Snow Falling on Cedars 4 5 by David Guterson 6

Penguin Readers Factsheets l e v e l E T e a c h e r’s n o t e s 1 2 3 Snow Falling on Cedars 4 5 by David Guterson 6 ADVANCED S U M M A R Y rom time to time a book is published that is instantly BACKGROUND AND THEMES F recognised as a classic. First published in 1994, Snow Falling on Cedars was such a book, reaching In 1941, in the middle of the Second World War, the the top of bestseller lists in both America and Britain. Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, a naval base on the The novel is set in the year 1954, on San Piedro, a lonely American island state of Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean. This (fictional) island off the north-west coast of America. Kabuo u n p rovoked act of aggression shocked and enraged Miyamoto, a fisherman of Japanese origin, is accused of America and brought it into the Second World War. As a murdering Carl Heine, another fisherman, while the two result of this attack on US territory, Americans felt far more men were out at sea. Throughout the story, we follow hatred towards the Japanese than they did towards other Kabuo’s trial, as the prosecution seeks to prove that Kabuo nationalities on the opposing side, for example, the boarded Carl’s boat during the night and murdered him, Germans. dropping his body overboard. In a series of flashbacks we The Japanese attack had dire consequences for the learn the story of Kabuo’s life and that of his beautiful wife, hundreds of thousands of Japanese who had immigrated Hatsue. It becomes evident as the trial progresses that to the United States (particularly in the early years of the there is powerful racial prejudice operating against Kabuo. twentieth century). Even before Pearl Harbour, there was a But it also becomes evident that the Japanese fisherman general hostility toward the Japanese immigrants, almost may have had a motive for murdering Carl. Then Ishmael c e rtainly because of large diff e rences in culture and Chambers, a bitter San Piedro journalist who was Hatsue’s appearance. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour, childhood sweetheart, finds that he has the power to save hostility turned to paranoia, and Japanese Americans were Kabuo. But Ishmael still loves Hatsue and hopes to win her. accused of spying for Japan and compelled to sell their land. About 110,000 Japanese Americans were placed in ABOUT THE AUTHOR prison camps for the remainder of the war. Snow Falling upon Cedars takes place in 1954, only nine Born in 1956 in Seattle, on the east coast of America, David years after the end of the Second World War. The war is still Guterson is the son of a criminal defence lawyer. Guterson fresh in everyone’s memories and wounds have not healed. studied at Washington University under the writer Charles An underlying hostility towards Japanese Americans Johnson. He moved to Bainbridge Island, an island off the remains. It is against this background of prejudice that the east coast of America, and taught English at the local high trial of Kabuo Miyamoto takes place. The prejudice is rarely school. In interviews Guterson has readily admitted that the voiced. Only one witness, Etta Heine, Carl Heine’s mother island described in Snow Falling on Cedars is in fact the actually expresses it in court, (and ironically she is of island he lives on, but given a fictional name. Guterson G e rman origin!) but the reader senses its unspoken says that his evocative descriptions of the island come presence throughout the book. from his deep love of the place. The effect of the Second World War resonates strongly in Guterson is married with four children. ‘What sustains me the three main protagonists, Kabuo, Ishmael Chambers is to be with my family and write,’ he says. He has (the journalist) and Carl Heine (the murdered man). The educated all his children at home and published a book three men were all at school together before the war and called Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense. were friendly to each other. Then they fought in the war and Guterson wrote Snow Falling on Cedars while still a emerged from it as different, very damaged men, with a schoolteacher, rising at 5 am each morning in order to find basic goodness but lacking in trust after the terrible things the peace he needed to write the book. The author they had seen and experienced. The author shows us describes himself as a happy person. clearly, and without sentimentality how these three good A short story collection of Guterson’s, The Country men have been deadened. Ahead of Us, The Country Behind was published in 1999, Unlike many novelists writing today, David Guterson although in fact the author wrote it before writing Snow believes that an important function of literature is to pose Falling on Cedars. Guterson has also worked as a journalist moral questions for the reader to consider. In Snow Falling and is a contributing editor to Harper’s magazine. on Cedars, there are two moral issues at stake. The larger issue involves the whole community and it is that © Pearson Education 2000 l e v e l Penguin Readers Factsheets 6 T e a c h e r’s n o t e s discussed above: the easy willingness to condemn relationship). Ask students to discuss life in the camp and someone becaue they are different. The second moral issue their hopes and fears for the future. is a personal one involving Ishmael Chambers, the local Chapters 15–19 journalist who is in love with Hatsue, Kabuo Miyamoto’s 1 Put students in pairs. Give them the following question. wife. Ishamel, who lost an arm during the war, is a bitter and Before students make the conversation between Ishmael unfulfilled man. To w a rds the end of the story, he and his mother, check that they understand what ‘the accidentally finds proof that Kabuo did not murder Carl things that really matter are’ (See Student’s Activities, Heine. But because he still fantasises about winning Chapters 18 & 19, question 2 and answer key.) Hatsue, he is tempted to keep silent, hoping that if Kabuo In chapter 19 we read that Ismael is unable to tell his is found guilty of murder, then he, Ismael, will have a chance mother about ‘the things that really matter’. Imagine that of winning Kabuo. Ishmael does tell his mother about these things. Make the conversation. 2 Put students in pairs. They discuss the following Communicative activities question. Whose evidence against Kabuo is the worst do you The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections think? Give reasons for your opinion. of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those exercises. Supplementary exercises Chapters 21–25 covering shorter sections of the book can be found on the photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. Put students in pairs. They discuss these questions. Then These are primarily for use with class readers but, with the have a whole class discussion on the subject. exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, can ‘The heart of any other, because it had a will, would remain also be used by students working by students working forever mysterious . Ismael ... understood ... that alone in a self-access centre. accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.’ ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK ‘What is ‘will’ in a human being?’ Photocopy page v of the Introduction. Blank out the last sentence of each paragraph and put dotted lines in instead. Why does the author end the book with these sentences? Now make enough photocopies of the page so that How are these sentences connected with Ishmael and the students can work in pairs. Ask them to read the page and choices he and the jury are faced with? What effect do write a last sentence for each paragraph. Ask students to these words and this last chapter have on you? read out their sentences and the class discusses which one they think is best for each paragraph. Then students read page v in the book and read the actual sentences. G l o s s a r y ACTIVITIES WHILE READING THE BOOK It will be useful if your students know these new words. They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections at the back of the book. Chapters 1–5 (Definitions are based on the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Put students in pairs. Ask them to answer these questions English.) (a) Why do the police believe that Kabuo Miyamoto Chapters 1–5 murdered Carl Heine? cabin (n) a small room on a ship cedar (n) a large tree with leaves shaped like needles (b) Why is it possible or probable that Carl Heine may not coroner (n) someone whose job is to discover the cause of someone’s have been murdered? death (c) Is there enough evidence so far, to prove that Kabuo counsel (n) a type of lawyer who represents you in court (the) deceased (n/adj)someone who has died murdered Carl Heine? If not, what other kind of evidence folder (n) a container for keeping loose papers, made of folded card is needed? gull (n) a large black and white sea bird Chapters 6–9 mast (n) a tall pole on which the sails of a ship are hung prosecute (v) to officially say that someone is guilty of a crime and Put students in pairs.

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