father is taken away.

what does the house mean?

both home and belonging, as well as the loss of identity and freedom experienced by the Japanese American family during World War II. It is filled with the family’s identity as American citizens. it represented a sense of security stability and place before interment. It is striped of everything, it becomes empty and lifeless

what does the stone buddha mean?

the family's Japanese heritage and cultural identity. The statue is found in their yard after being knocked over, symbolizing the family's sense of loss and the disruption to their familiar life. The statue is also described as "fat and round," "laughing up at the sky," and is a recurring visual memory for the boy

what does the wedding china mean?

representing their past celebrations and memories, is destroyed or sold, signifying the loss of their roots and normalcy.the family's lost identity and the disruption of their established life. The family notices that the china has been stolen when they return home.

what does the silverware mean?

the mom buried the family’s silverware before they left their home.. symbolizes the family’s forced displacement and their loss of former life.The silverware is later dug up by the mother when they return home, highlighting the sense of loss and the attempt to reclaim a semblance of normalcy. 

what does the baseball glove mean?

the mom leave sit out on the sons bed before they leave to the camps. It is a symbol of assimiltation

what does Jesus mean?

a picture of Jesus hangs above the mother's cot in the internment camp. This is presented as a symbol of hope and faith amidst the hardship, and the mother's quiet contemplation of the picture suggests a search for meaning and comfort in the face of adversity.