The world is filled with different kinds of hatred caused by different reasons. For instance, people may hate others because of their gender, or for having different beliefs. Perhaps people hate others based on their cultural representation instead of who they really are as an individual, whether that representation is a religion or a race. This single fact of racial discrimination has caused many terrible and tragic events in history such as the holocaust, slavery, and among them is the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Canadians during World War II. In the novels ¡®Obasan¡¯ and ¡®Itsuka¡¯ by Joy Kogawa, the main protagonist Naomi and her family go through the mistreatment and racial discrimination, which occurred to all Japanese Canadians during World War II. Obasan, which focuses on the past, and Itsuka, which focuses on the present, are novels that are similarly based around Naomi¡¯s experiences during the war. These painful experiences leave Naomi with tormenting memories, which she will never forget or fully recover from. However, Naomi¡¯s strong beliefs help her to eventually overcome the immense hardships. Finally, Naomi¡¯s past is becomes the very soil that allowed fruition of her future. Both novels Obasan and Itsuka are similar in a way that it is focused on protagonist Naomi¡¯s experiences during the relocation, with her strong faith allows her to overcome the hardship and realize her past has constructed her future.
The painful experience that Naomi lives through leaves her with terrible memories. In the novel Obasan, the main character Naomi, a young female Japanese Canadian, faces racial discrimination in her childhood during World War II. Naomi and other Japanese Canadians consider themselves to be ordinary Canadians until the attacks on Pearl Harbor. All Japanese Canadians who were most like had nothing to do with the attack find themselves classified as dangerous aliens. This incident leads to the separation of Naomi and her mother, which in turn causes her to be raised by her strong and silent aunt Obasan. Obasan, like many others, feel depressed and sorrow about their unfair treatment, and talks to herself while shedding tears by saying, 'let us rest now...' (P.20). Obasan then continues to be silent. Also, when Naomi's families had to be evacuated and relocated from their own land, before Naomi Uncle's death, he use to say, "I am Canadian... This is my own, my native land!" (P.39) with a painful voice. Lastly, as Naomi and Obasan plan to go to the city, Obasan warns Naomi by saying, "Keep your eyes down...that way they may not see you. That way you offend less" (P.187). This shows that the war has denigrated Japanese Canadians as a something even less then even second-class citizens.
The painful experience leaves tormenting remembrance that requires people to take a long time to recover. In ¡®Itsuka¡¯ which is a continuation of ¡®Obasan¡¯, the protagonist Naomi is haunted by her memories of her childhood growing up in the World War II period of Japanese Canadian evacuation and internment. Naomi was involved in the movement for reparation from the Canadian government for the forcible relocation and confiscation of property of Japanese Canadians during World War II. As Naomi went through her painful experiences during her childhood, she realizes the importance her cultural identity. Naomi makes a comment to her aunt, Obasan, "...today, finally, though we can hardly believe it, to be Canadian means what it hasn't meant before. Reconciliation. Liberation. Belongingness. Home" (P.277) and reminiscent the tough past that she had to face during World War II. Japanese Canadians were mistreated because of their racial background, as Japanese Empire was the enemy of Canada during World War II. While Naomi was evacuated and relocated from their own land and her mother, the youth of her life was ruined and memories of her pain are reflected on this quote, "There was a silence that could not speak. There is a silence that will not speak..."(P112). Which explains how irritated and painful her live was. As Japanese Canadian go through their deprived lives, the experience leaves the scars that will not easily heal. Naomi, now an adult, she stands up herself with more maturity and thinks that, 'I learned to make my mind large, as the universe is large, so that there is room for paradoxes¡¯ (P.28) so she could be a better person, not just sulk about what had already transpired.
Having strong beliefs and faith are crucial if one needs to endure immense hardships. During the World War II Japanese Canadians were mistreated, and so as Naomi and her families. Naomi goes through her racial discrimination, as a young children, she experiences painful events which makes her to be independent and developed maturity. After the bombing during World War II, a young girl, Naomi walks all the way home because she strongly believes about the families¡¯ love which she has received from her families and know that they will be the on who will share the love, and pain(P.132) and survives. Many of Japanese Canadians were depressed by such mistreatment, so as Naomi and her families. Her aunt, Emily used to encourage Naomi¡¯s faith by saying, "Make your life count...and the world will be a better place because you tried" (P.232) with a hope. During the relocation, Naomi manages to survive by relying on her families and her friends, but most importantly relying on herself and never losing hope.
The strong beliefs help overcome strong hardships. As a young child, Naomi goes through racial discrimination that makes her to be a mature independent individual. Japanese Canadians believed that their strong belief would make their dream come true. The common religion for Japanese Canadians was Catholic, and so as Naomi and her families. Naomi and her families attend church after the World War II when the Government repeals the protests by churches. ¡°Believe in God, he leads Japanese Canadians to the churches and show them to be reliable themselves as they go through racial discriminations as outsiders¡± (P.25) Some of Japanese Canadians try to fight back the silence that they had maintain and reach out for the freedom, because they strongly believed in something. Morty who is a husband of Aunt Emily, describes Emily by saying, "She has faith in democracy. She believes in Canada" (P.109) and strong women who brings her life to involvement in the Japanese fight for redress unfair treatment. Japanese Canadians often mumbles, "I have a dream" (P.57) keeping faith so that one day their wish will come true. Thus in the end, even though Canada may have mistreated her people, Naomi never lost faith in her new home.
By reflecting on our protagonist¡¯s ordeal, one will easily assume that Naomi will most likely despise her past and whoever provided such pain. If one was to play Naomi¡¯s role, certainly almost everyone will find it extremely unpleasant.

     Many will agree that the relocation and evacuation of Japanese Canadian during World War II did not have just cause. But perhaps, with past perspective it may have been a prudent action, as need of many always outweighs the need of few. Nevertheless, What Naomi had to endure was not an easy ordeal. Racial discrimination occurs even today, despite the current paradigm that believes racism should be eradicated. Obasan and Itsuka captures the essence of one¡¯s pain enduring such discrimination, with an innocent child¡¯s perspective and mature adult who had already been victimized. By focusing on protagonist Naomi¡¯s experiences during the relocation, both novels show that with her strong beliefs she was able to overcome the hardship and realize her past has constructed her future. Naomi never lost her faith in her family, friends, and in her country. Thus, strong beliefs and having faith can be a powerful weapon against hopeless odds and immense hardships.