Week 3

[morgan...@gmail.com]

• Post responses to at least 2 discussion topics
• Post a reply to at least 1 person's discussion topic

Discussion topics

1. There are a lot of depictions of WWII in this section, reactions and/or use of any of these?
2. P119 - Why did the father go to the train?  Was he saying goodbye, was he afraid of regrets, was he doing it for his son...Would you use this with your kids?
3. P121 reactions to the stomping - Also please include a response to the following in your answer - There's not an exact date here but on page 110 it talks about April 1st so this incident appears to be after that date, very possibly right around the time of Roosevelt's death (April 12th 1945).  Is this coincidence? 
4. Is there anything else in these pages that you would use with your kids?  Please explain.

[glas...@shaker.org]

GLASIER: Week 3 Discussion

 

1. The pervasiveness of the propaganda in Japanese society at this time in this section is very interesting.  From the family being called traitors for opposing the war to the suicides of women and children rather than being captured by the US forces and finally to the stomping of the faces of Roosevelt & Churchill.  The intensity of the propaganda may surprise my students.  I think I would like to compare it to the propaganda they see here in the united States.  We have been at war for most of my students’ lives yet it affects them mostly indirectly (more tax dollars for military instead of education, security checks at sporting events, etc…).  So what does happen in the United States as far as propaganda is concerned?  In the past, you would see the enemies depicted negatively in entertainment; films, television, cartoons, etc…  As I write this, I am having a hard time thinking of these depictions in current film, other than the TV shows “Homeland” or “24”.  Even then, the “bad guys” are not so clearly defined as in past depictions.  It would be a good opportunity for students to explore their world and to think about the continuing war effort.

 

2. I believe the father went to the train because he thought this would be the last time he would see his oldest son.  At this point in the war, joining the military in Japan meant almost certain death.  I think the father realized this.  I also believe the father realized that Koji was trying to protect the rest of the family from being called a traitor and was willing to go to this extreme in order to do so.  With students, we could discuss the lengths we would go through to protect our families.  What would we be willing to do?

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Glasier

A week ahead again :)

You are right that it used to be so much easier to find obvious daily propaganda.  In the 80s and early 90s it seemed impossible to turn on a TV or see a movie without seeing propaganda in the form of the bad guy.  There was an interview I saw a few months back that was very interesting.  I missed the reason for the interview but it was about the old TV show Mission Impossible.  The show never said that their bad guys were Soviets or Communists, but they made sure almost every bad guy talked with a very specific accent.  The show was apparently very popular all around the world.  The man being interviewed was a Soviet, back in the day, and he said that one day his son asked him why all the bad guys talk like them but all the good guys talk differently?  

Many of my students can relate to modern propaganda in a different way than I did.  Many of my students are not white, so they are very aware of pictures and representations of various organizations.  In the past they have pointed out those group photos that colleges, schools and organizations love to use that have people of different ethnicities together.  I believe the University of Wisconsin actually got some negative publicity over photo shopping some more diversity into their recruitment materials.  Many of my students consider this to be a daily type of propaganda that they are bombarded with.  This is a little different than war propaganda, but perhaps it is something that might be useful in your discussions.

[bac...@pps.k12.mi.us]

2. I believe the father went to the train station because he knew it was the right thing to do, regardless of any disagreement he and Koji may have had. As far as goodbyes, regrets or doing it FOR Koji, I think a rich opinion based discussion could grow from asking students to choose one and to back it up with why they think so.

4. The thing I've noticed and would want to ask students is this-why is father always shown with such a sweaty face? At first, I thought it was conditional, based on activity but it seems to be evident no matter what he may be doing. Anyone have thoughts on this?

[epi...@apps.homewood.k12.al.us]

Liz Pipkin’s response to Paul Bach 2:” I believe the father went to the train station because he knew it was the right thing to do, regardless of any disagreement he and Koji may have had. As far as goodbyes, regrets or doing it FOR Koji, I think a rich opinion based discussion could grow from asking students to choose one and to back it up with why they think so.”

 Koji’s father reflected on his son’s birth (page 91)-how proud it made him to have a son, who could follow in his footsteps as an artist at his birth.  The father went to the train station due to his guilt of the way he had handled Koji’s action of joining the navy in order so his family would not be seen as Japanese traitors.  He realized the key to letting go of the guilt may be simply a question of perspective of his young son’s wanting to help. Both parents were overwhelmed of the prospect of their so being killed or becoming like the cousin who was now a double amputee from his service to Japan. I agree with Paul that the discussion by students on living with regrets, guilt or agency is one that many young people can expand what is considered the right choice by young people or adults. This is a good discussion into student agency and what that means:  “Agency is the capacity and propensity to take purposeful initiative—the opposite of helplessness. Young people with high levels of agency do not respond passively to their circumstances; they tend to seek meaning and act with purpose to achieve the conditions they desire in their own and others’ lives.”  Koji was demonstrating through his actions of taking upon himself the action of dispelling the notion that his family were traitors, due to his parents’ stance against the war and wanting it to end.  Here again is an example by Nakazawa that his family had taken another view of the war but were not helpless or hopeless in their stance.  Koji had responded to the idea of his family honor by taking actions to assure the family would have honor with one of their own in the military fighting for Japan.   I would use this platform to discuss the student agency as demonstrated in Barefoot Gen.   

[epi...@apps.homewood.k12.al.us]

Week 3 (June 19th) Pages 86-124  Liz Pipkin Response to the question 4

The scene in the book on page 121 had me thinking of the whole idea of having civilians walking on the faces of the enemy during war time.  I did some research and found a fascinating article by David Mas Masumoto: Identifying the enemy by the faces they wear published in January 30, 2016.  His article is relevant today through the lens of the article he examined from Life magazine and Time magazine. Both national magazines in December 1941 ran stories to help Americans identify the good guys from the bad guys according to the way they looked. The articles were titled: “How to Tell Japs From the Chinese” and “How To Tell Your Friends from the Japs.”

