There is a very strong meaning behind this title. I think that Kiyoshi and Tosh feel trapped because of their parents' debt. Throughout this part of the book Tosh is rebelling his parents because he felt that he should not have to do the back breaking plantation work in order to pay his parents' debt, which wasn't being paid by what he was earning. Tosh was getting frustrated because he was only making barely enough money for him and his family to live off of, and was not making any money to pay off the debt.
I think that the meaning behind this title is that Kiyoshi and Tosh wanted to be freed from their parents' debt. All they wanted was their bodies. I think that this means that all they wanted was to be able to control their life. They wanted to be able to attend school and start a life of their own with a special person and start their own family. They did not want to have the burden of their family debt. At the end of the story Kiyoshi was able to pay off his parents' debt, which freed him and his other siblings to start their own life and start a family with some one.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you there was a very strong message behind the title. In fact one thing that we have not mentioned was that Tosh was beat for most of his growing up years. So when i first read that question this came to my mind. I love the fact that Tosh was so out spoken and he stood up for himself, in a way that was how he took his body back.But the real way that he received his body back was when Kyioshi won all that money and was able to pay off the debit!! My hope is that both these kids never put the same kind of pressure on their own children.
Thanks for sharing
Stacy
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteYour post has me thinking about the way families differ in terms of when children are considered adults who have the right to control their own lives and take responsibility for their futures.
Freedom is an important concept. Mrs. Oyama says, "Acting as an individual is a luxury only the rich can afford. The poorer you are the more you have to be united. Acting on your own when you're so poor is selfishness" (97). Is it selfish to take care of oneself when one's family is struggling? in the U.S. the focus is on the individual, but there are always factors that make it impossible, or at the very least difficult, to just focus on oneself.
Thanks for your ideas.
Take care,
Lauren
HI Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that Kyoshi and Tosh had the burden of supporting their family. They so badly wanted to have their own life and go to school but their culture didn't allow that. They were definitely rebelling. Most kids of that culture didn't rebel and it was just a way of what they did. It was a very good book and I really enjoyed learning about a different way of life;it truely was.
Michelle:
ReplyDeleteIts a tangle when you want to do what you want and your parents want you to do what they want...we must negoiate a way to find ourselves freedom even as children. but getting parents to give more is challenging some parents are strict and some that was their upbringing and they pass it on we need to address breaking the cycle going forward but still honoring our parents in the day we are growing but grow and change with times...great input !! Daye
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteHow are you? I truely belive and Kyoshi and Tosh feel trapped as well. Tosh does rebell and pushing many buttons of people. I belive the meaning was that Kyoshi and Tosh wanted to be free from their parents debt and wanted their true selves back. They felt it was ridiculous to have to pay for previous family debt. Most kids just go along with it because that is their way of life. Kyoshi and Tosh were not the norm. I do believe that other kids probably felt the same way but this was their way of life so they just did it.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Dina
second post
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteDid you happen to get an email that I posted here a couple of days back. I don't see my post.
Thanks Stacy Lambertz
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that Tosh was so frustrated about having to pay back the debit. I am sure that he was not the only one who thought that having to pay off debit that you did not create was wrong. In fact I think he was brave to speak out. The one this that stand out to me is when he could have left to go and box and he turned it down so he could stay and help his family. That showed me that he was a very fili son. As for Kiyoshi I am so grateful that he was able to set his brother body free. Thanks for sharing and if you got this twice I am sorry.
Stacy
Hello Michelle,
ReplyDeleteTosh was rebellious and just wanted to have a simple but successful life. They felt that there was no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel since all their hard work was getting them nowhere. All they did want was their bodies, their health, to have a simple health fulfilling life. I was so relieved at the ending.
Thanks for sharing,
Mandy Ericson
Hello, I agree with you completely, Tosh only wanted his own life, his own body. He felt a lot of pressured, it must have been very tough for him. All he wanted was to be free from working on the plantation, everyday, and every hour. It was tiring and stressful for someone to carry such a huge goal. His parents didn't understand him nor did he try to understand them. He also wanted to live his own way, live his own life, have his own body and no one elses. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lesley