Author(s): Lacey Cluff
Mentor(s): Nicole Dib
Institution SUU
My presentation, “The Lingering Impacts of Internment on Japanese Americans,” examines how Julie Otsuka’s novel, When the Emperor was Divine, uses evocative language to depict the emotional and social ramifications of Japanese American internment during and after World War II. Through the experiences of a Japanese American family, Otsuka portrays how internment not only traumatized them but also redefined their individual and collective identities. This essay hones in on the way Otsuka uses imagery and diction to convey the mental and emotional scars of internment, such as feelings of alienation, lack of support and respect, and societal marginalization, which contributes to the family’s sense of inferiority and caution in their lives following their internment. In my analysis of specific passages from the novel, I will argue that internment damages an individual’s sense of self and belonging and fundamentally reshapes their relationships and place in society. Ultimately, this essay calls attention to the deeper, often overlooked effects of internment and emphasizes the need for empathy and recognition of the lasting harm suffered by those who were affected.