Full Answer
Is No-No Boy based on a true story?
No-No Boy tells the story of Ichiro Yamada, a fictional version of the real-life “no-no boys.” Yamada answered “no” twice in a compulsory government questionnaire as to whether he would serve in the armed forces and swear loyalty to the United States.
What happens at the end of No-No Boy?
By the end of the original novel, Ichiro is walking down a street alone and conflicted, having just seen Freddie, a fellow No-No Boy, die in a car crash while fleeing from a fight with a Nisei veteran.
What is No-No Boy summary?
No-No Boy is a 1957 novel, and the only novel published by the Japanese American writer John Okada. It tells the story of a Japanese-American in the aftermath of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Who is EMI in No-No Boy?
A twenty-seven-year-old Japanese-American woman who lives by herself on a farm outside of Seattle. Emi and Kenji are close friends, and Kenji introduces Emi to Ichiro, with whom she begins an affair.
Why is it called No-No Boy?
the colloquial term for detained Japanese Americans who answered “no” to questions 27 and 28 on the so-called “loyalty questionnaire” during World War II. Those who answered no, or who were deemed disloyal, were segregated from other detainees and moved to the Tule Lake Relocation Camp in California.
Why are they called No-No Boys?
The project is named after the “No-No Boys” who were young Japanese-Americans who during WWII refused to swear allegiance to the US government or serve in the military while their families and friends were locked away in concentration camps.
How many pages are in no-no boy?
264Product DetailsISBN-13:9780295994048Pages:264Sales rank:75,615Product dimensions:5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)Lexile:900L (what's this?)5 more rows•Aug 1, 2014
How many No-No Boys are there?
To understand who the No-No Boys were, it's first necessary to understand the events of World War II. The United States government's decision to place more than 110,000 individuals of Japanese origin into internment camps without cause during the war marks one of the most disgraceful chapters in American history.
Where did No-No Boys go?
Those who answered “no” on the questionnaire or refused to answer the questions were labeled as “disloyal,” nicknamed the “no-no boys,” and were sent to Tule Lake Relocation Camp.
What is the theme of No-No Boy?
Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism Ichiro, the protagonist of No-No Boy, experiences discrimination from many sides. He is discriminated against by white Americans for being Japanese, and he is also shunned by many of his fellow Japanese-Americans because he refused the draft and went to prison.
What are the two questions no-no boy?
A man who was drafted by the United States Army and answered “no” to two questions regarding his loyalty to the U.S. in a document known as the “loyalty questionnaire.” These questions were Question 27, which asked, “Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered?” ...
Who is Kenji in no-no boy?
Kenji is a veteran and an old acquaintance of Ichiro's. The two reconnect after Ichiro is released from prison and spend several days together. Kenji has progressive ideas about how the world should be—he dreams of a future in which there is no animosity between people of different races or ethnicities.
Where did No-No Boys go?
Those who answered “no” on the questionnaire or refused to answer the questions were labeled as “disloyal,” nicknamed the “no-no boys,” and were sent to Tule Lake Relocation Camp.
What is the theme of No-No Boy?
Prejudice, Discrimination, and Racism Ichiro, the protagonist of No-No Boy, experiences discrimination from many sides. He is discriminated against by white Americans for being Japanese, and he is also shunned by many of his fellow Japanese-Americans because he refused the draft and went to prison.
Why did John Okada write No-No Boy?
John Okada's No-No Boy Is a Test of American Character. The re-release of a classic novel about Japanese Americans' incarceration during World War II is an opportunity to reflect on the nation's persistent internal conflicts. No-No Boy is a daring book and, I would say, a test of and testament to character.
How many pages are in No-No Boy?
264Product DetailsISBN-13:9780295994048Pages:264Sales rank:75,615Product dimensions:5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)Lexile:900L (what's this?)5 more rows•Aug 1, 2014
What is the meaning of "no no boy"?
For varied reasons, many respondents answered "no" to questions 27 and 28 and became known as "no-no boys". The epithet "no-no boy" came from two questions on the Leave Clearance Application Form, also known as the loyalty questionnaire, administered to interned Japanese-Americans in 1943. Some young male internees answered "no" to one or both ...
What chapter does it say that his mother and at least one of her women friends are loyal to Japan?
In chapter 1 , it is disclosed that his mother and at least one of her women friends are loyal to Japan, refuse to believe the news that Japan lost the war, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Japanese warships in Seattle.
What is Ichiro's turmoil in the novel?
Although a crucial part of the novel's setting is the injustice of the internment of Japanese-Americans, the novel is not a polemic about that event. Ichiro's turmoil during the novel also has much to do with rejecting his mother, whose personality and worldviews he despises and resents. His dissatisfaction with her is personal, going beyond her stance on the war. In chapter 1, it is disclosed that his mother and at least one of her women friends are loyal to Japan, refuse to believe the news that Japan lost the war, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Japanese warships in Seattle. They even refuse to accept the evidence of photos they have seen of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombings. These attitudes antagonize Ichiro and other Japanese Americans.
