Mr. Okabe is one of my favorite characters in this story. We've already talked at some length about him, and his Cary Grant ways, but I want to know if your thoughts about him grow any stronger, or change at all after you've read the chapter titled, “Waiting.”
Write about everything you know to be true about him. How would you describe him? What kind of person is he? Use examples from the story to support your thoughts.
Reading Assignment: "Waiting" and "Farewell" pages 226-234 Due Tuesday in class.
Blog Response due Tuesday evening
My thoughts about Mr. Okabe have changed after reading "Waiting". I first thought of him as a upper-class, debonair man (which he is, because lawyers do make good money), but now I think of him as a brave and honorable man. The fact that he volunteered to join the U.S. Army after Pearl Harbor, even though the Japanese did the attack, is brave. The fact that he put up with going to Minidoka, and then after that, agreeing to join the U.S. Army to fight Germans is very honorable. One might say he is a role model for his honorable actions and bravery. In summary, my thoughts have changed for the better.
ReplyDeleters suprise838
I think that Mr. Okabe is a very kind and relaxed person. I also think that he loves his family and everyone else he meets very much. In the chapter "Waiting", Mr. Okabe tells Henry what happened to a man at the camp. He told Henry that a man was shot for stopping a construction truck from going the wrong way and the solider was fined for unauthorized use of government property: the bullet used to shoot the man. While he's telling Henry that, you can tell that that upset him a lot. Also, he cares about Henry so much and realizes that Keiko cares about Henry so much that he let Henry stay at their house one night so that he wouldn't have to leave and he allowed Henry to court Keiko. Another thing that Mr. Okabe said that I thought was very honorable was that even though they are prisoners he would still fight in the American army to show his loyalty to America.
ReplyDeleteabgolfer
I would describe Mr. Okabe as calm and helpful. The reason calm is because when the Okabe's were leaving for both of the Camps Mr. Okabe stayed calm and wasn't freaking out. Like when him, Henry, Keiko, Mrs. Okabe, and Keiko's brother he didn't freak out because they are sending them somewhere. I would also describe him as helpful because he volunteered to work to help build the camps.
ReplyDeletetsace12
Though Mr. Okabe is described numerous times as appearing rather mysterious, I find him a very kind-hearted and sacrificing character. It inspired me how well her understands his daughter's struggle with missing Henry, and he sacrifices sneaking Henry in for the sake of Keiko. I really enjoy this characters personality.
ReplyDelete-rdRoxy4
When I think of Mr. Okabe I usually think of how different he is compared to Mr. Lee. Mr. Okabe is very American, as Mr. Lee is very traditional. I think that one of the big things that make Mr. Lee and Mr. Okabe different is how they handle racial judgement. Mr. Lee seems to do everything to prevent it- giving his son the pins, etc.- whereas Mr. Okabe seems to just let people say what they want and not let it effect him. Mr. Okabe is very loyal to America, and he shows it when he takes his family to the camps without resistance. He also proves his loyalty when he agrees to be in the Army and fight for America, even though they won't accept the Japanese. I think that Mr. Okabe is a good person and I really like his character.
ReplyDelete~C.H.Lafandala
Mr. Okabe is a selfless person. He cares about everyone and never hates. He doesn't care what race you are, how you look, how you dress, ect. He takes it from the heart. If you are a good person like Henry who has done so much for Keiko, he is so greatful. Although Henry is Chinese Mr. Okabe just looks on the inside and sees that Henry is an amazing person taking his time just to help their family. And that is all that matters to him.
ReplyDeletemsgemini11
To me Mr. Okabe seems to be a kind,caring, thoughtful, brave,and smart,fun,jazz loving person. I would describe him in 2 ways, brave because it takes courage to go to an unnone place,leave all your stuff,and live in a prison basicly.Also I would descibe him as an kind because he could have been really mean and grouchy about living at the camp and the nmoving to another camp.Also he could have been mean to Hery because he's chinese and there agenst him in a war,but instead hes kind about the camp and hes really nice to henry.
ReplyDeleteknsplash
I think Mr. Okabe is a great and loyal person. I think this because in the chapter titled "Waiting" Mr. Okabe talks about how if the government asked he would serve his country against Japan. He is also very protective of his family. Everything he does he puts his family first.
ReplyDeleteahnighthawk!
I think Henry's dad is very traditional and national. I think this about him because of the way he talks about the war and that he wants Henry to go back to China. Also how when Henry went to get the scrapbooks and he disowned him from the family.
ReplyDeletelfguns7
My thoughts about Mr. Okabe did change after reading the chapter, "Waiting". I had previously thought that Mr. Okabe was a very nice man and I was right but now I have added more to my opinion of him. I now think that he is the type of person that doesn't see or judge people by their skin color, race, beliefs or anything else. He sees every human being as a person that deserves their rights. Keiko told Henry that her parents don't see Henry as the "enemy", they see him as just a regular person. Mr. Okabe gladly gives Henry permission to court Keiko and the way he did- (gladly) says something about him, that he doesn't judge people.
