Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Obasan, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Race, Identity, and Citizenship
History and Memory
Speech vs. Silence
Selflessness and Decorum
Summary
Analysis
That December, the Nakane and Kato families celebrate Christmas together. The relatives watch Stephen and Naomi perform in a Christmas pageant, and afterwards they shower the children with gifts. Aunt Emily gives Naomi a book about martyrs, and Naomi wonders if she and her loved ones would be able to withstand torment. Soon, though, friends and relatives stop visiting, and Father develops a persistent cough.
The family Christmas is the last happy moment in Naomi’s childhood before her family is torn apart. The disruption of the close family bonds among Naomi’s relatives marks the beginning of the strife that will dominate the coming years as Naomi loses her support system and each member of the family must face their own struggles.
Themes
One night, Aunt Emily comes by, and Naomi overhears her talking with Father about getting the Nakane grandparents out of somewhere called “Sick Bay.” Emily believes that the orders to leave behind everyone in Sick Bay is a death sentence. She goes on to speculate that everyone on Saltspring Island has been sent to “the Pool,” which Emily describes as a nightmare. Naomi doesn’t understand, but she knows that she hasn’t seen her grandparents since they went to visit Saltspring Island. She realizes that she hasn’t seen Uncle for a long time, either. Father tells Emily that his time is up and he can no longer accept others going in his place and filling the quota for him. He tells her that he “leave[s] it all” to her. Emily tries to argue, but she has to leave due to the curfew.
The government’s racist policies against Japanese Canadians affect Naomi’s life before she understands that they are in place. Her grandparents and uncle have been imprisoned, and her father must leave his children in order to comply with these policies. Even Emily, who retains her freedom, is oppressed by the curfews and limitations imposed on Japanese Canadians.
Themes
