Chapter 8 Summary

Manjiro and the others have been on the boat for six months. Denzo, the leader of the Japanese fishermen, comes to Manjiro. He tells Manjiro that the captain has found them a place to live. Denzo says they may be able to come back to Japan at some point. Denzo also tells Manjiro the captain asked for Manjiro to go to America to live with him as the captain's son. Denzo says the decision is for Manjiro to make.

Manjiro spends the next couple of days thinking about it. He tells Gaemon about a Longfellow poem the captain reads to him. He says he thinks the poem means that you can do anything and be anything you set your mind to be.

Chapter 8 Analysis

Manjiro is having an inner struggle with who he is and who he wants to be. In his culture...