When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
by Clarissa
The Books We Read / Contemporary / When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
Filed Under: Contemporary February 2, 2006, 4:52 pm
This book is about Japanese Americans living in California during WWII shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. It shows how they were sent to internment camps in the Utah desert. The father of the story has a nondescript job that sends him all over the world before the war. Shortly after Pearl Harbour he was taken from his family during the night wearing nothing but a bathrobe and slippers. The boy could not get this image of his father out of his head. His father would normally never leave the house without a hat.
In the book, the character’s names are never revealed to us. I have a theory about that but if I were to interview the author that is the first question I would ask. I think she didn’t give the characters names because that way it becomes a story about all Japanese Americans during the war and not just one family. If anyone has any other ideas let me know.
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About Us
Clarissa is a stay-at-home mother of two. The last two years she has been wrapping up a degree in psychology after taking a six-year baby hiatus from her studies. Now that she is done reading text books she doesn't have to feel guilty curling up with some good fiction. Her favourite book is Little Women.
