War results from the escalation of politics beyond the diplomatic level. Often, the real effects of war only begin after the hatchets have been buried, so to speak. The children of the postmodern era were the generation whose lives were most influenced by the outcomes of WWII. Postmodernism was a very wild and tumultuous era: unlimited adventures, the very divisive Vietnam war, assassinations of prominent national figures, the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Rights Movement, 9/11, the first Black president, and now, unfortunately, “Trumpism.”
When it comes to progressive accomplishments, the Postmodern era is arguably the best contender. The Civil Rights Movement, though concentrated in the South, sought to inspire the best in all well-meaning Americans. It was a movement that also demanded much from those that were committed to fighting for the change that they desired to see. Young children were water-hosed in the streets, girls were bombed to death in a church, the Freedom Bus riders were beaten and arrested, police dogs were set on unarmed men and women marchers, Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of that movement was eventually assassinated in April 1968. Those were just a few of the many sacrifices that Americans made so as to pave the way for social and political equality.
In response to many of the problems that the Civil Rights Movements helped bring to the front burner, there were concerted efforts to voice out the social and political problems that had excluded and dehumanized Blacks and other minorities.
One such voice was that of Hisaye Yamamoto. Yamamoto was born in 1927, in California, to Japanese immigrant parents. Her most famous work, Seventeen Syllables, might have been ahead of its time. The narrative told the story of a family of immigrants whose daughter was born in, and acculturated in America. In Seventeen Syllables, Yamamoto paints a picture that is all too common today. A family of immigrants with first generation Americans who experience some form of cultural disconnect amplified by generational differences between them and their parents.
Yamamoto and those like her help paint a picture of a changing America. Her work also inspires other minority women to tell their stories in their own way.
In her writings, Yamamoto also accomplishes something specific regarding the use of literature to create representation in society. Many students who read her work may never have met a Japanese. But they might find some similarities in her story that speaks to their own plights. Many immigrant families continue to face issues that border on generational and cultural differences between parents and children. The voice that Yamamoto gave to experiences of that kind still resonates with many today. It is also inspiring for many who may look like Yamamoto, or may have personal circumstances similar to hers, to know that literature continues to serve as an influential outlet through which they can make their voice heard for generations.