Snow Falling on Cedars

Content Warning: This guide references violence, combat, and racial prejudice.

Kabuo is the defendant in the murder trial, which is the focus of the novel, but his point of view is presented quite rarely; instead, he is often indirectly characterized by others. As a teen, he is helpful and respectful, evident when he assists Fujiko at Manzanar by building furniture for her. He is a hard worker who is dedicated to his family’s success and to maintaining its reputation of respect and honor. Kabuo farms the strawberry plot and learns Japanese traditions, such as the practice of kendo. From Hatsue’s perspective, Kabuo is a dedicated father and husband who provides for his family out of love and a sense of duty, and both Kabuo and Hatsue represent the theme of Parental Expectations and Family Legacy. Kabuo is quiet and reserved and, for this reason, along with cultural differences, considered by many white people in Amity Harbor to be difficult to read and even hostile. His demeanor strikes others as cold or uncaring. In truth, the rare sections of the novel presented from Kabuo’s point of view reveal that he is not only aware of his inscrutability but also perhaps intentionally masking the guilt and sadness he feels for his participation in the taking of lives during the war.