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“Women with no Voice”

"Snow Falling on Cedars" is a novel revolving around the trial for the murder of Carl

Heine Jr., focusing on the character Kabuo Miyamoto. The storyline of the prosecution is in

chronological order, with the story starting on the first day of the trial when the prosecution

opens the case. The court listens to the testimony from Sheriff Art Moral and Etta Heine.

Throughout the story, the narration shifts from the present day and the character's memories of

life before during World War II. Although the novel focuses on male characters, Kabuo and

Ishmael, two women, Hatsue and Etta, play a role in the development of the plot. Through

Hatsue and Etta, the novel shows that women are responsible for maintaining society's social and

family structure.

Hatsue and Etta show women are the caregivers and take up the role of parenthood in

society compared to men. In the novel, fathers are less involved in caring for their children than

mothers. For example, Hatsue and Fujiko converse when Hisao is not with them. Fukijo does not

want Hatsue to have a relationship with Ishmael after discovering the letter. Despite Hatsue

insisting she had not replied to the letter and when she apologizes to her mother for deception,

the mother reminds her that she is a Japanese woman (SFOF-Film). The exchange shows that

Hatsue's mother is more concerned about Hatsue and all her interactions since she desires to

mold her into a Japanese woman focused on the household.

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In addition, Etta is present in her son’s life and plays a significant role. The war gravitates

the son towards Etta's prejudices, although he has many of his father’s ways. For example, Etta

argues that Carl suggests that if Kabuo Miyamoto gave me dirty looks, he’d keep an eye on him.

“Etta's lessons of exclusion influence Carl as he navigates his adult life.

Women have no voice in their spouses' decisions regarding their families. For example,

Etta does not want to sell the land to the Miyamotos simply because they are Japanese since she

believes that the latter might appreciated. However, she tells Carl, "You are the man of the

house, you wear the pants, go ahead and sell our property to a Jap and see what comes of it." The

land is worth more than she sells to Ole Jurgensen even though it is worth more” (SFOC-Film).

The situation shows that even if women have a vision and voice in some crucial decisions that

would help the family in the future, the man makes the final decision.

The situation shows the element of emotion versus reason. Emotions drive the male

figures in the novel, while the affected females depend on reason. For example, the main reason

behind Etta's resistance to selling their land to the Miyamotos was the fact that it could be sold to

the Japanese, and she was more open-minded to realize that the payment would be too little to

achieve their immediate needs. Etta says, "He is going to pay up two bits at a time, and you are

going to carry it for a pocket change to town…Your seven acres is going to be swallowed up by

the dime store in Amity Harbor” (Study guide pg.93). The statement shows that selling the land

at that time will not be beneficial to them and later on the land might appreciate which is

reasonable since land appreciates with time.

In addition, Kabuo does not feel the need to inform Hatsue that he has been enlisted in

the service and only remembers the shock on Hatsue's face when he told her. Hatsue felt that

Kabuo should not be enlisted since Kabuo's wartime experiences changed who he was. However,
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Hatsue has no voice in his decision to go to war, a decision that would affect her. Hatsue holds

her family together after returning to San Piedro, but during the trial, she admits that her husband

was different after returning from the war.

Consequently, when his family land is sold to Ole Jurgenson, Kabuo returns to San

Piedro with so much anger for nine years. As a provider, he feels terrible that he does not own

land to farm but tries to compensate by working hard and becoming a successful fisherman. His

emotions over the lost land impact all his decisions. However, Hatsue uses logic and is satisfied

with what she has. Although not the life that she had envisioned when she got married to Kabuo,

"this house and this life were what she had, and there was no point in perpetually grasping for

something other” (Study guide pg. 97). The statement shows that Hatsue understands that life

changes and her reasons lead her to an understanding.

Similarly, through Hatsue's interaction with Ishmael, the novel shows how women use

reason in society. Ishmael uses the ocean to illustrate how people are ultimately the same.

Nonetheless, Hatsue argues, "Oceans do not mix. They are different temperatures. They have

different amounts of salt …They are different from each other” (SFOC-Film). As a young

person, her response shows that she better comprehends how the world works; therefore, she

knows it is unsuitable to be in a relationship with Ishmael. On the contrary, Ishmael believes that

he can change the course of the world and is determined to court Hatsue. The situation shows

that before making any decision, women evaluate all reasons, and men focus on the outcome.

Also, Etta shows how women survive without their spouses in the society. Etta stays

independent, as is Helen Chambers. For example," Carl had built a big frame house just west of

Amity Harbor including an apartment for his mother. but out of pride, the world had it that Etta
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would not move in with him” (SFOC-film). This shows that Etta can still live without support,

showing that women sometimes have to figure out issues independently.

In addition, Hatsue has to survive without Kabuo's presence but with support from her

cousins, sisters, and aunts. The family support system offers her food and calls her in the

mornings. Consequently, during one of the visits, Kabuo reminds Hatsue to check their root

cellar, and she says, "I have been checking…Everything's fine (SFOC-Film). This shows that

women can control and care for everything, even without the men's presence.

In addition, the story demonstrates, primarily via the characters of Hatsue and Etta, that

women's experiences of personal freedom in their communities are distinct from those of men.

After the death of his husband, Etta is forced to devise a plan to get free finally. For instance,

Etta decides to sell the strawberry farm she never liked and go to the city, where she rents an

apartment with just one bedroom. Etta is also in charge of her finances, and she uses a budget to

manage her money to provide for all her requirements.

On the other hand, Hatsue grows up in a strict household where her parents constantly

monitor what she does. Nonetheless, she manages to sneak out to meet Ishmael and in a

conversation with her mother, "Hatsue knew then that her pretense had failed her, now her

mother seemed to know the truth or to have some clue to it(Study guide, pg 100). The statement

shows that Hatsue lives in a world of limited freedom. On the other hand, Ishmael's parents are

free and do not question Ishmael's whereabouts, showing that men live in a world where they

enjoy freedom.

In addition, the book illustrates how it is required of women to adhere to the standards set

out by society. For instance, Hatsue ended her connection with Ishmael when the anguish of
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lying to her family and herself became too much for her to bear. She felt she owed it to them

both to come clean. Even though she had feelings for Ishmael, she knew her love for him was

wrong because she had a responsibility to her family and ancestry. Consequently, Hatsue decides

to wed Kabuo Miyamoto, who is also of Japanese ancestry, because she believes that the two of

them belong together. Throughout the entirety of the book. Hatsue has a hard time balancing the

responsibility she feels to honor her Japanese heritage and her aspiration to contribute to society

as a whole(SFOC-Film) positively. Hatsue wishes to embrace her Japanese identity fully. Still,

she also maintains her belief in a society where discrimination does not exist, and people's

ethnicity does not matter or affect them.

Following traditional standards, the story demonstrates how important it is for women to

play their part in maintaining the stability of families and communities. As an illustration, Hatsue

marries Kabuo so that he can continue to honor his Japanese heritage. In addition, women do not

have a say in the decisions that affect their families, but they can still contribute by basing their

choices on logic rather than their feelings. This demonstrates why it is critical for society to

recognize the importance of women and provide them with opportunities to participate in making

significant decisions, as women are just as intelligent and experienced as men. Women are an

essential part of society, so they should be treated with the same level of respect as males.

Women are the glue that holds society together, so respecting women is essential.

Works Cited
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"Snow Falling on Cedars ."Film

“ Study Notes.Guterson, David. "Snow falling on cedars."