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Ob asa n (1981), Kogawa’s best-known work, tells tlie story of one Japanese Canadian Family living dirough World War II. Although a work of fiction, Kogawa describes events based on her own life and tlie novel aims to present an lnstoncally accurate pictnre of tlie Japanese Canadian wardme expenence. During tlie war, many Japanese Canadians endured bmtal mistreatment in silence, ratlier dian voicing tlieir anger or standing up For tlieir riglits. In Obasan, Kogawa conveys tlie devastating eFfects oF silence. Simply by wnting die novel, she registers her relusal to keep quiet about die cnielty ol racism. Tlie novel won several awards. including die Book oF die Year Award From die Canadian Authors Association, and die American Book Award From tlie Before Columbus Foundation. Tlie Literary Review oF Canada listed lt among tlie most important books in Canadian literary lustory.

Kogawa went on to recast die Obasan story as two childreifs books: die japanese-language Uskinannreta (1983) and die Engjish-language Nao/ni’s Rok/(1986), adapted into an opera by die Vancouver Opera, and eventually translated into japanese and publislied as Nao/ni No Micbi (1988). Kogawa continues Naomi’s story, die mam character in Obasan, in her novel Ifsuka (1992), wlucli examines Japanese Canadian eFForts to win redress trom die government. Iłs/tka was republished as Hmiiy Kało in 2005. Kogawa’s odier works include die novel The Ka/n Ascends (1995) and die poetry collections The SphnteredMoon (1967), A Choice of Drea/ns (1974), Jericbo Road (1977), Wo/nan in łhe Woods (1985), A Garden of Anchors: Se/ecłed Poems (2003), y4 Song ofUliłh (2000).

Kogawa participated in die Redress Movement, a demand For compensation diat culminated in 1988. wlien Prime Minister Brian Mulroney signed a Redress Agreement diat allocated $21,000 to eacli survivnig Japanese Canadian intenied during World War II. Tlie Agreement also reinstated Canadian citizenslnp For every Japanese Canadian deported to Japan during die war years. In 1986, Kogawa was madę a Member oF tlie Order oF Canada. In 2006, she was madę a Member oF die Order oF Bntisli Columbia.

PLOT OVERVIE\\

It is 1972. Naomi Nakane, a dnrty-six-year-old middle scliool teacher, recalls visiting a coulee, or ravine, in Granton. Alberta, widi her uncle Isamu, her Fadiefs halF-brodier. who she simply calls Uncle. Tliey madę die tnp annually, begmning in 1954. Tlie scliool year begins. Cecil, Alberta, wliere Naonu teaches, is a claustrophobically smali town. Its inhabitants, predominantly wbite Canadians, are Fascinated and a little mystiFied by Naomi. One day during class, she gets word diat Uncle has died. She goes to see his widów, wliom she calls Obasan {annł m Japanese). A loaF oF Uncle’s liiFamously medible homemade bread sits on die counter. The two women go to die attic, where Obasan searches For somedung. Naomi dnnks about her own modiefs unexplained disappearance some durty years earlier.

Naomi and Obasan go to bed. Naomi dreams oF two couples. One oF die men is a Bntisli oFficer. She wakes to fuid diat a package From Aunt Emily, her modier’s sister, has arrived. She redects on Aunt Emily’s energedc crusades against racism, and For die remembrance and documentation oF wliat happened to Japanese Canadians during World War II. Naomi begins diinking about her childliood. beginning widi her Family’s beloved house in

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