Commentary on Obasan Essay

A human being is much like a sculpture, moulded and defined by the experiences he or she goes through in life. Losing someone or going through something much like the Japanese did, require a time to cope. Nonetheless when going through this process one thinks no one knows exactly what he or she is having to endure or no one how it feels. In this manner as we read the novel Obasan we learn how three different people, Obasan, Aunt Emily and Stephen coped with their past struggles each very different ways. No matter the situation or the way of coping its possible to overcome anything.

When something in life goes the wrong way, think everything happens for a reason and it can only get better from then on. That is what Obasan believes. In the novel, Obasan encounters many challenges, challenges that she must cope with either by brushing it off or making the situation better for herself and her family. When her husband, known as Uncle, dies, she makes herself believe that it has happened for a reason as shown when she said, everyone someday dies (Kogawa 231). She tells herself that as a way of thinking that it has happened for a reason and that she shouldnt dwell over Uncles death. Having been confronted with struggles not many people have had the displeasure of being confronted with, Obasan has come up with many ways of coping with tragedies that have passed in her life. Early on in the novel its said that Obasan hangs onto objects every home-made piece of furniture, each pot holder and paper doily is a link in her lifeline (15). These objects symbolise the good moments that have passed and also having been stripped of most of her procession in the past, this is her way of forgetting everything and rejoicing over the good times. Lastly reckoning that Obasan has been through something that nobody should have to endure, she believes that nothing worse could possibly happen in life therefore when something in life seems to go wrong she simply picks up the pieces that are left and rebuilds to continue on.

People miss treat people every day; its a fact of life. Seeking justice for those actions is the hard part, but it helps cope with the fact that theyve done such a thing. Aunt Emily, whom we read about in Obasan, has her own way of coping with the past. Being a victim of the Japanese Internment, she travels to various places to attend conference where she discusses the difficult time she lived through There was so much to learn. I had no idea how much I still hurt (33). Throughout the novel, Aunt Emily seems to be on a constant quest to gain justice for her family also victims of the Japanese Internment. This helps her battle with the past, however she likes talking about it which seems to irritate other people The very last thing in the world I was interested in talking about was our experience during and after World War II. But Aunt Emily was full of her California weekend and the outspoken people shed met who obviously didnt share my reluctance. (33). Altogether grasping the idea that Aunt Emilys way of coping with the horrifying memories of her past, may not be ideal for some people her quest for justice is what got her trough the difficult time in her life.

Often life throws obstacles and instead of taking them on, it seems easier to turn and run or simply just ignore them. That is was Stephen does throughout the novel. His way of coping with the past is by running away. The last time I saw Stephen was eight years ago when he came to Granton for a short afternoon visit. (223). However, looking back Stephen strikes one as being selfish. Understanding what he had to bear, it comes to no good reason why he would want to be estranged from his family, seems like an odd way to cope with the past. Although Stephen does come back when Uncle passes, nonetheless he gave off the impression that he didnt want to be around at all. He has just come in the door, and he already looks as if he would like to run out. (231). Perhaps Stephen would prefer to cope with it all by escaping everything and anyone.

There are many ways of coping with tragedies. In the novel Obasan we become versed with many different ways of doing so. Obasan, Aunt Emily and Stephen are all going through the same tragedy and with their own method on confronting the problem and them all seem to overcome it. Being determined to overcome an obstacle is key, Obasan, Aunt Emily and Stephen always seemed to recollect the pieces and rebuild what was stripped of their lives. That is something to remember when having to undergo a situation much like this one.