“The Life magazine article, with photographs comparing a Chinese diplomat to General Tojo of the Japanese military, concluded the following: Chinese eyes are more fluent with a greater frequency of epicanthic folds in their eyes (they have attractive double eyelids). Japanese betray aboriginal traits, with a flatter nose, massive cheek and jawbones. Chinese have a lighter facial structure and a more finely bridged nose. Chinese are longer and narrower in build; Japanese are broader and shorter.

Likewise, Time magazine offered to help clarify the confusion. They printed “Rules of Thumb” with idiotic ways to discriminate between Asians. Chinese are tall; virtually all Japanese are short. Japanese are stockier and broader hipped. Japanese (except for wrestlers) are seldom fat; they often dry up and grow lean as they age. The Chinese put on weight, particularly if they are prosperous.

Chinese avoid horn-rimmed spectacles. Japanese eyes are closer set. Japanese are hesitant, nervous in conversation, laugh loudly at the wrong time. Chinese expression is more placid, kindly open; the Japanese more dogmatic, arrogant. Japanese walk stiffly erect, hard-heeled. Chinese are more relaxed with easy gait.”

These articles were written and published, so Nakazawa probably saw at some time in his life.  Maybe he used this concept of what the enemy looks like in his drawings.  This has now led me to more questions.  I would use this idea of what does the enemy look like in creating discussion and art projects with students.

 

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/david-mas-masumoto/article57085708.html#storylink=cpy (http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/david-mas-masumoto/article57085708.html)

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Bachpe

A common manga thing is to have characters sweat when they are dealing with emotional or tough decisions.  Most of the time when the father is sweating it is because of some emotionally charged talk or some talk that involves tough decisions.  In many animes you see this too, although the sweat is often depicted as one big sweat beat.  Nakazawa does a whole face sweat for many of his characters (the dad, the mom, the neighbor...).  Times when the father is not doing/when he is being passive or just being he does not sweat.  For example when we first see him and he's having fun with his boys at the wheat field he is not dealing with any tough decisions or when he is being beaten by the cops he is trying to endure/just be until it is over.    

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Liz

I think that is an interesting idea for discussing this book/parts of the book.  Also a great discussion for students to have.  How many times have we heard students claim they don't have a choice or that things can't be changed or that they were just doing what others were doing?  

We are going to see MANY more events coming in that will fit with this platform you mention.  There are scenes involving breaking windows, fishing for Koi, providing money for the family, helping the bullies... 

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Liz

That is an interesting article you found.  It reminds me of something I saw on Netflix this past summer (I was unable to watch more than a few minutes of it though).  It was an old "educational" film called Know Your Enemy Japan.  It is full of many of the same types of things the Time and Life articles talked about.  I am interested in reading David Mas Masumoto's piece.  

[Donna Kokojan]

2.  I think  Gen’s father went to the train for a number of different reasons.  He realized that the probably of his son returning home again was small, so he wanted his son to know that he had his blessing.  Although Gen’s father did not agree with Koji leaving he understood why his son was making this choice.  His son was looking out for the welfare of his family and trying to bring honor to them so they would no longer be picked on and called traitors.  I believe his father also understood that the soldiers would not be taken care of because there wasn’t enough food available for anyone in Japan.  That decreased the odds of Koji surviving.  Gen’s father was about peace for his family and the world.  I believe the author included this to show that Gen’s father was looking beyond the war to the “heart” of his family.  His son was being the wheat- standing tall in the midst of chaos. Koji had been taught to stand up for what he believed in especially if it wasn’t the popular choice and to think for himself..  Ultimately, I think Gen’s father went for both  Koji and himself.

 

3.  I don’t think it is a coincidence that the date was around the death of Roosevelt. The pages prior to page 110 talked about the Japanese people taking their own lives instead of allowing the Americans to capture them.  I think the stomping of Roosevelt’s face was symbolic.  It allowed government officials a way  to know who was supporting or following their propaganda and it was a way to show that Roosevelt had died because of the Japanese’s faith and perseverance. Stomping on the faces helped to show that the Americans and British would not be able to defeat Japan and their emperor.  Stomping on their faces was the ultimate insult.  It showed that the American leader was so low that he was beneath the soles of their shoes.  I also don’t think it was a coincidence that these same pages introduced the thousand stitch belts and banzai. The belts showed how important faith was in the Japanese culture.  Banzai was a saying or pray that literally stated “ may you live a long life”.  It was a word that was normally used when praising the emperor, but in this case I think the author wants the read to know that the Japanese people wanted the soldiers to live a long life because that would mean Japan was supreme and would provide an opportunity for all Japanese to live a long life.  I think that is another reason it was placed in the book around the death of Roosevelt.   

[Donna Kokojan]

Dear Bac...@pps.k12.mi.us, 

I believe the author shows Gen's father with sweat as a way of symbolizing the amount of stress he was experiencing internally.  He wanted to be strong and display the type of character he had taught his children to be, so he did not want to express his concerns or fears to them.  The sweat was the "chaos" or challenges he was facing while trying to be true to his own believe which he tried to teach his children thru his dialogue about the wheat.  Donna

[mgbl...@gmail.com]

1. There are a lot of depictions of WWII in this section, reactions and/or use of any of these?

                      This reading segment provides ample examples of the social reality of the WWII in Japan as seen through the eyes of Barefoot Gen and his family.  The story, in general, unravels the physical, social, and psychological impact of the war conflict upon people and individuals from the perspective of those who lived in Japan.

