How does Takei use both memory and history to inform his story? Do you think Takei’s use of memory aids or detracts from the argument he is trying to make, and why? 2. What historical events had the biggest roles in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II? G

1. How does Takei use both memory and history to inform his story? Do you think Takei’s use of memory aids or detracts from the argument he is trying to make, and why?

2. What historical events had the biggest roles in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II? Give at least TWO examples of justifications used by military and government leaders for interning persons of Japanese origin.

3. What effects did forcible internment or incarceration have on families and people, in your opinion? Provide and explain TWO concrete examples of economic, psychological, societal, political, or other implications as covered in the book.
Overview

In They Called Us Enemy, his new graphic memoir of his youth spent in an American detention camp during World War II, George Takei writes, “Shame is a horrible thing.” The blame should be placed on the offenders, but they don’t carry it as heavily as the victims do.

This irony is most obvious in the book’s climax, when Takei describes the U.S. government’s delayed attempts to create a sense of public shame over America’s internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

In 1988, President Reagan is heard stating, “Here we recognize a wrong: Here we reaffirm our commitment as a country to equal justice under the law.” However, no matter how well-polished his words are or how many zeros Takei receives in his 1991 reparation check, such tactics will always fail.

No matter how many speeches elected leaders give or how many cheques they write, what the government did to Takei and around 120,000 other Japanese Americans cannot be undone.

This point is better made by the narrative’s structure than by any political remark, according to Takei. The narrative is shaped by young George’s point of view, which gives it a youthful spirit. Young George’s openness and curiosity are unwavering even when the Takeis are forcibly removed from their home, transferred hundreds of miles, and required to live in camps. His perspective stands in stark contrast to the government officials’ tiresome attempts to justify, excuse, and eventually beg for pardon for the wrongdoing they have committed.