ReplyDeletecichocothunder25
At first I thought Mr. Okabe wouldn't like Henry because he was Chinese and didn't want his daughter dating a Chinese boy. My thoughts have definitely changed since I thought that and now I think that he is a very sweet and caring guy. If I were Keiko, I would be happy to have a dad like that because like Henry's father, some dad's are not like that.
ReplyDeletelcpink30
I do believe that after reading the chapter titled," Waiting", my thoughts about Mr. Okabe did, in fact, grow stronger and more understanding of his own beliefs. One thing that I think to be true about Mr.Okabe is that he certainly knows, that deeps down in his heart, no matter how much suffering, bad living conditions or "relocation centers" the government puts him and his family through, he is still, and always will be, an American. When Henry questioned why the Japenese don't just try to rebel or fight back, Mr. Okabe answered by telling him that, although the government may not see it, the Japanese choose to not fight back because if they did, their actions would speak for them in a bad way. Their actions would say how they are not loyal to American, even though they truely are, but that they feel that what the government is putting them through is unreasonable and unfair. I think that Mr. Okabe is the kind of person who does what needs to be done in order for things to get back on the right track. The kind of person who would work long and hard hours just so his familiy could all live and stay together. The kind of person who does and the right things, even when others are doing the opposite. And finally, the kind of person who is accepting towards the obsticles in life that may not have been planned no expected. One example being how Mr. Okabe was working very hard at the new camp, building the houses, so that him and his familiy could all travel together, rather than the unfortunate families that had gotten separated into different camps. Also when he voluntarily, without argument, got on the bus that would soon lead him to his new home, as the government would call it, although it seemed more so a jail cell than anything, to the people who lie within it. I think many people would be grateful to have Mr. Okabe as a father. ( if you are reading this Mrs. Plisko, I ask you to please not post it until cecillias is posted, therefore she will not see or read the previous ssentence. thank you) Mostly because you would know that he would not let you and your family down and would do whatever it takes to make the "relocation cener" feel as much like home as possible...if it was possible. Altogether, I think Mr. Okabe is a heck of a lot better father than Mr. Lee, mostly becausse he is more understanding and accepting then Henry's father. Which is my strong opinion, and I'm sure many will disagree. I certainly hope that the Okabes make it through these hard and difficult times, they are a wonderful family and deserve the best, which is the complete oppposite of what they are receiving.
ReplyDeleteI think Mr. Okabe is a good man. He signed on to fight for the US army to prove his loyalty, and he and his wife respects Henry's decisions to visit Keiko.
ReplyDeletens r4ndomz
From description I think that Mr.Okabe is a very put together man. I believe this because the way he speaks is very polite and the way he dresses gives off this image. I also think that he is kind, generous and not judgemental. I believe he is not judgmental because he was very polite to Henry from the time he met him.
ReplyDeleteHe also thinks of Keiko and how he is her only friend, I think this has to do with why he treats Henry with such respect.
ampettyfer
After reading "Waiting", it appears that Mr. Okabe, your average Japanese-American lawyer (he seems more like a businessman to me), is very contradictory. While he claims to want to join the US Army to attack German forces in Europe, he also is giving aid an escapee [yes, he was escaping in, but he was still escaping onto government property (trespassing)]. He seems to be a good father and husband though.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think that the soldier should have been fined, for unauthorized use of the bullet, and for that matter, the rifle. First of all, that bullet could have been shot at German or Japanese troops, but was instead wasted on an unarmed civilian/prisoner. Now, I think that the soldier may have viewed the man as a threat, and also may have wondered how a prisoner knew the way around the camp better than the construction truck driver, who’s JOB was to know where he was going.
-mbjohann72
My thoughts on Mr. Okabe is that he is a very calm and loyal person. I say calm because he does not try to protest or take any actions against the people taking them from him and his family's home. I say loyal because he is willing to sign of for an enlisting draft to go into the war to fight the Germans to serve his country.
ReplyDeleteGG The Emu42
Mr. Okabe's wanting to join the army was an unexpected twist for me. He's quite brave, and this grand gesture helped him prove where the loyalties of the Okabes lay once and for all. A question formed in my mind about this as I was reading - was Mr. Okabe doing this because he truly wanted to fight the Japanese and end the war, or was he doing this for the sake of his family, in hope that if he was in the army, his family would no longer be suspected as spies and released from Camp Harmony?
ReplyDeleteI think Mr. Okabe is a very brave and courageous man. I think this because when he went to go join the army that was a very brave thing for him to do. But what really surprised me about it was that he was going to fight against his own country. But in his mind he was a true American at heart.
ReplyDeletejkricosauve