                     First of all, the war is deadly. The story is infiltrated with a sense of doom and morbidity with every vision of action and future. Nakaoka and his wife feel rage at the government and at the war for the destruction of the peaceful ways of living and for stealing their happiness with the way the country, overall, forces people to behave and act contrary to their beliefs and opinions. The father, for instance, does not like that his older son decides to join the military and knows that what will happen to his son will be deadly, but he feels powerless to have any influence on the course of events. His nephew almost lost his life, came back without his limbs, so there is a real example to support his anti-military campaign, but to not avail, since the son decides to join. Mother and father show anger towards their son’s resolution, and their reaction hides their deep love for their son. I imagine that there were other families at the time who had to experience a similar struggle: having to say their final goodbye to their sons recruited in the armed forces, knowing that they will most likely not see them again.

            Joining the army was, also, considered  a way to show honor to the country and the Emperor, so if a boy was at the eligible age and was not serving in the capacity of the fighter, there would have been brainwashing and oppression to force the potential candidate to enlist.  Barefoot Gen, Sinji, and his brother experienced such an oppression. Koji was accused of a factory explosion, whereas his younger brothers were accused of being traitors by association.  When Barefoot Gen and his brother stomp the painted faces of Roosevelt and Churchill on the pavements of their city represents, thus, an expression of  brainwashing that demonstrates how the government was controlling the minds of people, leaving limited room for defiance.

        Finally, the police curfew and Akira, one of the family’s sons coming back home from the country,  describe two further instances of war times in society. When the bombing in the outskirts of the city began one night, that is, Barefoot Gen’s family failed to turn off the lights immediately, and as a result the family is visited upon by the local police who orders the father to turn off the lights. Then, Akira, shows up from the country camp where he was, and he presents himself distraught and horrified, as well. Both examples are highly suggestive of the whole militaristic, undemocratic, and oppressive was the atmosphere in WWII Japan that made the conditions of living unbearable for  people.

 

1. P119 - Why did the father go to the train?  Was he saying goodbye, was he afraid of regrets, was he doing it for his son...Would you use this with your kids?

 

                 Nakaoka is a caring father, besides being a hard-working, responsible, and dedicated citizen of Japan, who wants the best for his family and desires the best, also, for his country. His anti-war sentiments have caused him many altercations with the officials, and it seems subsequently that his anti-war disposition is conflicting with his role as a father, and his feelings for his son. When he opposed his son’s decision to service his country as a pilot, the father is in agreement with his pacifist campaign. His adamant refusal to show direct affection to his son is an indirect way of showing his anger at the situation, the foredoomed sense of what will happen to his son, knowing what happened to his nephew, and an implicit way to force his son to change his mind. But as the proverb goes, “Like Father, like son,” Koji has inherited his father’s strong resolve. The scene, where Nakaoka runs alongside the train tracks to say goodbye to his son,  suggests his love that surpasses any disagreement about what his son chose to do, or that the father is angry about the whole situation.

               Finally, students will benefit from drawing comparisons between Nakaoka and their own father, or parents, in general, when they do something that goes contrary to what their parents are expecting them to do, and they do it nonetheless. The comparison will underline the love that parents have towards their children, a love that inspires respect and a sentiment of affection in return. Sometimes, students are not considering the sacrifices their parents  have made for them, because they are not mature enough to know the difference. Nakaoka’s expression of love that subjugates his own self to embrace his son, unconditionally, with a potential last farewell at the train tracks demonstrates a fit example for comparison between how youngsters act versus how parents act. 

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Donna

Based on your comment for #2 I think there's room for an interesting class discussion.  You mention the father standing up for what he believes in no matter what.  His son is violating the father's idea of peace and resistance by joining the war.  This means either the son is strong like his father but going against him (thus mirror images of each other but in different directions) or that he is not as strong as the father.  Talking about this type of thing and going against the Patriarch or Matriarch, is definitely something many young students would be able to develop strong opinions on.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

MgBlake

You definitely pull out some great discussion or lecture points that you could bring up if you were to use this in your class, or do a cross-curricular unit with an English teacher.  I also agree that students don't see things from their parents' point of view or see the whole picture and that this section could lead to some great discussions in the classroom.  As a social studies teacher I think there are a lot of things you could pull out of this section, like you mentioned above, to help the students understand things better.  I think this would also be an interesting point to have the kids do some quick research.  You could have them look up some propaganda, some of the weapons, items or events described in this section.  You could even have them look at some other primary sources about similar actions (i.e. someone like the british sending children away for safety, blackouts or air raids on other countries).   

There are a few middle school level books your school library might have that could be fun to look at and pull excerpts from too - 

When my Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park (About life in Korea during WWII, the main character's brother ends up in a Kamikaze squad under similar circumstances as we see in Barefoot Gen).

Ghosts in the Fog by Samantha Seiple (about the Japanese invasion and occupation of Alaska) during WW2.  You can find ample free source material from this book on google books.

Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury (about a Hawaiian teen of Japanese ancestry who joins the military days before Pearl Harbor.  The story focuses on what it is like to be a Japanese-American soldier during WW2).  

[Lori Stubben]

I teach a block about Islamic history, arts, beliefs and stereotypes and the book and documentary Reel Bad Arabs points out all the negative stereotypes - Aladdin is full of them- Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko_N4BcaIPY  I like your comparison idea- Japan's propaganda and anti-Islamic/Arab propaganda today. I'd add US WWII anti-Japanese propaganda too,

Lori

[Lori Stubben]

1. I keep noticing stylistic choices in this second reading; I looked more at the words the first read through. On page105 half the page is filled by a frame depicting the men making the atomic bomb at the Manhattan Project. It looks different from the usual frames- it is two scientists conversing while another gets an idea and raises a finger with an mp looking down on them. It's the largest frame in the story so far (foreshadowing it's importance) and the next bigger frame is when they test the actual bomb with a 3/4 page frame and then during the bombing there are more large frames of importance. This frame is also in a more realistic style, true perspective, without added sounds or movement marks. To me it signifies that it is outside of the ongoing story of Gen.  

