FRESNO
- For Japanese, the stunning film Snow Falling On Cedars may seem quite
a matter of course in the portrayal of physical nature as contrasted to that of
a more brutish 'human nature.' Through its symbolic beauty, its harmonious interplay,
its inherent order, its evocative power this film should be both ennobling and
humbling in its powerful psychological impact on audiences.
The film presents a picture of the Pacific North
West Coast in the 1940's and 1950's. The Non-Japanese resident of that region
often claim that they find the actions and thinking of Japanese-American people
difficult to comprehend. The opinion is often heard, especially in the context
of their political or economic dealings, that the Japanese must be in some way
unique.
Yet, the rules that define the norms for Japanese
people are simply different guidelines devised to permit them to conform to the
laws of nature. In one sense, the Japanese-Americans of the region were certainly
different in their philosophy from other inhabitants of the area.
However, underlying their thinking are a number
of basic belief structures that are played out quite well in the film's script.
For one thing, Nature is beautiful, nature is harmonious, it has an intrinsic
order and rules, and in certain ways it can be seen to have an ethical or moral
dimension. Who could find fault with that? Well, as it tuns out, quite a few Non-Japanese
had their doubts.
To the traditional Japanese mind nature is more
than just physical scenery. In fact, there are three elements at play in the Japanese
view of the natural world. The first element can be defined as the changes that
occur through the passage of the four seasons -- a repetitive and orderly cycle
of flux.
The second element relates to the invisible forces
that affect nature -- creating the shape of a tree, the form of a mountain, and
the flow of a river -- often in violent and unpredictable ways beyond our full
comprehension. The third and final element is the energy that creates life itself,
including human life, the life of the grains that sustain human life, and all
forms of living things.
Together, these three elements exert their various
effects on the physical world around us, sometimes in clearly manifested ways
and sometimes in unseen ways. In the Japanese view, these events all occur due
to the existence of a mysterious, spiritual power. In other words, Japanese people
view nature as part of a total, cosmic realm against which background, human concepts
of justice, fairness, and equity are played out.
The film Snow Falling On Cedars takes place
during the dark days of World War II, when the Roosevelt administration made a
decision, based on prejudice and fear, to intern Japanese Americans living along
the West Coast of the United States. One of these camps was called Tule Lake
and was located in the high desert between Alturas, California and Klamath Falls,
Oregon. The other was Manzanar set out in the Mojave Desert near the town
of Inyo-Kern.
Hardworking American citizens were forcibly taken
from their jobs and homes and held against their will. It is a part of our history
that we are now ashamed of and rightfully so. I did not study this disgraceful
episode as a high school student in the late sixties.
The plot actually begins with a murder. On its'
simplest level, this is a murder mystery with all the intrigue and drama of a
courtroom thriller. An established and popular member of this small fishing and
farming community is found dead on his boat. Foul play is immediately suspected
and a Japanese American is taken in for questioning and eventually booked for
murder. Although a respected member of the community as well, Kabuo Miiyamoto
turns out to have opportunity and motive. Claiming innocence, he is nevertheless
indicted.
We soon begin to learn the story behind the motive.
Before the war years, Kabuo's father made an agreement with the victim's father.
Money changed hands, land was promised and terms were set. Unfortunately, the
war came and the Japanese Americans were sent away. Nothing was quite the same
at wars end.
Agreements were no longer honored and the isolated
island became emotionally remote as well. Without giving away too much, a subplot
of romance and passion weave a complex trail throughout the story and redemption
and integrity eventually save the day.