Why did Ichiro go to prison?
He has spent two years in an American internment camp for Japanese Americans and two years in federal prison for refusing to fight for the U.S. in World War II. Now home, Ichiro struggles with his parents for embracing American customs and values, and he struggles to maintain a relationship with his brother, Taro.
What does Ichiro argue with his father about?
Yamada has gone to the bakery to buy bread, and Ichiro argues with his father that this is a waste of time and money. They eventually cool down, sitting down in the back of the shop to talk. Ichiro’s father asks Ichiro about prison.
What is Ichiro's character's attitude towards Japan?
Ichiro is a hopeless and pessimistic character at this point—he regrets his decision to choose Japan over America, and understands why he is discriminated against. He believes he made the wrong choice, and accepts that his life will be worse because of it forever.
Why does Eto think Ichiro is a threat?
Because people like Ichiro remained loyal to Japan (in practice at least) by refusing to fight for America, Eto worries non-Japanese Americans will assume all people of Japanese ancestry are also “traitors.”. Active Themes.
What does Ichiro feel about Eto?
Ichiro feels as though “the walls had closed in.”. He sees Eto as representative of “the jury that had passed sentence upon him.”. However, he doesn’t blame Eto for his behavior. Ichiro feels as though he has doomed himself, “driven the nails” of his disgrace in “with his own hands.”.
What does Eto call Ichiro?
Ichiro tries to avoid him but Eto chases him down, calling him by his nickname, Itchy , and reintroducing himself. However, when Eto realizes that Ichiro was not in the army, his demeanor shifts and he becomes angry. He remembers that Ichiro was a no-no boy.
How long was Ichiro in prison?
He has just spent two years in an internment camp, and then two years in prison. Ichiro lived on the West Coast and had Japanese ancestry. As a result, he, like 10,000 others of Japanese descent, was labeled a threat and imprisoned by the U.S. government for the first half of WWII. Active Themes.
Who eats in silence in Ichiro?
Taro, Ichiro, Mrs. Yamada, and Mr. Yamada eat in silence. Taro eats quickly and leaves. Ichiro’s father explains that Taro never studies. Ichiro wonders if his parents can do anything about this. Ichiro’s father says no, he has no control over his youngest son—the war has made him “wild like cats and dogs.”
What does Kenji say about Uncle Sam?
Kenji says it’s a present from “Uncle Sam.”. Ichiro had noticed Kenji walked with a cane, but in the car he can see that his right leg has been amputated above the knee. Kenji explains that he got the car as a reward for being a good patient, but “it wasn’t worth it.”.
Why does Taro feel like he is not rejecting his family?
Taro feels like he is not rejecting his family, because Ichiro already rejected Taro when he refused the draft. Taro feels fully American, and so, when Ichiro rejected the draft, effectively choosing Japan over America, Taro felt that Ichiro was choosing his Japanese parents over his American little brother.
How long does Ichiro live?
Ichiro is surprised and angry to hear this. Kenji explains that he has eleven inches of his leg left, whereas Ichiro has fifty or sixty years of life.
What does Ichiro think about America?
He thinks if he had remembered the things he liked about America, he would’ve been able to fight for it. Active Themes. Ichiro thinks that being American and fighting for America is complicated and “incomplete” “if one’s face is not white and one’s parents are Japanese”—and especially Japan is one of America’s enemies.
Who is Ichiro's former professor?
Ichiro gets off the bus at the university and goes to the office of a former professor, Baxter Brown. He had not planned to visit, but now he feels compelled. Mr. Brown doesn’t seem to recognize his former student, who reintroduces himself. Mr.
Is Ichiro a no boy?
Ichiro lives in constant fear of revealing his status as a no-no boy, which he knows from experience often turns others against him, as they perceive him as un-American. Although Mr. Brown’s acknowledgement of the trauma of internment suggests he would be sympathetic to Ichiro’s decision, Ichiro is nonetheless nervous.
Does Ichiro think Kenji has earned the right to stand tall?
Kenji did not know this, but does not judge him for it. Ichiro believes that Kenji has earned the right to stand tall, and to call America his own. Kenji notes that both men have big problems. Ichiro tells Kenji he would trade with him, even for just two inches of leg.
Play summary
Set after World War II as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast, the play follows draft resister Ichiro Yamada after he is released from prison and struggles to come to terms with the consequences of his choices, while the rest of the community tries to get back on its feet after a war that has uprooted them all.
