Content Warning: This section features depictions of racism and xenophobia, the imprisonment of Japanese Americans, wartime distress and anxiety, and family separation. Additionally, the source material uses racial slurs and derogatory comments toward various ethnic groups.

“But a Japanese flag hanging out in the open like that was nothing to laugh about.

‘Hey, Grampa […] Take that thing down. What if somebody sees it?’”

From the story’s outset, others perceive the Nakaji’s Japanese heritage as offensive. Tomi sees their heritage as something to be hidden, fearing potential consequences. In contrast, Grampa takes pride in this heritage. This conflict persists as the narrative unfolds.

“The Japanese way—which was stern and obedient. [Grampa] just wanted to work, and be honest. Like he did in Japan, where he was a fisherman. Nobody ever bothered anybody else. If somebody over there accidentally hurt somebody else, they’d make up for it, no matter how long it took. And if they died before they made up for it, then their descendants would take over. Grampa wanted me to think like that, he wanted Papa to beat me into ‘a boy of suitable devotion.’ Sometimes I thought he had a point. The old way was fair and honorable, which was good. But it was so inflexible. Jeese. Who knew what to think?”

Grampa presents Tomi with an idealized version of Japanese culture, making it challenging for Tomi to meet those expectations. This division in loyalties between pleasing his family and maintaining peace creates a dilemma for Tomi. While he recognizes the differences between the American and traditional Japanese ways, he sees the values in both. His primary aim is to avoid conflict, inadvertently deepening the divide between his Japanese and American identities.

“Listen […] I want you to stop hanging around with this Jap. It’s disgusting to see you two acting like friends […] It makes me sick.”

Keet embodies the prejudice in Hawaii, staunchly advocating for ethnic segregation and freely employing derogatory language toward Tomi. Keet’s intense hatred becomes a persistent stressor for Tomi, driving a wedge in his relationship with Billy. Likewise, Keet’s prejudice infuriates Tomi and causes him to struggle to control his temper.