were separated and they did not know when they would see each other again. Internment was not a choice; it was a patriotic duty to prove Japanese-Americans' loyalty through submission to their new country. They had to believe in the government's reasoning and trust their new country. The years following the orders for the Japanese to be relocated would be frustrating and depressing for many. The Japanese expression "shi kata ganai" was widely adopted for these troublesome times. Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston's Farewell to Manzanar illustrates the hardships and frustrations of a Japanese family, separated by internment. Houston was interned herself, during the war, which contributes to the vivid reality of the book. It describes the development of a civilization behind the barbed wire, a society who was forced to stay together, under harsh conditions, in Manzanar. Farewell to ManzanarWakatsuki-Houston presents an insightful portrayal of the Japanese-American internment camp in California known as Manzanar. She describes how her life changed throughout the experience as she grew from child to young woman. She captivates the reader's attention with intermittent interviews, describing the seemingly constant turmoil that each prisoner faced. Wakatsuki-Houston highlights her father throughout the ordeal as a strong, traditional and somewhat fearful man. She believes his life ended at Manzanar even though he continued to physically live. It was Manzanar that transformed her father from a man of dignity to one of shame and fury. She describes him as a man with "tremendous dignity. Ten children and a lot of hard luck wore him down, had worn away most of the arrogance he came to this country with. But he still had dignity, and he would not let those deputies push him out the door. He led them." Her father illustrates the important cultural elements of respect, dignity and pride. The more bitter he became, the stronger his pride b...