When we get back to Gen and his brother two frames later they are standing in front of the rays of the sun-asking "When's the war gonna be over Gen? I'm sick and tired of it..." reminding me of the war flag design of the red and white Japanese flag with the rising sun- the army and navy's flag. These same rays are behind the US bombers on the facing page.- but can also be the bombs themselves exploding in bursts of light in the night.

I always thought that the flag with the rays was the original Japanese flag and a concession of loosing the war was removing the stripes. I looked it up and I guess I made up that story to go with the Emperor denying he was a deity reparation.

2. Looking at page 118-119 when the father finally shows up after the train is leaving the station he reminds me of superman. His face is always so chiseled. His hair looks like superman (maybe receding a bit more). He is buff and stands with his legs apart and arms out in the middle frame. If his hands were on his hips he would be Superman in a yukata! He puts out both arms and looks like he is about to fly when he finally calls out to Koji again and again as the train passes- the emotion builds in the scene and makes me tear up.  This is one of only a handful of times where the action goes outside of the frame and I think the only time it goes into other frames as Gen's father is putting his arms out so strongly in such an expression of love for his son that they reach beyond the frame, almost beyond the page and to his son with the action marks (swallops?) showing the strong movement of his arms and the speed of the train. These pages also show how tears are drawn differently from sweat.  The last frame, the back view of the father still in his resolute stance, seems to say nothing has changed, even when everything has.

[Elizabeth Arias]

2.  "P119 - Why did the father go to the train?  Was he saying goodbye, was he afraid of regrets, was he doing it for his son...Would you use this with your kids?"

      This scene unnerved me a bit when I first read it because Mr. Nakaoka is an unconventional character, yet he seems, at the final moment, to bow to the tradition of "Banzai" for soldiers.  Of course, he is also a father, and he would be thinking about Koji's well-being, morale, and general state of mind, and trying to be sure that his own words and behavior do not negatively affect him.  It is possible that Mr. Nakaoka would like to avoid having regrets, as his own behavior and political beliefs contributed strongly to Koji feeling that he had to enlist in order to preserve family honor.  In my classes, we talk about regrets and taking chances because this is not a concept that my student demographic (ELLs) are very familiar with.  Most of the students and/or their parents have taken many chances and have left their lives behind in their countries of origin, so taking chances are commonplace, while regrets are foreign to them because they are not productive.  I plan to use this as an example with students, asking them to imagine how Mr. Nakaoka might have felt later if he were to hear that something had happened to Koji.

3.  "P121 reactions to the stomping - Also please include a response to the following in your answer - There's not an exact date here but on page 110 it talks about April 1st so this incident appears to be after that date, very possibly right around the time of Roosevelt's death (April 12th 1945).  Is this coincidence?"

I found the stomping scene to be interesting, especially given how malleable their behavior is in public, given how assertive Mrs. Nakaoka had been when dealing with MPs in her home.  I must admit, I had not really analyzed whether the date might have been important, but it is relevant  that this occurred possibly close to the time of the death of FDR.  If this were the case, and seeing the characterizations in the book, I would imagine that Gen would later have mentioned something about FDR's death and their actions, had that been the case, especially since his death most certainly would have been widely publicized in Japan at the time.

[Elizabeth Arias]

     I am not sure that I can agree with the assertion that blatantly negative stereotypes are no longer common in depicting our "enemies" in print and film here.  Even in what many would call a progressively-minded Hollywood (I am not sure I agree), gangs, prisoners, and generally bad guys are portrayed as people of color and/or people with accents.  We are very good at demonizing "otherness" here, even now.  Regardless of one's politics, I believe that media coverage and "propaganda" against people who are different in some way from what is considered mainstream, portray otherness as inherently dangerous , hence the Philando Castille verdict, to mention just one example.  While we may not be dropping pamphlets from B29's over Kansas, we still have a rather dominant narrative about race and goodness in the United States today.  I do use this propaganda angle often in my teaching to see if students can come up with modern examples, and hey always can.  This may stem from the fact that my students are English language learners in a rural Southern district where otherness is very obvious, or from the fact that in poor communities, disenfranchisement begins at a very early age.

[nahow...@gmail.com]

Topic 2- I believe the father is saying good bye to his son, as he does not want to take the change that his son may be killed and that they end on bad terms. The whole family knows the risks their son is taking, but I think at a certain level, the father also is proud of his son by doing what he believes is the right thing for him to do. I may use this with my kids in asking if they have experienced similar situations, or could give examples from other things they have read or seen in movies or TV.

Topic 3- The stomping of the images of Roosevelt and Churchill reminds me of the act of burning people in effigy. It not only shows their displeasure to their enemies, but also provides the governing bodies with the assurance that you are not a traitor or dissenter. I could also see where the coincidental death of Roosevelt not long afterwards could be used as showing the people that these actions have power.  It reminds me of a scene from the movie Starship Troopers where the children are in the playground stomping on bugs as their teacher cheers them on; in reality it does nothing, but it adds to the indoctrination of the people.

[mdz...@gmail.com]

Question 1. These pages reminded me of similar scenes in Taegukgi (2004), a South Korean film about the Korean War. In the case of Barefoot Gen, those scenes showed food shortages (the family’s wheat crop), the sending-off of a reluctant soldier (Koji), and a father-figure’s reaction to it (here, the father, ultimately, reluctantly shows support for his son. I believe that showing my students the human element of the war is very important. Many of them are indeed interested in World War II, but very few know much at all about the real, human cost of that war. Although I found the scenes depicting the island suicides to be moving, I know that they would be far too much for my students. However, by focusing on Gen’s family, and his family’s struggle to come to terms with Koji’s decision, I believe that the awful reality of the war, like that in Taegukgi, can be brought home to them.

