Under the Blood Red Sun

In this section, Tomi grapples with severe tests of his Divided Loyalties, a struggle that intensifies as conflicts escalate. Early on, Tomi found reconciling his loyalties between his American identity and his Japanese heritage challenging. As more conflicts arise, Tomi faces the daunting reality that the American government appears to be targeting his family and friends. While some instances reward Tomi’s loyalty, such as with the Kaka’ako Boys standing with The Rats, a consistent theme emerges as Tomi is betrayed by the government he identifies with. This perceived abandonment and targeting of his family deepens the internal conflict between his American status and belonging to the Nakaji family. Indeed, Tomi’s defining struggle is that of his in-between identity, but through his loyalty to those he trusts—regardless of what they look like—Tomi embodies Resilience in the Face of Adversity. Tomi and his family have repeatedly been made to feel unwanted, and Tomi bears the brunt of this pain as the primary English speaker and family member who most often interacts with non-Japanese Americans. Still, Tomi holds strong despite his internal struggle, and with the help of his friends, he is resilient and determined to remain kind while also protecting his family.

Tomi’s loyalty to friends pays off, albeit some uncomfortable moments. Ignoring the army guy’s warning to avoid Coral Street, Rico persuades the Rats to take this road, sending Tomi and Billy—the two members most objected to by the Coral Street gang—to walk the road alone and unarmed. Intercepted by the Coral Street gang, Tomi fears for his safety until the rest of the Rats appear, scaring off the gang and validating Tomi’s trust in his friends. The Rats embody unity despite their differences in background, offering further strength to both Tomi and Billy, who is an outlier in Kaka’ako.

Moreover, while not friends with the Kaka’ako Boys, Tomi shares a friendly rapport with them. The teams generally trust each other to maintain fairness. However, this trust is slightly misplaced as the Kaka’ako Boys seize an opportunity to cheat when the Coral Street gang throws back a homerun ball. Despite this minor betrayal, the Kaka’ako Boys promptly defend the Rats from an attack by the Coral Street gang, once again rewarding Tomi’s loyalty. The Kaka’ako team also struggles with Divided Loyalties here, as they have a friendly rivalry with the Rats yet live with the Coral Street gang. Their choice to defend the Rats as opposed to their neighbors proves the unifying power of baseball, which teaches the boys good sportsmanship, which can be further read as establishing one’s good character and solid principles.

Tomi’s American loyalties face severe trials when the US government sends Papa to a concentration camp on the mainland. Until this point, Tomi justified Papa’s arrest, believing it to be a mistake that would be corrected quickly. This illusion shatters when Tomi discovers Papa has been moved to the mainland, revealing the government’s intention to isolate the Japanese further. Tomi wonders, “how could we ever go there? How could Papa ever come back” (212). For the Nakaji family, “Papa might as well have gone to the moon” (214). Tomi’s optimism about seeing his father again transforms into uncertainty about when, or if, his father will return. Moving Taro to the mainland is an ultimate betrayal to Tomi, who struggles to understand Taro’s arrest in the first place.

Compounding Tomi’s internal struggle over loyalties, the FBI also takes Grampa away. Grampa’s imprisonment seems to hit Tomi harder because, unlike Taro’s arrest, which resulted from not flying an American flag on his boat, Grampa’s arrest lacks any legitimate reason or explanation. The FBI agents, callously handling the elderly stroke survivor, show no regard for Grampa’s vulnerability. When Grampa speaks to Tomi in Japanese, as it is difficult for him to translate the words into English when stressed, the men yell at him to speak English and then cover his mouth. The FBI agents treat Grampa like a criminal, though they have no justification for this behavior. Tomi’s rage intensifies at these glaring injustices.

The US government’s injustices prompt Tomi to feel more favorably toward his Japanese heritage, especially concerning his family. Tomi safeguards the family katana, a significant link to his Japanese roots, refusing to surrender it to Keet despite threats and violence. Unlike Grampa, who kept the katana hidden, Tomi shares it with his family as part of their heritage. Throughout the story, Tomi asserts his American identity. However, as the narrative progresses, he becomes increasingly interested in and protective of his Japanese heritage, prioritizing it after the government’s unjust acts. Indeed, where Tomi was once ashamed to share his Japanese heritage, he now holds the family katana, symbolizing his acceptance of himself wholly and without apology, as well as emphasizing the theme of Resilience in the Face of Adversity.

Despite the souring of Tomi’s feelings toward the US Army due to multiple unjust interactions, he continues to assert his American identity when pressed. Recalling his father’s words, “this is a good place” (241) becomes a mantra guiding him through further injustices. Despite his divided loyalties, Tomi believes Hawaii is a good place, a sentiment that resonates with him amidst the turmoil of conflicting loyalties and injustices. Though the book does not end with complete resolution, its end point is incredibly important: There will be further trials for Tomi and the Nakajis, but they will endure in the name of family, with the help of friends.