The Man in the High Castle

Having been invited to the Kasouras’ house for dinner, Childan takes a pedicab to their “exclusive” neighborhood. No white people live in this district, so Childan attracts stares from the various prominent Japanese residents. As he approaches the Kasouras’ apartment, Childan is overcome with social anxiety. “I do not belong here,” he frets, “on this land that white men cleared […] I am an outsider in my own country.”

Mrs. Kasoura greets Childan at the door, dressed in a Japanese kimono. Childan admires the tasteful décor of the apartment, which he feels possesses wabi—an untranslatable Japanese word about finding beauty in simplicity. As they sit down to drinks, Paul and Betty Kasoura instruct Childan to call them by their first names. Betty explains that they will be eating a typically American meal: steak and baked potato. 

Childan presents Paul and Betty with a scrimshaw from an old U.S. whaling ship, and the couple is deeply appreciative of the gift. Childan thinks that he has made a successful libation, “as the I Ching put it.” For the first time since he found out about the fake gun, Childan feels at some kind of peace. He reflects that the Kasouras are “balance[d]” people, in possession of the spiritual “proportion” known as Tao.

Paul Kasoura discusses the news of Bormann’s death. Today, von Schirach has been placed under house arrest. When Paul criticizes the other possible replacements, Childan defends them, and Betty has to step in to alleviate the tension. Childan regrets having mis-stepped so immediately. “They’re so graceful and polite,” Childan thinks, “and I—the white barbarian. It is true.”

Once again, Childan notices Betty’s beauty and feels lust for her. To distract himself from these illicit thoughts, he brings up The Grasshopper Lies Heavy—he has a noticed that the Kasouras have a copy. Paul offers to lend the book to Childan (whom he calls “Robert”) and suggests that they could get lunch one day and discuss it. Childan fantasizes about going to a fashionable restaurant with a prominent young Japanese man, as it would do wonders for his social status.

The conversation turns to music, as Paul is a big fan of jazz. Childan explains that he does not listen to “Negro music” because he prefers the classical “European masters.” The Kasouras seem a little upset by this comment. Childan is frustrated, feeling that Paul only likes jazz because it is the “most authentic American folk music.”

Once dinner is served, Childan notices that Betty has set the table with a combination of antique American and contemporary Japanese flatware. As Childan appreciates the food (“thank God they had not presented him with a Japanese meal”), he announces that—contrary to the Grasshopper book—he is glad Germany and Japan have won the war, because otherwise Russian communists would have taken over the world.

Betty counters that no one people can truly take over the world, and the table falls silent. Childan berates himself for again creating political tension—but then he realizes that it is “impossible to avoid the topic. Because it’s everywhere, in a book I happen to pick up or a record collection.” Childan grows angry, and privately, he resents the Japanese for stealing American artifacts and traditions. “Only the white races endowed with creativity,” he fumes, “and yet I, blood member of same, must bump head to floor for these two.”

Paul asks Childan about another American book he is reading, Nathanael West’s Miss Lonelyhearts. West’s book is largely about the Judeo-Christian concept of original sin, and Paul wonders aloud if the book’s author—who was Jewish—was impacted by his sense of being an outsider. Childan states that if the U.S. had won, “the Jews would be running the world today.” This comment horrifies Paul and Betty, who “descend into themselves.” As the table falls silent, Childan realizes he has permanently damaged his new relationship with this couple.

Disgusted, Childan concludes that “these people are not exactly human…they’re like monkeys dolled up in the circus. They’re clever and can learn, but that is all.” He is angry that, because the Japanese have won the war, he must “cater to them.” Invigorated by these new thoughts, Childan begins to eat heartily for the first time all meal.

With a newfound sense of confidence, Childan takes a pedicab back from the Kasouras. A pinoc (white government employee) is sitting in Childan’s apartment upon his return. The pinoc wants to talk about the impostor who visited Childan’s shop, pretending to work on the ship Syokaku. The impostor, Childan learns, is Jewish—his name is Frank Frink, though he was born Frank Fink. Childan is disappointed in himself that he could not recognize the “racial characteristics” of a Jew, but he is grateful for the orderly legal system.

After the pinoc leaves, Childan decides to buy The Grasshopper Lies Heavy. His mind drifts to thoughts of the new Nazi leadership, and he hopes Doctor Seyss-Inquart will be chosen as chancellor. He dreams that one day he will have enough money to travel to Nazi leadership, as he feels that in the PSA, “history is passing us by.”