The descriptions of the situation only get more and more horrifying. I know that that is the reality of war, but I couldn't help but feel a little angry at the American army for causing so much devastation on all those innocent lives. It was frightening to note that Mr. Tanimoto, "fearful for his family and church...ran toward them" (29) but when he finally met her, "he did not embrace his wife, he simply said 'Oh, you are safe'" (30). I can't imagine the toll the bomb took on his emotions. Also, this scene reminded me a little of Night: "As Mr. Tanimoto's men worked, the frightened people in the park pressed closer and closer to the river, and finally the mob began to force some of the unfortunates who were on the very bank into the water. Among those driven into the river and drowned..." (38) People, so scared and desperate for their lives, stop caring about other peoples'.
Ah, yes, Diane. That scene reminded me of Night, too.
There was a scene where Dr. Sasaki was in the hospital with broken bottles of medicines. It reminded me of Wladek in the Pianist, where he was in the hospital all alone, but the difference is that Dr. Sasaki had thousands of patients (and nurses and doctors that became patients, too,) to take care of.
Why didn't Mr. Fukai want to follow Kleinsorge and the others? Why was he so desperate of staying there that he had to run back?
I thought the layout of the story was pretty confusing, for it jumped from one character to another, and since the characters' names were Japanese, I found it hard to remember who was who. Even though so, I thought the story was interesting, since in this chapter we could see all of the characters gradually join together, and how the author starts telling us connections between each another, instead of having us remembering various characters.
I thought that Mrs.Nakamura's personality realy showed in this chapter, when she was pulling her kids out of the wreckage. Yaeko's screaming, "Itai!!!" and Mrs. Nakamura just goes, "There's no time now to say whether it hurts or not!" and continues to keep pulling. And when the kids come out only wearing underpants, even though it was a really hot day, she "worried rather confusedly about being cold." It really shows her practical, motherly character.
After reading this chapter, one would be able to find out how all these victim’s fates seem to intertwine. Every character was able to get past the explosion unhurt, but Tanimoto was the only one who went to rescue others, but only after he had found his wife and children. The different fathers were confused if they should help or leave with their own lives. Many of the people alive didn’t care for the others who needed help. I believe that they should have helped the others in need instead of leaving them to die. If everybody that day had helped the others need, there probably wouldn’t have been that many casualties. After the bombs had exploded, the whole city was in chaos, people hurt or wounded were running around panicking. Only one can imagine the chaos in Hiroshima that day.
I think that Hersey’s way of writing is very special. When you read the text, it’s like he’s only reporting the facts. No sentence is wasted; every one of them is filled with new information, yet I could feel compassion from him when I was reading the second chapter. He reported casualties without writing out any sympathy as a person, but I think that he showed his sympathy through the actions of the six characters.
Each of the characters has helped the people near them who were in need. Mr. Tanimoto, for instance, did more than his share of helping, with the boat and giving out water.
I think that in this chapter, Hersey has shown an aspect of human nature that is to help those in need of help, even if the person himself is wounded or traumatized.
I think this chapter really brings out the horrors of the atomic bomb as many die and wounded walk in an "endless parade of misery". However what does puzzle me is when they said that "nobody paid attention, and he (Father Cieslik) had to leave the buried ones to die" (27). One may wonder why civilians ignored their own buried neighbors and fellow citizens. Maybe they were too concerned about their own survival to care. They must have been thinking so much about their relatives and their own wounds that they stopped thinking about the others.
Personally, I think that the horrors of the atomic attack on Hiroshima brought out the worst and best out of it's victims. In times when they can not explain what hit them. In times when people all around them died and they are dying themselves, you really get to see how people are like. For example, as previously mentioned, people started to return to their natural instincts. They abandoned the buried and cared only of their own survival. However, it also brings out the best of people, such as when Mr. Tanimoto ferries the wounded people across the river. Another example would be the love shown by the mother who's baby died.
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My questions:
1. On page 29, why did Mr. Fukai run back into the fire facing imminent death? What was his motive for running back into the fire?