Question 2. Following on from the previous point, I believe that those are the very questions I would use in class with my students. To those questions, I would add two more: Were you surprised that the father appeared by the railroad tracks? And how do you think that Koji read his father’s goodbye himself?

In answer to your questions (Was he saying goodbye, was he afraid of regrets, was he doing it for his son?), I would say ‘yes’ to all three. The father is a rather more interesting character in that we as readers view him as Gen himself does (I think). There is a certain exaggerated quality (almost Homeric – in a Simpsonian sense) in his behavior towards his children, but his love for them rings true and clear.  

 

In response to nahow…gmail.com. I really appreciated what you wrote about the stomping on the images of Roosevelt and Churchill. I believe the twofold explanation you gave is just what my students need to pull apart for themselves. Not only can the act show displeasure, but it also provides an assurance of agreement with the authorities. Sometimes my students have great difficulties when teasing out multiple meanings in what the read. I only wish I could share with them the reference to Starship Troopers. (I am embarrassed to say that I’d forgotten about that part.) Thank you!

[mdz...@gmail.com]

Hello!

[step...@brpsk12.org]

1 - The depictions of WWII in these pages shows the range of feelings involved.  You are a coward if you don't fight, you are a hero if you die.  The reactions of the parents on pg 89 as they have to watch their son who has become like "an insect" is in contrast to the neighbors who praised him for fighting.  A shortage of food Is the center of family life.  Is Japanese patriotism the same as the United States felt during WWII?  Could the scenes be transposed to be American instead of Japanese? 

2-  I was relieved that he did go to say good bye!  He loves his son,  and  mother and father remember how they took care of him as a baby, making sure he would survive. They took care of him so he would live, not go to war to die. 

Father can see that Koji is being pushed into joining because of the way others are punishing his family due to father's anti war beliefs.  Koji wants to show others that his family is not cowardly; he wants to be a man.  I think his father sees this.  And his father goes to the train to show his love for the boy, not to applaud him for leaving.

[step...@brpsk12.org]

Liz,  thank you for sharing these articles!  Visuals help show how discrimination was real from this side of the ocean.  I could see using these pictures/articles in class.

Marguerite

[Geoffrey Smith]

1: On pages 86-124, there are frequent depictions of World War II, including examples of nationalism (page 89, box 3), militarism (page 92, boxes 3, 4, and 6), and many other examples.  Nakazawa also seems to provide more historical narration, including brief background information on the Manhattan Project (page 105), “editorializing” on the “honorable defeat” of Japanese soldiers (page 107), and the influence of propaganda (“false information”) and military elites (pages 110-111).  

 

 

2: On page 119, the father is probably motivated to go to the train for paternal, not political, reasons.  The scene can be interpreted as an example of how war separates families, sometimes quite literally and definitively (through displacement, through death) and here more internally (through differences in point of view, sense of duty, etc.).  The father is clearly emotional (saying goodbye to his son for possibly the last time).  Yes, I would encourage discussion of this scene with my students, including a comparison with the previous parting scene on page 117 (which is more joyful and celebratory, despite some expressions of misgiving in boxes 6-7).

[Geoffrey Smith]

Lori, I appreciate your close viewing and analysis of the father in this passage.  You are so right, of course, that the father is depicted as a person of (physical and moral) strength (especially on page 118, boxes 5 and 9).  In earlier passages, it is easy to see the father as a person of weakness (physically and otherwise).  

[alliso...@gmail.com]

The numerous direct references to WW2 in this section have a couple of functions. First, it is a sort of historical ballast showing the Americans advancing. This contrasts to the messages that the Japanese citizens are hearing and highlights how the people are being duped. It also shows how the Father is correct with his criticism of the war and those in charge. Finally, it shows the desperation of the Japanese people as they commit suicide en masse by jumping off the cliff. This is a particularly dramatic tableau that really highlights the fear of America that the Japanese people (deservedly, I imagine) had. The narrative voice is outside of the story purportedly delivering "facts" about the war. Narratively, it is klunky and a little lazy. Instead of earning the details by showing, the author writes a "voice over" to deliver the information. This goes against the nearly universal advice of the teaching of narrative writing. Although I am critical of it as a writing strategy, I think its directness makes it easier for students to digest and it ramps up the dramatic tension of when the bombs will actually be dropped. 

I really appreciate the father's appearance at the train as Koji departs, and I think it would be a great question for student's to tackle. My personal interpretation has to do with the Father's humanism. Throughout the text he is a pacifist, but before that he is a father. I always tell my students that the beginnings and ends of novels are thematically important, and the father is not talking about pacifism at the onset. He is talking about raising his sons to be resilient. While the Father gets caught up in his protest (and is responsible for Koji's enlisting in the first place), he digs in when Koji tells him his decision. I would venture to say we all do this at times. We dig in on lesser points with our students and forget the bigger picture. I know I do. Koji's father ultimately realizes that his pacifism is secondary to his role as a father. Without his family, his pacifism is hollow. As a realist, the Father knows that Koji will most likely not make it back. What kind of father could live with the decision to disown his son because of a decision like that? One that was caused by him in the first place? Nakoaka knows that he must show his love for his son above the hatred of the war, so he lets the (potential) last impression between him and his son be one of strength and pride rather than pettiness and bitterness. I think it is the right decision; one that I hope I would make given similar (admittedly dire) circumstances. 

[semba...@gmail.com]

Laura Semba

#3) I think the inclusion of the stomping scene illustrates the ridiculous things people were expected to do to show their loyalty to the country.  They had to perform for the MP or face potentially dreadful consequences for not submitting to something so mindless.  I don't think it has anything to do with Roosevelt's death since Churchill is also there and the writing doesn't celebrate his death, it just calls them the American and British "brutes/devils".  