Controversy
The ending of the play has received criticism due to the uplifting tone of Ken Narasaki's rewrite, compared to Okada's original, bleak ending. By the end of the original novel, Ichiro is walking down a street alone and conflicted, having just seen Freddie, a fellow No-No Boy, die in a car crash while fleeing from a fight with a Nisei veteran.
Who is Ichiro's brother?
Several hours later Ichiro is awakened by later his younger brother, Taro. Their conversation is strained, and Ichiro is surprised to learn that Taro has decided to join the army. After dinner Ichiro's mother takes him to visit two long-time family friends. At the Ashidas' home Mrs. Yamada and Mrs. Ashida talk about photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki taken by a young Japanese American man in Japan. Both women believe that Japan won the war and that the photos are propaganda. Mrs. Yamada says if she had had a son who joined the army to fight Japan, she would have "killed [herself] with shame." Both women have distanced themselves from former friends who believe Japan lost the war, and both are certain that they will soon be brought back to Japan
What does Yamada say to Ichiro?
A very drunk Mr. Yamada is waiting up for Ichiro. He tells Ichiro he knows the United States won the war, but his wife "is sick" and he can't do anything to get her to believe the truth. A stack of letters from family friends in Japan sits in front of him, each one a plea for financial help. Ichiro's father says he can't send them anything because his wife thinks the letters are "a trick of the Americans." Before Ichiro goes to bed, his father says, "I am sorry that you went to prison for us."
How is Ichiro's mind presented?
Ichiro's thoughts and feelings are generally presented in a stream-of-conscious style through the narrator. This literary technique allows the reader to see inside a character's mind. Thoughts are not necessarily logical or neatly organized—they are scattered, messy, and, in Ichiro's case, long. Rambling run-on sentences form paragraphs that take up entire pages, creating a sense of manic urgency. Ichiro's mind is constantly ablaze with what-ifs, I-should-haves, and regrets for roads not taken.
Is Ichiro a boy?
Ichiro is a no-no boy, which is a slang term for a Japanese American male who would not serve in the United States Armed Forces during World War II and would not formally pledge fidelity to the United States. Two years in prison for his defiance has made Ichiro desperately regret his decisions. He is embarrassed to come home to Seattle where so many of his Japanese American friends fought in the war for the United States. He knows he won't be welcomed warmly by his peers—in fact, he's expecting harassment. That's why he tries to hide his no-no boy status from Eto Minato and why he doesn't react when Eto spits on him. Ichiro thinks he deserves to be spit on. He loathes himself more than anyone else possibly could. "If it would have helped to gouge out his own eyes, he would have done so long ago," the narrator reflects.
Overview
No-No Boy is a 1957 novel, and the only novel published by the Japanese American writer John Okada. It tells the story of a Japanese-American in the aftermath of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Set in Seattle, Washington, in 1946, the novel is written in the voice of an omniscient narrator who frequently blends into the voice of the protagonist.
Plot
After World War II, Ichiro Yamada, a Japanese American male and former student at the University of Washington, returns home in 1946 to a Japanese enclave in Seattle, Washington. He has spent two years in an American internment camp for Japanese Americans and two years in federal prison for refusing to fight for the U.S. in World War II. Now home, Ichiro struggles with his parents for embracing American customs and values, and he struggles to maintain a relationship with hi…
Themes
Japanese vs. American Socio-cultural differences Family Isolation Depression Loyalty vs. disloyalty Love Sacrifice Racism Inter-racism
Background
On 7 December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. The following day, December 8, the United States declared war on Japan. Many Americans rushed to join the military. After Pearl Harbor, all citizens of Japanese ancestry had been classified 4-C, "enemy aliens", and denied entry into the armed forces. In spring 1942, the government began removing Japanese and Japanese American famil…
Content of the novel
Although a crucial part of the novel's setting is the injustice of the internment of Japanese-Americans, the novel is not a polemic about that event. Ichiro's turmoil during the novel also has much to do with rejecting his mother, whose personality and worldviews he despises and resents. His dissatisfaction with her is personal, going beyond her stance on the war. In chapter 1, it is disclose…
Publishing history and response
Following a string of rejections by American publishers, the Japanese publisher Charles E. Tuttle published an original run of 1,500 copies in 1957, which still had not sold out by the time Okada died in 1971. The initial response within the Japanese community was similar to that faced by the book's protagonist: ostracism for drawing attention to what was still perceived as disloyalty to the country and community.
2010 play adaptation
The novel was adapted as a stage play, also called No-No Boy, by Ken Narasaki. The play had its world premiere on 26 March 2010, at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California.
External links
• OCLC Worldcat reference to No-No Boy
• Brian Niiya, "No-no boys", Densho Encyclopedia.
• Official website of the play, No-No Boy adapted by Ken Narasaki
• Introduction to a conversation on John Okada’s No-No Boy