No-No Boy: Analysis of Major Characters
"No-No Boy" is a novel that delves into the complexities of identity and conflict faced by Japanese Americans in the aftermath of World War II. The main character, Ichiro Yamada, is a 25-year-old Nisei who, after spending time in an internment camp and federal prison for refusing to fight for a country that imprisoned his community, grapples with guilt and cultural alienation. His journey reflects the struggles of many Japanese Americans who were torn between loyalty to their heritage and the realities of American identity.
Supporting characters enrich this narrative, including Kenji Kanno, Ichiro's friend who chooses military service despite shared feelings of injustice; Mrs. Yamada, Ichiro's traditional mother who remains rooted in her Japanese identity; and Taro Yamada, his younger brother, who embodies the conflict by enlisting in the Army and resenting Ichiro's choices. The story also features figures like Emi, who represents the personal costs of war and loss, and Mr. Carrick, an Anglo American who seeks to acknowledge and rectify the injustices faced by Japanese Americans.
Through these characters, "No-No Boy" explores themes of loyalty, identity, and the consequences of societal expectations, illustrating the profound emotional and psychological impacts of war and discrimination. The interactions among these characters highlight the varied responses to trauma and the quest for belonging in a post-war society.
No-No Boy: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: John Okada
First published: 1957
Genre: Novel
Locale: Seattle, Washington
Plot: Historical realism
Time: The late 1940's
Ichiro Yamada, a twenty-five-year-old, second-generation (“Nisei”) Japanese American. During World War II, he spent two years in an internment camp for Japanese Americans and two more years in federal prison because he chose to be a “no-no boy,” refusing to serve in the armed forces and to swear allegiance to the United States. He refused because he was angry at the U.S. government for forcing all Japanese aliens and Japanese American citizens into the camps. Throughout the novel, he struggles with his guilt about his decision not to fight in the war and with his feelings of conflict about his ethnic identity. In the end, he decides that he is an American and that both he and his country made mistakes; he looks to the future with cautious optimism.
Kenji Kanno, Ichiro's friend and supporter. Although he shared Ichiro's anger about racial injustice toward Japanese Americans and other ethnic minorities, Kenji joined the Army when war broke out. Like many other Japanese American soldiers, he fought bravely against the Germans; he lost a leg in battle, and the wound eventually kills him. He believed that the “melting pot” was a myth.
Mrs. Yamada, Ichiro's mother. An immigrant (or “Issei”) Japanese, she has lived in the United States for thirty-five years, yet she considers herself Japanese rather than American, and she speaks virtually no English. She refuses to believe that the Japanese were defeated in the war. She is proud of Ichiro's refusal to fight for the United States, but Ichiro feels alienated from her, and there is tension between them. Her mind deteriorates, and she commits suicide by drowning in her own bathtub. Ichiro never completely forgives her for trying to make him Japanese instead of American.
Mr. Yamada, Ichiro's father. A weak-willed and confused man, he lacks a sense of cultural identity, feeling neither Japanese nor American. He tries to understand Ichiro's problems but can offer his son little guidance or support. He becomes virtually helpless and turns to alcohol after his wife's death.
Emi, a young Japanese American woman whom Kenji introduces to Ichiro. Abandoned by her husband, who served with Kenji in the war, she is lonely. She is attracted to Ichiro, and the two have an affair. Ichiro, still tortured by guilt and psychological conflict, finally rejects her offer of love.
Taro Yamada, Ichiro's younger brother. He despises Ichiro for being a “no-no boy.” He sets up Ichiro for a beating. When he turns eighteen, he immediately enlists in the Army.
Freddie, Ichiro's friend and fellow “no-no boy.” Like Ichiro, he is struggling to resolve his feelings of conflict about his refusal to serve in the Army; unlike Ichiro, he disguises his feelings with loud talk and brash actions. His feelings of rage eventually lead to his death in a car accident.
Eto, an Army veteran and former friend of Ichiro. He hates all “no-no boys” and spits on Ichiro and Freddie when he meets them after the war.
Bull, another Japanese American veteran who detests “no-no boys.” His tauntings of Freddie are indirectly responsible for the latter's fatal car accident.
Mr. Carrick, an empathetic Anglo American who realizes that Japanese Americans were victims of injustice and oppression during the war. He offers Ichiro a job, in part because he wants to atone for his country's mistreatment of Japanese Americans.