#4) Something that really struck me in reading this graphic novel is the fact that any Japanese person who thought for himself/herself really had to fight an internal war as well as an external war.  By internal war I mean within Japan with fellow citizens, neighbors, friends, etc. Someone was always watching your behavior, and if they didn't happen to like you for some reason, or if they were simply a zealot, they could report you for unpatriotic activities if you slipped up in any way.  I think this was much more pronounced in Japan than in the United States because Japan is such a group-oriented culture.  My Japanese friend who now lives in the United States once told me she was glad to get away from her Japanese neighborhood because she always felt she was being spied on by the neighbors.  Any deviation from the norm was noted and gossiped about around the neighborhood.  We have that to some extent in small towns here, but it seems it's taken to another level in Japan.  I would ask my students to try to think of examples where we might have a certain element of "thought-policing" here, in our daily lives and also in history (McCarthyism for example).  There is so much psychological torment and group-think depicted in Barefoot Gen that it really highlighted the enemy within as well as without.

Liz Pipkin - It was interesting to see the article you posted.  There was propoganda on both sides.  I would like to have my students research how each side used propoganda during the war and also look for any evidence of propoganda in our current political climate.

[nike.n...@gmail.com]

Question 2: I think it's a combination of all the things you mentioned. He was probably more afraid of regrets...the what if's. if Koji dies at war, he won't be able to take back all those horrible things he said to him. He won't be able to tell him that he loves him and that he really did not mean those things. The need to say goodbye in case he never seems him again. I guess it's a form of closure for someone going to war.

Questions 4: I'm a little carious about parental sacrifice. We were able to see all the hardship that Koji's parents went through when he was born. it definitely was not easy for them --not that things were any better for them during WWII. I guess one thing that I'll ask my kids is: should children consider the amount of sacrifice their parents made on their behalf before they --children--make a decision that will ultimately affect the lives of those in their life? As a Nigerian American, this is always at the forefront of what I do when it comes to my mother.


Discussion topics

1. There are a lot of depictions of WWII in this section, reactions and/or use of any of these?

1. P119 - Why did the father go to the train?  Was he saying goodbye, was he afraid of regrets, was he doing it for his son...Would you use this with your kids?

1. P121 reactions to the stomping - Also please include a response to the following in your answer - There's not an exact date here but on page 110 it talks about April 1st so this incident appears to be after that date, very possibly right around the time of Roosevelt's death (April 12th 1945).  Is this coincidence? 

1. Is there anything else in these pages that you would use with your kids?  Please explain.

[nike.n...@gmail.com]

I agree with what you said in regards to the motivation of Koji's father. I have often wondered whether parents whose kids are deployed know that their kids may not be coming back home so when they bid them farewell, they are saying their last goodbye. It's sort of depressing.

[crenn...@gmail.com]

2:

One thing that's great about this question is that a good answer would require students to read the text and the visuals closely. I encourage students to look for differences within similarities, and the father's appearance along the train's path gives us one example. When the siblings accompany Koji to the platform, they say, "Banzai, Koji!" But when the father arrives, he says Koji's full name: "Koji Nakaoka, Banzai." The decision to include the last name suggests that the father is emphasizing his son as a part of the family. Even though Koji has enlisted in spite of his father's disapproval, the father still accepts him as part of the family.

            The visuals in this section are really interesting too. On 119, Nakazawa gives us a striking image of the train rushing past as the father raises his arms. The train crosses the box in a diagonal. The father's and son's raised arms are perpendicular to the train and are parallel to each other. Of Kurosawa's films, I've heard that the diagonal is often a visual symbol of change. I don't know if this goes beyond Kurosawa, but it's interesting that this shot has a similar diagonal here.

Up to this moments, we have had a sequence of boxes with a single figure, either the son or the father, but this is a moment of unity and reconciliation. In the boxes that follow, however, the father and son are dwarfed by the train and in the end, we see Nakaoka from behind and alone.

           

4:

After Koji announces that he will enlist, Kimie and Nakaoka both reflect on that decision. It seems like both of them are thinking. On p. 91, for instance, we mostly see Kimie's memories, if I'm reading this correctly, of raising Koji. On the following page, Nakaoka imagines the brutal death that Koji might experience. It's interesting how much is told visually through this section. Kimie's memories include more dialogue, but even without the dialogue, I think we would see the importance of the memories to her. The memory of Nakaoka lifting his son and proclaiming, "Banzai," seems especially significant in light of what comes later in the chapter.

[crenn...@gmail.com]

Lori,

I love the connection to Superman. It strikes me that the way Nakaoka looks makes sense if we think about it coming from a child's perspective. It would make sense for a child to remember a lost parent as larger-than-life. And the Superman origin story has an element of this too: Jor El sends his son, who will become Superman, away from Krypton. Like with this scene, there is a sense of sacrifice and loss. 

[aethe...@kapaun.org]

I am intrigued by the language use on pages 105-111 as it is told from the viewpoint of a narrator with years of reflection. I noticed phrases such as "brainwashed," "honorable defeat after another" in quotes, "throwing lives away," "forced to join," and "spreading false information." These were directed at the Japanese government and not the American/British governments that Gen's family's has been forced to hated regardless (forced stomping on the picture drawings). The American are to be the enemy, but in these pages, the enemy is pinned on the Japanese government. I like how Nakazawa pairs those panels with the pain of the true victim: the everyday citizen. The reader sees the suffering of the other countrymen and in a way, begins to sympathize with the ordinary Japanese citizens and think "Why does the Japanese government continue to kill its own people?"  I always thought that all Japanese had this drive to win the war at all costs and this book opened my eyes to other sides of the story--some family's opposed the war vehemently like Gen's.

[aethe...@kapaun.org]

I like how you pointed out the larger frames to indicate something larger to come or its importance. I also noticed that those pages have no dialogue...it is silent except those sounds made by the planes and bombs. This forces the reader to hear those sounds and maybe even anticipate what will happen when the plane flies over. Then you hear some screams.  

