Another Point of View

In “Evacuation Order No. 19” the narrator focuses on Mrs. Hayahsi’s experiences and her responses to the family’s situation. What different experiences and reactions might another character have had in a similar situation? Write a version of a scene from the story from the point of view of another character, such as Mrs. Hayashi’s son or daughter, or even Joe Lundy or Mrs. Greer.

The matter of perspective and beliefs is important when it comes to point of view. For instance, someone with authoritarian political beliefs may believe that the internment order is logical, rational, and necessary, while someone with more libertarian beliefs may view the internment as unjust and irrational. In addition, some people would hold all Japanese accountable for the war; this is the most prominently seen perspective that is displayed in many war films. Other more rational and open-minded folk would perceive and realize that not all the Japanese are to be blamed for the war; only some.

Within the story, this is also important when focusing in on the experiences and reactions of different characters. Because their lives and their situations are different, their perspectives will be as well. Mrs. Greer may not have a strong opinion regarding the internment order, whereas Joe Lundy may feel the tinge of sympathy and guilt towards Mrs. Hayashi.

The story told from the perspective of Mrs. Hayashi's son is as follows.

School was out, and the boy and his sister were walking home. The boy stepped carefully along the sidewalk, playing a game as he went; you could only step on the squared tiles, but could not step on the rectangular ones. He skipped from tile to tile, eyes glued to the sidewalk, backpack thumping against his back with every jump. The girl paid no attention to him. She look to the left and the right of the street. "People are staring at us," she announced.

The boy did not look up. "Maybe there's something wrong with your face," he suggested. The girl did not reply to this, but walked on thoughtfully. She stopped in front of a local shop, where a sign had caught her eye. She read over it quickly. "We are leaving," she announced.

The boy stopped. "Leaving to where?"

"Doesn't say. I think a camp of some sort."

The boy thought for a minute before deciding that it would be a trip, like a vacation. He leapt to the next square tile, with a new spring in his step.

As his sister talked with his mother, the boy walked across the hall to open the door. "White dog! White dog!" He hollered down the street.

Although White Dog was old, skinny, ailing, and very small, he liked him very much. The dog was like a pet to him, though he could not keep it indoors. But he enjoyed his company, and the dog enjoyed his. In addition to becoming blind in one eye, lately the boy had noticed a new symptom to add to the already long list of medical problems with the dog: reduced hearing. It would take a while of calling before the dog would run over, tail wagging happily. This time, though, the dog did not come.

"White dog!" He yelled. When the dog did not come, he turned and went back into the house, slightly disappointed.

"That dog gets deafer and deafer every day," he remarked to his mother. She did not reply, but continued to do her kitchen work; however, he noticed that her mouth tightened slightly as he mentioned White Dog. He stood there and hesitated for a second. He then shrugged, and went to the dining table. "It's hot," he complained.

"Take off your hat, then," his mother replied.

He did not. The hat was from his father, and he had not seen him for ages. That fedora was the closest he could get to his father, and he was not going to take it off and lose him. It made him feel braver and more adventurous.

He turned on the radio. He twisted the dial, and after minutes of searching for a sports program, he gave up and turned to the classical music program. He did not particularly like it, but there was nothing else good on, and he had nothing better to do either. He listened to the loud applauses ("Bravo! Bravo!") and reached for another persimmon fruit.