When The Emperor Was Divine

Saathwik Mr. Johnston SAE Period 1 4/22/24 Identity: Affirm or Abandon? Marginalization is what everyone faces at one time or another. While some may be marginalized as a joke, for others, it’s more serious. One can be marginalized in many ways, such as when the parents don’t let the kids sit at the adult table during the family Thanksgiving dinner because they are too young, or when an entire group is denied rights and participation just because of how they look or what some members of that community do. These forms of marginalization have very drastic effects on people, as they might even consider denying their true identity and making an alien identity their own. We see these examples of identity in the stories of When the Emperor was Divine, …show more content…
Their stories, When the Emperor was Divine and American Made, send the message that those who are marginalized change their identity to fit in, which is a common phenomenon we see, and many people change their identity to fit in or to be friends with the “cool kids.” But throughout this process, we all lose our own true identity and our self-pride. One such example is from the book When the Emperor Was Divine, written by Julie Otsuka, where she depicts a Japanese-American family changing their identity due to marginalization during World War II. Following the arrest of her husband, the mother of the kids says, “No more rice balls, [...] And if anyone asks, you’re Chinese" (Pg. …show more content…
Johnston SAE Period 1 4/22/24 Identity: Affirm or Abandon? Marginalization is what everyone faces at one time or another. While some may be marginalized as a joke, for others, it’s more serious. One can be marginalized in many ways, such as when the parents don’t let the kids sit at the adult table during the family Thanksgiving dinner because they are too young, or when an entire group is denied rights and participation just because of how they look or what some members of that community do. These forms of marginalization have very drastic effects on people, as they might even consider denying their true identity and making an alien identity their own. We see these examples of identity in the stories of When the Emperor was Divine, American Made, The Day of Waiting, and through the essays of Reshma Saujani and Linda Sarsour from the book American Like Me. Through their complex styles, the authors convey that, though marginalization might cause one to change their identity, one must be resilient and affirm their identity to display their self-pride. Their stories, When the Emperor was Divine and American Made, send the message that those who are marginalized change their identity to fit in, which is a common phenomenon we see, and many people change their identity to fit in or to be friends with the “cool kids.” But throughout this process, we all lose our own true identity and our self-pride. One such example is from the book When the Emperor Was Divine,

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Julie Otsuka's When The Emperor Was Divine