[aethe...@kapaun.org]

#4 I may not use this with the kids, but the Chairmen and his henchman have characteristics of Hitler and Stalin with their mustaches. Why a Stalin look alike, I am not sure as it does not quite fit the order of events in WWII, but  with a point of view from years of reflection--maybe something could be said about dictators.

I would use the descriptions of the HUMAN price tag of war. What were people doing or being asked to do in Japan? endure food shortages, forced relocation, expected military service, etc. Also, I would want to help explain why some folks that those depicted in the story felt it necessary to kill themselves through drowning or through the kamikaze missions.  I would want my students to recognize that the ordinary citizens as the victims who have no control or say. I think that could lead some great discussion and thoughts of compassion for those citizens when the Atomic bomb explodes on Hiroshima.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Lori

I love the Superman comparison.  Now that you point it out, he does resemble superman.  As a kid I was obsessed with black and white TV shows and the old 1950s George Reeves Superman really does look a lot like the father.  I also like that you pointed out the breaking of the frame and its importance on page 118.  

I had a different reading of the picture on page 119 (although I do like your reading of it).  To me this is a very depressing picture.  It looks like the father's head is down (hard to tell for sure given the high collar and his short neck).  We are seeing his back because he is possibly breaking down, possibly the first time in the entire story that the father has been broken (the clenching of his hands into fists might be his attempt to try and keep himself/pull himself together).  The father's only companion in the picture is the wind taring at his clothing (the sad-lonely and unforgiving wind was a common staple of the old westerns and war pictures of this era and even still occasionally used today).  The train is so small that you can easily miss it and the father and the readers know what is going to happen to Koji.  The smallness, simpleness and stillness of the frame after two very large, detailed and action-filled frames, also adds to this.  But that's just how I interpreted the picture.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Elizabeth

I like your use of what if with your kids.  What if the father had not gone to the train, how would he feel when news came back?  With refugees especially, I think this is a powerful way to get the idea of consequences and the power of regrets across to kids.  

Thank you for sharing that.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Nahoward

I love the connection to Starship Troopers (I finally got around to reading the book this spring and made my wife watch the movie afterwards as she had never seen it).  You are right about the act.  I would say that it is similar, but more powerful than burning an effigy.  Burning an effigy is often something done with high passion and in the heat of the moment, it is also a large group effort (the image of one person burning an effigy and standing around it by him/herself cheering is almost comical).  I would argue the stomping of the faces is far more insidious.  This is meant to be a daily activity, almost robotic in action.  Like brushing your teeth.  This hate is supposed to become such a part of you that you don't even need the high emotions or others to access it, heck not even a strong cognitive awareness of it (it's almost a Manchurian Candidate-ish programming.  This is a great example of inductronization for the kids too.  

I think this particular scene goes well with what a lot of people have been commenting about depictions of "dangerous" people in media and the subliminal like affect this can have on people.  I recall back in middle school we were all asked to draw and use adjectives to describe certain traits or certain types of people.  The goal was to address gender stereotypes, but I think it applies equally well (or better) to this scene and "dangerous" people mindsets.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Mdzanko

Your use of the family to make the cost of the war more accessible is an awesome overarching idea to pull out with your kids.  My kids have always taken the family's emotions and struggles as obvious, but the parts like suicide cliff were the shocking thing they wanted to know more about.  But given the history of my students I suppose this makes sense.  I also agree wholeheartedly with your statement that we are looking at the father from the heroic lense of Nakazawa.  Lori, a few posts above, stated that the father resembles Superman and poses like him.  SPOILER - The mother will survive the bombing (but not the radiation) and Nakazawa has attributed his path in life to her.  The father will not survive the bombing and will die trying to convince his family to leave him and get to safety.  I think this would make it very understandable for how and why the father is depicted the way he is by Nakazawa.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Stephen

I think you could flip this feeling to the US during WWII, although maybe not as intense as time went on.  There was an award winning film that came out last year, Hacksaw Ridge, which is one recent example of how being a non-combatant was viewed and how the people who loved the main character felt about his going to war.  In fact there are several parallels between that movie and Koji and his story.  There are many stories, films, TV shows that show how people were viewed who did not fight (but were seen as being capable of it) and those who came back with medals.  There have also been some stories about 4F and other people who were rejected being seen as less than or shamed by others.  

The US government certainly did its part to add to this.  The propaganda, the ideas of doing without and going the extra mile or you're helping the enemy, the recruitment of children to do their part, the selling of war bonds and so forth.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Geoffrey

Maybe stopping your kids at page 96 or 110, one discussion question you could bring up is what is your duty in war?  Most students would probably answer to fight like Koji.  But than ask about for those who are too young or too old, for families, for those who can't...

After they have come up with some ideas, or haven't, have them read to page 117 and see what they say.  Ask them what is your duty if you object to the war and if the father is doing his duty?  You could even have them predict what will we see the father doing the next time we see him (berating his family for going, regretting not going, going himself...). Then afterwards have them read 119 and discuss their reactions and if he lived up to his duties.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Allison

The stopping of the showing so you can tell the reader is different.  Showing instead of telling is something we constantly beat into the heads of our kids when they are writing.  So I fully understand your feelings about the use here.  That said, I would also say that it is a common device used by many Japanese non-fiction or semi-fictional historical stories.  I think you could go so far as to say it is expected or a genre specific device in this type of Manga.  Although the fact that Nakazawa was one of the early manga people who certainly helped cement the norms and trends means that he could have gone in a different direction as those norms and trends were still in their infancy.  

A lot of the other historical manga works pull out of the story to insert history facts and some of them are far more clunky or jarring than this.  My students often find this to be something they appreciate as it gives them knowledge they might not have, but they often don't like it because it pulls them out of the story and violates what they are told a writer should do (that showing not telling that you bring up).  Kind of like how I appreciate the work my dentist does, but I certainly don't enjoy it.

