The Power By Graham Carlton Braaten Power Zone

In the beginning of the book the power starts with the Japanese Emperor and government officials. I know this because they make all the laws on the island.

In the beginning of the book the Japanese Emperor and government officials have the power. I know this because they are slowly taking away privileges from the islanders. There are several examples; the first one is when all Saipan natives and Japanese civilians are restricted to go to certain areas of the island, such as the beaches. “The patrol usually made its round of the day long after dawn… after we would have been far out at sea.” page 1 paragraph 3

This refers to the fact that Japanese patrols were guarding the restricted areas. Joseph and Kento are trying to sneak past a patrol at the very beginning of the book.

Other examples are when the Emperor closes all schools on the island. “By Imperial command, orders of the Divine Emperor, all schools on this island are closed.” page 29 paragraph 3 Joseph thinks that this is unfair, but feels even stronger about the injustice when he is told the older students are being drafted into the army. Evidence of this is on page 36 paragraph 4, “Joseph. Open your eyes- the older students, the teachers, don’t you see? More soldiers are needed.”

More support of the government’s power is that they are taking privileges way from the island natives. Confirmation of this is on page 28 paragraph 4, “Or death for disobeying any of their rules which bite-by-bite had taken away from our island, our way of life, like a shark tearing apart a turtle.”

The last example of who has the power in the first half of the story is found on page 37 paragraph 2, “War! Your Emperor uses war as an excuse to make us his slaves. ‘Do this! Don’t do that. Forbidden!’” This passage shows that the emperor and government officials have the power, because they control the law, and take away the Saipan’s natives freedoms.

Japanese Emperor and government officials. Then the Americans came

The Japanese struggled for control of the island of Saipan and the power shifted to Joseph.

Later in the book, when the war starts, Joseph has to help his family survive, and when his father dies he takes up the power. There is evidence that foreshadows this on page 58 paragraph 4, “Joseph, bring them here. Ignore what the others say.” This is a sample of Joseph’s father showing them a cave in which his family could hide, and putting him in charge. Joseph’s father knew he would not come back from the airfields.

My next piece of evidence, on who has the power, shows how Joseph is growing more responsible. It is found on page 102, paragraph 3, “I checked the supplies. Everything was staked exactly as before. That seemed like a lifetime ago.” This shows how Joseph is taking up responsibility after his father dies, and is checking to make sure his family has enough supplies.

The next evidence of power shows how Joseph now has responsibility over all members of the family.

“Anna Maria left Taeyo resting next to our mother and sat at the cave’s mouth, near the ledge, gazing out toward the sea. “Move back,” I urged. “You’ll be seen. Or shot.” This proof is found on page 104, paragraphs 3-4. More evidence of this new responsibility is on page 111, paragraph 2-3, “My sister lay with her arms around her son. Her backbone was a sharp ridge along the curve of her back, her limbs were so thin, and her skin, rough with dust. My sister, my mother, my nephew; they were barely more than dusty bones. They needed water.”

This shows how Joseph cares for the whole families' basic needs.

Another excerpt of support, showing how Joseph now has the power, is how he is good at comforting Taeyo (the youngest member of the family). This evidence is found on page 126, paragraph 5-6 in a conversation betweenTaeyo and Joseph.

“Uncle Joe, when will we go home? Maybe my father is waiting. I want to go home.” “Soon, Taeyo soon.” “You promise? But you make so many promises.” “Come here. Yes, here beside me. Remember when Father taught us how to dance, how to fly.” Here Joseph is comforting Taeyo, by telling him they will all get home safely and afterward he tries his best to keep the promise.

The final data on how the power shifts to Joseph is found on page 137 & 138, paragraphs 8 & 4. This shows Joseph’s progression in earning the power by assuming responsibility for his family and friends.

“I climbed out of the jeep and stared at the place where Kento and I had met secretly after school… long ago… and where I had carried my father.” Later in the passage he thinks, “Father, like the turtle, we waited.” On the last page of the book are the words, “Our family had survived.”

This shows how Joseph went from a normal teenage boy on the island, to assuming many of his father’s responsibilities, and in the end he succeeds in saving not only his family, but also his friend’s family.

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