The love between Ishmael and Hatsue

In the roman there are different faces of love between the American reporter Ishmael and Hatsue, a Japanese-american woman.

The first established relationship they had in school as they were kids. In this time they were good friends as far as Ishmael kissed Hatsue. In the first moment Hatsue was shocked, but she also had feelings to him. Although the Japanese culture forbade the contact between the American and the Japanese people, Hatsue and Ishmael met each other at the cedars, the secret place of them. That was also the place where they kissed the fist time. In the publicity, however, they act like exchanged people. They pretend like they didn’t know each other and that double life went on for a time.

In contrast to Ishmael Hatsue knew that their love couldn’t exist for longer time. Sooner or later Hatsue’s parents would discover the relationship and it would be a shame for the whole family. So Hatsue broke up and moved with her family to a camp for Japanese-american people due to the conflict between America and Japan.

After a while Hatsue got a new lover called Kabuo, but he wasn’t equal as Ishmael. They married and Hatsue wanted to forget Ishmael. On the contrary Ishmael developed hate against her and wrote letters with these feelings, but he never sent them away.

He had to go in the Second World War, lost an arm and became the reporter of San Piedro, where he saw Hatsue in a courtroom again. He stood in front of a great decision because he could exculpate Kabua, who was on trial for murder, with documents he found. For a long time he thought about him and probably a new chance with Hatsue. If he gave the important information to the jury they would reveal the truth, but if he kept them Kabuo would be arrested.

Finally he let his heart speak and decided to give the jury the documents, because he only wanted that Hatsue is happy.