General Book Summary
Tomikazu Nakaji was born Hawaii to Japanese immigrants. Being the only one in the family fluent in English, he carried an important role in his family. Tomi has a younger sister named Kimi, his mother, his father, and his grandfather; Joji. He spent most of his days at school and out playing baseball with his best friend Billy. Tomi lived a pretty normal life with the exception of being bullied by an older boy, Keet, on the basis of race.
One day Tomi and Billy were practicing some baseball when they heard near by explosions. Tomi's father was out at sea, working as a fisherman at the time. The explosions turned out to be the bombing of Pearl Harbor and because Tomi and his family were Japanese, they were immediate suspects of espionage. Tomi's father was shot in the leg and arrested whil on his boat. Grandpa Joji was later arrested as well. Tomi's family was in a dire situation and he had to step up as the man of the house. Tomi was able to find his father at a prison camp on Hawaii and give his family the good news that he was alive.
Tomi and his family had to endure ridicule and racism but were able to make it through it. Tomi's mother was able to get a job and Tomi got two. Tomi's little sister stepped up to leave her childhood early as well.
One day Tomi and Billy were practicing some baseball when they heard near by explosions. Tomi's father was out at sea, working as a fisherman at the time. The explosions turned out to be the bombing of Pearl Harbor and because Tomi and his family were Japanese, they were immediate suspects of espionage. Tomi's father was shot in the leg and arrested whil on his boat. Grandpa Joji was later arrested as well. Tomi's family was in a dire situation and he had to step up as the man of the house. Tomi was able to find his father at a prison camp on Hawaii and give his family the good news that he was alive.
Tomi and his family had to endure ridicule and racism but were able to make it through it. Tomi's mother was able to get a job and Tomi got two. Tomi's little sister stepped up to leave her childhood early as well.
“The memory of the gentle cooing of thirty-five silky feathered pigeons slowly died away, faded away, bled away… and, finally, in silence, flowed down into the earth forever.” (127). |
Keet falsely accused Tomi and his father of using pigeons to communicate with the Japanese. Not only did this get the family in trouble, but the US soldiers also said that Tomi’s father’s beautiful racing pigeons had to be killed. Tomi and his grandfather had to do it themselves. Tomi was very attached to these pigeons and his father had tasked him with taking care of them while he was gone on a fishing trip for work. |
Tomi’s childhood is being taken away from him. In this case, it is being bled away from him, one pigeon at a time. The death of these pigeons symbolizes the death of his childhood. The pigeons blood sank into the earth, as all things eventually return, symbolizing death. Baseball, a big part of Tomi’s childhood had been taken away for a period, much like the lucky few pigeons who didn’t come back immediately. Those pigeons who survived could represent the one piece of Tomi’s childhood that did survive; baseball.
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The novel not only is educational, but teaches one to push through trials, even when all seems against you.
It’s no secret that America has had a racist history but it goes beyond the abuse of the Black community. During World War II, almost every Japanese descendant was considered a threat to the United States. Graham Salisbury describes this in his novel, Under The Blood-Red Sun. Through this novel, Salisbury tries to convey the message, one can get through trials by and through showing individual drive to push forward, the support from family and friends, and problem-solving. Tomi Nakaji, the protagonist of Under the Blood-Red Sun, got through a horribly racist time in American history by all these means.
Tomi had an ex-friend named Keet who was a constant negative force in his life. Keet not only relentlessly bullied Tomi but page 224-225 it describes when Keet also came to the point of threatening his life. Tomi didn’t inform anyone of this but instead faced the problem directly. His independent way of handling the situation saved him and his family possible troubles and avoided disgracing his family’s name, one of the only things they had left. Other problems required help from others.
The Nakaji family was in both economic and physical trouble after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After that, they were seen as a threat and lost their main income, their father. Tomi’s grandfather was later arrested too. They all stepped up to help each other get through the hard times. Tomi had to get a part-time job, his little sister had to learn how to do some of the house chores and take care of the chickens, and Tomi’s mother started working again as a maid. Good neighbors gave what they could; like meat scraps and kerosene.
Tomi struggled to find a job that he could work and do school at the same time. He needed to work a regular amount of hours on the weekends and in the evening but still be able to attend school during the established hours. On page 231, Tomi describes that he could “sell eggs after school, work in the fields on weekends, and get a job in the summer. [Then he’d] give all the money to [his] Mama.” Tomi identified the problem, addressed, persuade to a solution, and moved on.
Not everyone has to deal with the kind of trials that Tomi and his family had to deal with but we do all face challenges. We grow stronger with each other as we face them. Our challenges will be different but we can get through them as we continue pushing forward and looking ahead, accept and embrace the help we get from others, and implement real problem-solving in our lives. If the Nakaji family successfully made it through their trials, anyone can accept and conquer their trials.
Tomi had an ex-friend named Keet who was a constant negative force in his life. Keet not only relentlessly bullied Tomi but page 224-225 it describes when Keet also came to the point of threatening his life. Tomi didn’t inform anyone of this but instead faced the problem directly. His independent way of handling the situation saved him and his family possible troubles and avoided disgracing his family’s name, one of the only things they had left. Other problems required help from others.
The Nakaji family was in both economic and physical trouble after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After that, they were seen as a threat and lost their main income, their father. Tomi’s grandfather was later arrested too. They all stepped up to help each other get through the hard times. Tomi had to get a part-time job, his little sister had to learn how to do some of the house chores and take care of the chickens, and Tomi’s mother started working again as a maid. Good neighbors gave what they could; like meat scraps and kerosene.
Tomi struggled to find a job that he could work and do school at the same time. He needed to work a regular amount of hours on the weekends and in the evening but still be able to attend school during the established hours. On page 231, Tomi describes that he could “sell eggs after school, work in the fields on weekends, and get a job in the summer. [Then he’d] give all the money to [his] Mama.” Tomi identified the problem, addressed, persuade to a solution, and moved on.
Not everyone has to deal with the kind of trials that Tomi and his family had to deal with but we do all face challenges. We grow stronger with each other as we face them. Our challenges will be different but we can get through them as we continue pushing forward and looking ahead, accept and embrace the help we get from others, and implement real problem-solving in our lives. If the Nakaji family successfully made it through their trials, anyone can accept and conquer their trials.