Farewell to Manzanar characters / symbols

Kaz -

Jeanne's brother-in-law and Martha's husband. Kaz is stopped by a detachment of frightened military police while monitoring the reservoir with his crew on the night of the December Riot.

Papa (George Ko Wakatsuki) -

Jeanne's father and the patriarch of the American branch of the Wakatsuki family. Papa is a first-generation Japanese immigrant with a strong sense of honor. His experience shows how unfair accusations hurt many Japanese families: when the FBI accuses Papa of being a Japanese spy, his relationship with his family deteriorates and he becomes an alcoholic.

Mama (Rigu Sukai Wakatsuki) -

Jeanne's mother. Patient and caring with her children and husband, Mama places a high value on privacy and dignity. Despite Papa's violent treatment of her while at Manzanar, she is the first member of the Wakatsuki family to make amends with Papa, demonstrating her commitment to family.

Radine -

Jeanne's white best friend at Cabrillo Homes in Long Beach after the war. Radine's surprise at Jeanne's ability to speak English makes Jeanne realize that while she will not be attacked for being Japanese, she will always be seen as different and not American. Radine's popularity and recognition in high school further underscore the fundamental difference between her and Jeanne, whose Japanese ancestry makes her an outsider.

Toyo -

Papa's aging aunt in Hiroshima, Japan. Woody visits Toyo in 1946 and is impressed by the dignity of her graceful manner and the rich meal she prepares for him in spite of her family's poverty. Woody comes to see this dignity in the face of difficulty as a Wakatsuki family trait.

Hiroshima

Papas hometown, bowmen by US using an atomic

Kiyo Wakatsuki -

The ninth Wakatsuki child and Jeanne's closest brother. Kiyo shares many experiences with Jeanne, including being ambushed by children in the Japanese ghetto on Terminal Island and being spat at and called a "dirty Jap" by an old woman in Long Beach.

Bill Wakatsuki -

The oldest Wakatsuki child. Along with Woody, Bill serves as one of Papa's crew before the war on his sardine boats. In the camp, he is the leader of a dance band called The Jive Bombers.

Jeanne Wakatsuki -

The protagonist and author of Farewell to Manzanar. Jeanne is the youngest of the Wakatsuki children and Papa's favorite. She observes and comments on her own and her family's experiences before, during, and after the wartime internment. In the beginning of the narrative she is a naïve seven-year-old, but as she grows older, she loses her naïveté and comes to understand the true nature of the camps, her family, and herself.

Eleanor Wakatsuki -

The second Wakatsuki child and Jeanne's oldest sister. Eleanor leaves the camp with her husband, Shig, to relocate to Reno, Nevada, but returns to the camp when Shig is drafted. She gives birth to a baby boy, which leads Mama and Papa to a reconciliation.

Woodrow "Woody" Wakatsuki -

The third Wakatsuki child. Woody is the most fatherly of Jeanne's brothers and takes charge when Papa is detained for a year at Fort Lincoln. Woody demonstrates his loyalty to America by joining the U.S. army.

STONES

appear throughout Farewell to Manzanar as symbols of Japanese endurance. The Japanese national anthem, Kimi ga yo, which Papa sings after getting in a fight, establishes the image of stones that remain unchanged throughout the ages as well as the layers of thick moss that make the stones look bigger than they are. This image suggests that the Japanese ability to endure the trials of Manzanar could actually lead to growth. It is not easy for Jeanne to bear ethnic prejudice, but her endurance enables her to see past the prejudice and discover her identity. Stones also represent solace and rest. For example, the Issei men gather small stones to create tranquil rock gardens, and Papa gazes at the massive Sierra Nevada mountains to escape his thoughts. These rocks remain even when Jeanne returns to the camp nearly thirty years later. The endurance of the rock gardens and the concrete foundations suggest that the camp will continue to exist through the experiences of those who inhabited it.