2. On page 40, why did Mrs. Kamai, the women who held on to her dead baby, still decide to keep the corpse? Did she not know that her husband is probably dead? Is she mad?
Shannon, I don't really think it shows Mrs. Nakamura's personality in general - right now she's just really stressed and worried and just wants her and her kids to get to a safe place. Lol, it seems like it's all connected to each other, I mean the situations and the bombings - but this time it's the enemy being attacked, the Japan that in stories and sayings we were said to dislike and distrust. (Well not really, but there was always a bit of a negative image of the Japan, especially then.) Whenever they talk about the atomic bombing that the Americans did to the Japanese, all they mention that there were two atomic bombs dropped and that many Japanese suffer from some kind of cancer or something because of it. Oh, and it somewhat insinuates and gives us the idea that the Japanese deserved all they got. Here, there's a different perspective. The people we read about are suffering - not dying, but watching others die and suffering from minor/major injuries and losses as well. These people are not at fault (nor are the soldiers who caused the war, really, if you think of it that way) these people probably did not all want the war, these people were probably brainwashed to be for the war, and these people are suffering because of the war their soldiers started. Or maybe I have my facts a bit wrong. But from the perspective and facts they give, most of them probably did not exactly advocate the war Japan started, and many probably did not have a say in this.
Chuni: You'll find out about Mr. Fukai's story soon enough. About your other question: I don't think Mrs. Kamai is exactly mad, but she isn't really in her right mind either.I think she's just in shock, grieved and a little lost at what's going on. Everything probably seems surreal to her (as it does to me as a reader) and she has no idea absolutely what they're facing, what's going on. She probably knows deep in her heart that her husband's dead, but she doesn't want to believe it, she's in total denial about it. (Not like the baby, which she can clearly see dead in her arms). Sometimes when a loved one dies (or maybe), the first thing you turn to is denial, trying to convince yourself that they're still there. Mrs. Kamai sort of reminds me of the lady in the pianist, the one in the beginning who walks aroudn with a feathery-hat and asks about her husband everytime and tells the main character to write to her if he finds him.
Kamai not wanting to let go of her child, it reminds me of a story i heard. A lady in Bergen-belsen (a concentration camp) thrusted a thing into a liberation soldier, but the baby was all rotten and stinky. A mother will never let go of her child. I once heard from a person that it is most difficult to calm a mother when her young child dies. I think she doesn't want to believe the truth and can't believe that she survived and her child didn't. She probably would want to kill herself as well
Chaos broke out after the explosion take place in the area of Hiroshima. I can’t believe it’s this horrible when an atomic bomb explode. Even though I’ve learn about them but according to this. John Hersey gave me bigger picture of what really happened. Clothes they were originally wearing are all burned. Thousands of people died, and everything is burning. All in chaos which I could not imagine myself to be in and especially being surround by the crow of people crying out for help. To think of myself in a situation like this is very scary. Time is the most important thing that they need to be aware of. In these perspectives, two met each other and knew some of them. I like how the author brings the character to meet each other from different location. It shows lots of different pains and hard times.
Question: Is there any connections between Night and Hiroshima? What are the similarities or themes?
“Tugged here and there in the aid of the worse wounded, bewildered by the numbers, staggered by so much raw flesh, Dr. Sasaki lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man; he became an automaton, mechanically wiping, daubing, winding, wiping, daubing, winding.” As a doctor in Hiroshima during the bombing, what has Dr. Sasaki experienced that differs from other people? I think that Dr. Sasaki must have been extremely shocked and pained. As a doctor, it is his job to heal people. Seeing so many wounded to be treated, all those humans in pain, he must have wanted to help them. But as the quote said, he “lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man” and became an “automaton”. The only thing he could do was just try to stop people from bleeding to death. If he had been sympathetic and skillful, he wouldn’t be able to save that many people. This shows the aftereffects of the bomb on the people, and how it affected the doctors there.
