Farewell To Manzanar Essay

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The setting of a story - its time and place - can be critical in changing and determining a story’s events or actions. The setting in the story Farewell to Manzanar is one example of just how great the impact a story’s setting can have. The story takes place during World War 2 (1941-1945) at the Japanese Internment Camp “Manzanar”. This story is also partially set on Terminal Island. The setting of Farewell to Manzanar greatly impacts how the story’s characters are treated, what they are subjected to, and why. Before moving to Manzanar, the Wakatsuki family moved to Terminal Island. Terminal Island is an island just outside of Los Angeles, California. Before and during World War 2, this island acted as a ghetto for Japanese immigrants that were being discriminated against. Jeanne, who has been terrified of other Oriental people her whole life, is forced to live in close proximity to thousands on terminal Island. This conflict would not have existed without the setting of Terminal Island and proves that settings can increase the difficulty of certain situations or events in a story. …show more content…

The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in eastern California which is surrounded by miles of desert. Manzanar location in the desert subject it to a very high amount of heat and sand, which impacts the characters of this novel greatly. In fact, one of the first problems that the family in this story faces after relocating to Manzanar is the sand that fills their barracks and homes. The location of this camp increases the hardships that they would have possibly been faced in another

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