Something I've never had the chance to do, but would love to, is to talk to a group of Japanese students (middle school, high school and college aged) to discuss this common device in historical works and what they think of it, especially in comparison to American works that don't do it.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Sembasensei

I think you are right about the walls having eyes and ears being something that exists in small towns, but not to the extent of this era in Japan.  There have been a few times when this was more pronounced in the US and during the McCarthy era it certainly hits a high.  Although there are still some ways to bring this up in class that tie into History or the US.  

First from a historical point of view - for example the Soviet Union, or Nazi era Germany. The secret police, the neighbors being rewarded for turning in other neighbors, the McCarthy era where it could be used in Hollywood to help advance your career by taking out others.   This way would require a considerable amount of knowledge that students are likely lacking and probably aren't covered in your state or school's standards.

The second way is from a modern Big Brother point of view.  Students at my school were freaked out when they found out that the administration could access the camera on their one-to-one student laptops even when they were not in school.  This led many students to put tape over the cameras and microphones.  Students also have to deal with not knowing, day or night, if a teacher is watching the screen of their computer (we use a program that allows us to see what any student is looking at even when at home including all their tabs and browser history).  On top of that many students have heard that there are websites monitored by the government to see who is going there, chat rooms/message boards that are monitored by the government, that certain purchases are monitored (certain medicines, fertilizers...), saying certain words repeatedly over the phone can cause the government to take interest in you and so forth.  Now I don't know how much of this is actually true and how much is possible vs plausible or simply paranoid fantasy, but to many kids they do feel like their electronic world is very much monitored in a similar way as to the real world of Nakazawa and others in the way you mention.

A third way I think you could connect this for students is simply from the point of view of students, especially students in a small town.  I've used this method many times.  I ask them how long it takes for people to learn that two people are dating, or broke up, or had a fight or any other kind of drama/rumors/actions....  Most students tell me that they hear things within an hour or two of them happening in school (and often waaaayyyyyyy before teachers).  I've had many students over the years say that they can't wait to graduate or that they are going to or did, transfer schools because of this walls having eyes and ears thing you bring up.  

Just some ideas for you.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Nike

In response to your question about weighing family sacrifices, this is something that I think many immigrant groups can definitely talk about first hand, but might be more of a foreign concept for others.  I know when I was young and made decisions I wasn't always thinking about anyone but me.  But for many of my immigrant/refugee students and their younger siblings, they hear from their relatives all the time about the sacrifices that were made and this concept of filial responsibility in their choices and actions.  I had a student a few years back who received a $60,000 scholarship to go to the best art college in our state and his father made him turn it down and go to a community college instead.  There was no discussion or complaining allowed because of this concept.  I can't imagine acting the same way as that student in his place.  

As to your other question, I have never served in the military but I come from a large family of Marines.  My last serving uncle was in Iraq until near the end of our second Iraq conflict.  I know that my mother, my mother's siblings and my uncle's wife and kids had to deal with the thought that they might never see him again.  When I went overseas to teach my mother and my wife (I went a month before my wife) even went through a similar thought process even though I was going someplace very safe.  So I think it is safe to say that many parents who see their kids getting deployed deal with the thoughts and feelings that they may be saying their last goodbyes.  

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Crennertmay

That's a great catch with the inclusion of the last name and I think you are correct in the meaning.  One other thing that I think is interesting when you compare the goodbyes is that the mother technically never says goodbye or celebrates him at the train station.  On page 116 the kids all say "goodbye" and "go get 'em."  The mother says let me see your face once more and talks about his death.  when the kids are celebrating him on page 117 the mother is not in either of the boxes.  While the father does not say goodbye, he does celebrate his son.  So while the father and the kids are trying to be one way for Koji, the mother is not.  

There are times when we see Nakazawa depict his mother as being very strong and there are times when we see her depicted in less flattering ways.  When we compare the two goodbyes I don't know that the mother comes out very favorable.  Although that said, given what you pointed out about the mother's memories of baby Koji, I think Nakazawa does keep her from becoming too thin or two dimensional in this scene.  By showing her reliving Koji's life we can see the mother as a very real and three dimensional character here.

[morgan...@gmail.com]

Aetheredge

The style you point out on pages 105-111 is kind of a common technique used in historical manga.  The closest comparison that is coming to mind right now is Shakespeare.  In many of his plays he has the characters come out of the play and address the audience directly.  Sometimes this is because the audience needs to know something important before the story can continue and not knowing this whatever would diminish the effects of the rest of what is coming.  In these historical manga the authors often feel the readers need to know something so they pull out of the story and give a mini history lesson.  Some authors do it in more creative ways and some do it less successfully than Nakazawa, but it is frequently used.  In books the closest thing we might have would be either a lengthy preface/foreword or footnotes.  Comparatively speaking this History teacher in me finds this common historical manga method is far more beneficial, but the English teacher in me find this method far more off putting as it pulls the reader out of the narrative more.  

[gla...@gmail.com]

That is some interesting research you found. It reminds me also of the German Nazi propaganda against Jews.

[gla...@gmail.com]

The use of sweat to show stress makes sense upon further reading. It's a tell tale sign of the issues that the father is facing.

[mgbl...@gmail.com]

Donna--

I liked your perspective on the father going to see off his son as the train was rolling off, saying how: "Gen’s father was looking beyond the war to the 'heart' of his family." The whole story is filled with the emotions of characters, either gentle and humane, or aggressive and heartless. Since Ben Get is the protagonist in the story, and his story functions as a memoir about the WWII and the atomic bomb, it serves right to show actions of the heart in the story manifesting themselves in  certain situations, particularly, concerning Gen's family that helped the family stay strong and united, even against the plague of war.