On page 8, the author writes: “He had become a man without a country. The land of his birth was at war with America; yet after thirty-five years here he was still prevented by law from becoming an American citizen. He was suddenly a man with no rights w
The above quote refers to Papa, and it speaks to his identity, or lack thereof. Papa is a hard worker, who'd made a good life for himself in America. He sees himself as a citizen of his adopted country, he made his home is America because he wanted to provide his family with a better life, and because he had an increasing lack of respect for the samurai class of which he was a member. As a result of the war, the reasons for Papa having come to America, as well as the contributions he made as a resident of the country no longer mattered. He was imprisoned, and his family sent to a relocation camp based upon their heritage..... not their actions. In Papa's eyes, he was no longer important.... he'd ceased to exist, and he was unaccepted on all front.
Farewell to Manzanar
