Racism and Justice in Snow Falling On Cedars Essay

Snow falling on cedars written by David Guterson is a novel written on the American - Japanese people of the early 1930s. On the San Piedro Island located off the coast of mainland Washington, a Japanese -American fisherman named Kabuo Miyamoto goes on trial for the murder of Carl Heine, a well-liked local fisherman and respected war veteran. Kabuos wife Hatsue is there throughout the whole trail supporting her innocent husband. Ishmael Chambers is another war veteran who is the same age as Carl, is the editor of the town newspaper, the San Piedro review. Ishmael remains silent about one aspect of his person history, the romantic relationship he once had with a young Japanese-American girl named Hatsue, who is now Kabuos wife. Throughout the novel Ishmael struggles with his memories of this relationship. She had once abruptly called off the relationship and has treated him coldly ever since. Ishmael learns the truth about accidents and how it is related to fate and he also learns to heal himself. Ishmael learns that being the better and the bigger person in the situation always has positive outcomes no matter how painful it maybe.

Ishmael Chambers heart goes through a lot of pain throughout the story. But Ishmael learns that being the bigger and better person will result in good outcomes. He learns a lot during the story, Hatsue is happier than she could ever be with him; she has a husband and family. Even though they do have history, Ishmael needs to move on from the past. The first step to Ishmael moving on in life is giving all the evidence he has to the court to save Kabuo from going to jail. At the end of the novel Ishmael says that accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart when he says this he means that things happen, fate happens, if its meant to be everything will fall into place. Accidents happen everywhere we go, but accidents do not happen in the heart. Ishmael is talking about how he fell in love with Hatsue and it wasnt an accident.

Kabuo and Hatsue feel it is impossible that Kabuo will receive a fair trial because of his Japanese background. Ishmael Chambers finds evidence that proves that Kabuo is completely innocent and that the accident in which Carl was killed was a complete accident and Kabuo had nothing to do with it. Ishmael is hesitant to use this evidence to save Kabuo because of the jealously he has towards him. He feels as if Kabuo stole the love of his life and for that he deserves to be sent to jail. As the story progresses memories of Ishmael and Hatsue become more clear and appear more often. Ishmael is torn when he finds the evidence that proves Kabuos innocence, but then he finally realizes that Hatsue always knew and believed that he was a better person than he gave himself credit for. She also believed that he has a big heart and he knew what to do with his heart. At the end of the novel Ishmael heals his broken heart by seeing himself from Hatsues perspective, he did a good thing for innocent man, and he saw the women he loved be happy.

Snow Falling on Cedars is a novel that deals with a lot of racism, love and justice. Ishmael has the power to set an innocent Japanese man free, only if he sacrifices his true love. Ishmael Chambers learns real life lessons; he learns that accidents do not only happen in universe, also in the human heart.