He suffers disagreement within himself and his mother, who is yet another strong Asian female figure who embodies the notion of tradition, culture, and the homeland. Because he can no longer live to fulfill his mother's ideas and loyalty to Japan, a conflict emerges as a manifestation of his ordeal with being unable to choose between an allegiance to his mother and the country that he loves" The experiences went through by the Japanese-Americans in the novel present several questions on the issue of nationalism and human rights. The novel portrayed how the Americans had provided shelter to the Japanese families, and how they had accepted the Japanese families to become part of their nation. However, because by race the Japanese families are still "Japanese," having the blood of America's enemies, the Americans did not trust them and continued to consider them as strangers, thus locking them in a camp because of suspicion and doubt on their loyalty. A clear violation of human rights? Despite of the suspicions and distrusts, however, the United States still expected that the Japanese families will be willing to fight for America. Many Japanese in the novel did not choose not to sign in the draft of the army because they cannot accept to fight for a nation that considered them as enemies (Hopestobe, 2006).

Despite the fact that Ichiro, though has a Japanese blood, was born in America, never been to Japan, and could hardly read nor speak Japanese, he was still treated as a foreigner and a potential enemy in the novel. Okada perhaps only reveals the reality that foreigners will remain forever foreigners in a land where they are not genuine citizens...

In view of this, Hopestobe again suggests the following reality.
Thus, in the novel, the idea of nation is articulated to be very conditional and temporary for race and nation seems to be lacking a centrality of concrete consistency as they become quite flexible in times of political struggle. The nation that seemed to welcome people with opportunities and a better life never seems quite willing to accept "foreigners." Immigrants may have played crucial roles in the foundation of America but they will forever be deemed "foreign" by the society that ironically preached diversity and flaunted a welcoming attitude.

In summary, Okada's No-no Boy is a representation of the struggles that foreigners may experience in another land. The novel is a compelling story of the truth and reality of the experiences of the Japanese-Americans after the war. Similarly, it is a compelling representation of the truth and reality for the present-day foreigners of another land such as America.

These days, there are many foreigners that we can call Ichiro. Unlike Ichiro who was brought to America due to inevitable circumstances, living in another land may have been the own will of the present-day "Ichiro's." However, like Ichiro in the novel, the present-day "Ichiro's" may similarly face the struggles of finding self-identity and belongingness in a foreign land.

Bibliography

Hopestobe. (2006). Race and Nation in John Okada's No-No Boy.

Retrieved on October 22, 2006, from Associated Content Online. Web site: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/66390/race_and_nation_in_john_okadas_nono.html