Tule Lake Segregation Center, California

Tule Lake Segregation Center, again in California, is the third detention center that Chee includes in this novel. This setting starts from Mary’s dour perspective in Chapter IX, starting in October 1943, and is the setting for Chapters IX, X, and XV. This setting combines all five themes of dual identities, racism, children of immigrants, the complexities of patriotism, and the motif of red, white and blue. Chee includes a black and white picture from Tule Lake before Mary’s chapter.

Like Topaz and Tanforan, Tule Lake was also a real detention center where Japanese-Americans were imprisoned during World War II. This detention center is where all the No-Nos are taken, after they fill out the questionnaire and leave Topaz. Because it is a location where self-identified non-loyals are taken, Tule Lake is much harsher, and more like a prison than the others. Mary...