Analysis of Toshio Mori 'The Chessmen'

The Chessmen

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,3, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Angewandte Sprach-und Kulturwissenschaft in Germersheim), course: Proseminar, 9 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Before taking part in the seminar 'Introduction to American Ethnic Groups: Asian Americans', I had neither heard anything about the situation of Asians living in the United States nor could I define terms like Issei, Nisei, relocation camp or assembly center. Through reading 'The Chessmen', looking for informatio n on Asian American internet sites, and the biography of Toshio Mori I got a first impression of this subject in general and I got some inside into the working conditions of Japanese gardeners working in the US in the 1930s. Before reading this seven page story I thought that it would be impossible to write sixteen pages about such a short piece of literature, but once I finished reading I realized that there is extraordinary depth to this subject. In my opinion, Toshio Mori's 'The Chessmen' is more than a fictional text dealing with the struggle of two Japanese gardeners trying to keep their job in a nursery in California. The situation Toshio Mori focuses on reflects today's society and the way we have to behave in order to achieve something in life. I decided to base my essay on the facts that are important to fully understand his works, so I began with some background information and dealt with the biography of Toshio Mori and his topics of writing in general. Then I summarized the story. After writing an interpretation of 'The Chessmen' I asked myself what the title of the story might have to do with the contents. Since the relation between George and Nakagawa-san mirrors Darwin's survival of the fittest I tried to transfer this idea into modern times. I ended my paper with a conclusion that states my own opinion about 'The Chessmen'.