-
8000 BCE
Native Americans of Puget Sound
“Major groups or tribes of Native Americans in the Puget Sound region include the Suquamish, Nootka, Duwamish, Nisqually, Snoqualmie, and Muckleshoot”
(historylink.org). “It’s members were murdered almost immediately upon setting foot on the beach by a party of Nookta slave raiders”
(Guterson 5). Guterson uses imagery to show what the colonizers faced once they reached Puget sound knowing the natives there weren’t going to give up their land easily. Photo by William Boyd
(Historylink.org) -
European Settlers of Puget Sound
In 1755, Spanish explorer Captain Bruno Heceta landed on the coast of Washington and claimed the land for Spain. Soon other European explorers arrived including British Captains James Cook in 1778 and George Vancouver in 1792.
(Ducksters.com). “San Piedro was an island of five thousand damp souls, named by the lost Spaniards who moored offshore...”
(Guterson 5). David uses water as a symbol of death and begins by the dead bodies of the Spaniards in the water. Photo by Museum of History. -
Dear John Letter
A Dear John letter is a letter written to a man in the military by his partner to inform him that their relationship is over, usually because she has found another lover. (Wikipedia.org) “He didn’t quite know what he meant to utter, “that fucking goddam Jap bitch” was all he could think to say” (Guterson 250). David uses characters to express feelings of the Japanese by many different circumstances and because Hatsue sent the latter, he hated her with all his emotions. Photo by Stock images. -
Alien Land Laws
“Alien land laws are most often associated with western states' attempts to limit the presence and permanence of Japanese immigrants by forbidding "aliens" from purchasing, and later from leasing property in the states in which these laws happened”(Densho.org). “.prejudice and hatred are never right and never to be accepted by a just society”(Guterson 185). David uses the novel as a platform to speak about the prejudice that existed and continues to exist within our society. Photo by LA Times -
Military recruitment and propaganda during World War II
Posters waged a constant battle for the hearts and minds of the American citizenry just as surely as military weapons engaged the enemy. (Archives.org) “ but at the same time I find myself thinking about it whenever I look at Miyamoto sitting.They could have used his face for one of their propaganda films, he’s that inscrutable” (345). David uses dialogue to show a example of the views on Japanese and how they could use them as propaganda for American support. Photo by World War II Museum -
Pearl Harbor
“The surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, by the Japanese that precipitated the entry of the United States into World War II” (britannica.org) “The Japanese Air Force had bombed everything. It is bad for us, terribly bad. There is nothing else on the radio. Everything is Pearl Harbor” (Guterson 177). David uses imagery to depict the morning of December 7th and beginning of the sentiment And hatred towards the Japanese. The Photo by Britannica. -
Japanese American Internment
“ Japanese internment camps were established during WWII by President Roosevelt through his Executive Order...it was the policy of the U.S. government that people of Japanese descent would be interred in camps in reaction to Pearl Harbor and the ensuing war” (history.com) “They’re Japs. We’re in a war with them. We can’t have spies around” (Guterson 126). David uses dialogue among the characters to show fear of Japanese in American society shortly after Pearl Harbor. Photo by History Org. -
Battle of Tarawa
“The Battle of Tarawa was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that was fought on 20–23 November 1943.” (Wikipedia.org) “Ishmael lost his arm on a shipboard operating table to a pharmacists mate who had done only four amputations in his career, all of them in the past few hours” (Guterson 250). David uses imagery to spotlight the horrors of war and the many lives scarred because of the fighting among the countries. Photo by WW2 Museum. -
Battle of Okinawa
“ The Battle of Okinawa was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army“ (Wikipedia.org) “Carl, Art recalled, had served as a gunner on the U.S.S Canton, which went down during the invasion of Okinawa” (Guterson 15). David uses the narrator to give insight on the characters and because Carl was a veteran, they wanted to make sure the killer was found. Photo by Britannica -
Pearl Harbor Memorial
The USS Arizona Memorial, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines during the attack. “You cant trust a Jap, can you? This island’s full of strong feelings...people who don’t often speak their minds but hate on the inside all the same.” (Gudmundson 390). After many years, David shows through dialogue that hatred is strongly present towards the Japanese and foreshadows the present day hatred against Asians. Photo by Britannica