Analysis of Symbolism in "Snow Falling on Cedars"
Uploaded by dwilliam on Oct 28, 2006 |
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Analysis of Symbolism in "Snow Falling on Cedars"
A rainy day represents gloominess in the minds of most people. Sunny days can make people feel refreshed and at ease. Cloudy days have a neutral feel. Snowy days on the other hand can have many different feelings attached. To some, peacefulness and surrealism may come to mind. To others, confusion and bitterness may play a role. In David Gutterson’s novel Snow Falling On Cedars, A Japanese man named Kabuo is on trial for murder. This all takes place with a fierce blizzard going on outside. The novel also takes place at the time of World War II, when the Japanese were sent to internment camps to face the consequences of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Blizzard and World War II both play important roles in having to do with symbolism and mood in the novel Snow Falling On Cedars.
A man’s life is on trial for something he did not do. Naturally, anybody in this predicament would be quite frightened. This is all happening in a small courtroom on an island off the western coast of the United States called San Piedro. This is an island of very few residents, and a lot of forest. It is a very low-key place where not much should be happening. It is just a very quiet place filled with hard workers. But something is happening. This very trial is taking place during the World War II period, and at the time if the trial, a severe blizzard is roaring about. Ishmael Chambers, a reporter, a war veteran, and a man who had a past relationship with Kabuo’s wife a long time ago is going through what is much like the blizzard taking place outside at the time. All of these happenings are bringing back all of the harsh realities that have taken place in his life, and they are being whipped around the courtroom. A snowstorm carries a lot of wind and snow, and similar the snowdrifts blowing higher and higher outside, Ishmael must look at Hatsue and remember that he was once in love with her. All of his feelings are being whisked around and piled up and they are truly sending him off his feet into a reminiscent state.
If this kind of trial were to take place under present time circumstances, a lot of it would not be relevant. After having read the novel, it is understood that Kabuo was mostly placed upon the stand because of what his background was, and not just because he was at the place of the murder. World War II is to be blamed for this. Ishmael had hatred towards Japanese after he was in the war. Because of them, his arm was amputated. Most Americans at the time were overwhelmed with hatred towards the race, and most of it had to do with the bombing of Peal Harbor. America responded to the bombing by sending Japanese to live in internment camps to wait out the war. This all took care of the job of making Americans uneasy towards Japanese, so it was easy for the residents of San Piedro to assume that Kabuo was responsible for the murder that took place at the time.
While driving through a snowstorm, it is tough to see what will happen ahead. This was the case in the trial of Kabuo. He knew what happened that night of the murder. Kabuo knew that Carl Heine, the man who was murdered, needed some help with his boat, so Kabuo helped him, gave him a battery, then left. This was all that happened. But again, due to Kabuo being Japanese and World War II being around, nobody would want to believe his stories. It was impossible to see what was going to hit everybody next, because it was all so unpredictable.
Mystery can go along well with a blizzard. Trees could fall, the power could go out…anything could happen. Anything could have happened the night of Carl Heine’s death. It is such a vague topic, that nobody knows what happened, so they just point the finger at the easiest target, Kabuo. Anything could have happened, but the town wanted a quick solution to get rid of this storm, or the trial.
Snowstorms can strand people where they may get stuck. Carl Heine’s boat was stranded out in the bay. Just as in a blizzard, it was tough to get help when the power fails in a boat out in the middle of the water. He must wait for a while until somebody notices him stranded about. Another occurrence on the subject of being stranded is Ishmaels encounter with Hatsue during the trial, his previous lover. When the judge suspended the trial due to a power failure in the courtroom, Ishmael was driving away to rest when he spotted Hatsue and her family on the side of the road, stranded. He offered them a ride, and it was quite awkward.
Snowstorms do eventually let up, the sun ends up shining, and the real ground is found. In the end of the novel Snow Falling On Cedars, the snow melts, and the truth is found. Kabuo was in fact merely helping Carl Heine out with a battery. Heine happened to be on his mast, when he suddenly ended up slipping, hitting his head, and then eventually drowning. Kabuo was much innocent, and he and his family was very pleased. The storm did not last forever; it subsided finally in the end to happiness.
If it weren’t for the storm taking place outside at the time and World War II, Snow Falling On Cedars would have a much different feel towards it. The storm brought much feeling towards the story, and the war brought a lot of explanation to the book, and it all came around and brought the innocent man innocent. The storm was finally over. |
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