A Rebellious Issei Mother and her Angst-ridden Nisei Son in John Okada’s No-No Boy

This paper explores the difficult relationship between Issei parents and Nisei children in John Okada’s No-No Boy, a novel that unrelentingly depicts the struggles of Japanese American immigrants and their families during and after the internment. As the protagonist, Ichiro Yamada, is the elder son, and Mrs. Yamada, the parent with the most influence, the focus of the paper is mainly on their relationship. Ichiro can be seen as a typical Nisei in his struggle to understand his own identity and tenuous place in American society. Mrs. Yamada, on the other hand, is Japanese by blood, upbringing, and nationality and does not suffer from the same confusion as her son. However, although she had spent most of her life in the U.S., she could not become an American citizen and suffered the indignities of discrimination throughout her life. Ichiro often voices anger and resentment toward her militant rejection of American ways. Ultimately, however, she is a tragic figure, representing the story of an immigrant who was kept from fulfilling an American Dream and who could never return home