Seventeen Syllables

The short story Seventeen Syllables was published in 1998 by a Japanese American author named Hisaye Yamamoto. It tells the story of a Japanese immigrant family living in America who face the struggles of being an immigrant. The main character, fifteen-year old Rosie is unable to connect with her mother due to things such as a language barrier and difference in culture. While Rosie grew up in the United Sates, her mother grew up back in Japan, which plays a significant role in why they just can’t seem to see eye to eye. In addition, while Rosie partially understands Japanese, she doesn’t know enough to fully be able to understand the one thing that could bring her closer to her mother, which are her mother’s haikus. Her mother, Tome, had one thing that brought her joy in life and that was her haikus. Her mother endures an abusive marriage and is usually denied enjoyment from her husband, which is why haikus are a form of escapism. Throughout the story, Rosie hides things from her family and secretly resents her mother for refusing to stand up to her father when he hurts her. After the mother’s revelation to Rosie at the end of the

Her body, mindset, and many other aspects of her life are shifting. Therefore, having a mother figure to guide one through this emotional process is incredibly important. In Rosie’s case, she has a mother that truly cares for her but also has trouble showing it, especially due to the fact that they have their differences and due to her mother’s difficult past. This means that Rosie’s path to womanhood will continue to be a solitary path because of the barrier between Rosie and her mother. All those of years of distant communication will be hard to mend, which is why Rosie’s path to womanhood won’t be what she wanted nor expected. She knows her mother loves her, but also knows that they never will be as close as she wants them to