Hersey showed the extent of the bomb made through the 6 characters. Hersey conveyed the damage not by listing it like the news do, he shows it through the 6 characters eyes. He writes that the 6 characters while walking saw many building collapsed with people entangled in the debris of the buildings, calling for help. Hersey also showed the affects of the bomb to the weather. Through Dr. Fujii he shows the injuries the citizens had. I think this way of presenting the destruction the bomb made impacts the reader more.
Hershey's style of writing is quite unique. He tells the story both as a narrator and journalist. Even as he includes statistics about the explosion, he never takes the focus off the six characters, and as a result we are terrified by these six human stories. Although Hershey has a lot of statistics at hand, he uses them carefully. Hershey doesn't report them as how a media would report them; he uses them along with the six characters to show how the atomic bomb was such a horrifically efficient weapon. Not only did the initial blast topple buildings miles away, the fires itself lasted for days.
In chapter two, Hershey described the scene of the six characters, after the bomb fell. He was very descriptive about all the details of the events that were going on. The miasma from the bomb, and the darkness of the sky were all new to the survivors because never had there been such a bombing. They were all shocked because the siren for the "all clear" had sounded and then suddenly they were bombed. The bomb came noiselessly, because no one had heard airplanes went by.
“He was surprised to see glass all over the floor and fifty or sixty injured people.” “Why did our house fall down?” “He found his room in a state of weird and illogical confusion.” Many of the characters in the book actually thought that they were the only ones hit by the bomb. All of the characters were mystified by the situation. Since they were the ones alive, they start to care about others more than themselves. Will the characters know what had happened? And would they face an even more dangerous situation if they start to care about others? Will it better if they only cared about themselves?
In chapter 2 the reader views the horrors of the atomic bomb from the 6 characters point of view. We also see the 6 character’s reaction when they see people suffering around them and their own survival needs. In this section all the main characters except for Rev. Tanimoto and Father Kleinsorge becomes selfish, caring their own injuries, planning how to escape, and worried about their own families. I found it shocking how people are trapped under burning buildings, yet no one wanted to help them. Some tried to get help to free their trapped relatives and had to watch them die in the flames. Is Hersey trying to tell the readers that under this horrible condition, humans have limited powers and their own survival needs? The survivors continued to be terrified after the bomb’s attack and throughout the day everyone felt terror. People started to over think the situation by thinking the Americans dropped gas to poison them and when they hear planes overhead, they fear the Americans are returning to attack them again. --------------------------- My question: What would you do if you were under the condition? would you rescue the people around you who are suffering or think that humans have limited powers?
I like how Hersey write the story and how he describes it. In this chapter, Hersey show the damage of the atomic bomb but he describes it through the 6 characters eyes. For example, when Mr. Tanimoto went back to find his children and wife, he passes a lot of damaged buildings, and the author describes it with details. Hersey keeps focus on the 6 characters as in chapter one.
In this chapter, John Hersey continues to describe what each character is doing after the explosion. So far, it seems to me that John Hersey is using each chapter to tell us more about each character. However, I find it very confusing to catch up. Partly because the names are in Japanese and the other reason is because he jumps from one character to another, making it even more confusing. After reading a few times, I finally got it. :D In the first chapter, he portrays the peace before the explosion; in the second chapter, his descriptions become more horrifying because if is about after the explosion. “Clumps of smoke, near and far, had begun to push up through the general dust,” imagine yourself in this situation, with smoke everywhere and you can’t see things clearly. This chapter reflects more about what Ted Ling-Hu said during class time, “this novel seems realistic and unrealistic to me.” The main characters all survive, none of them die. Dr. Fujii is hurt, but his clinic has collapsed; four of his nurses died, and his only two patients died as well. Those people are just that lucky.
I think symbolism is playing a key role in this chapter. First off, the sewing machine. The way Mrs. Nakamura put it into cement was as if she was burying her only means of living. This chapter is the beginning of confusion and chaos for the Japanese. And i think the main fear now, for the Japanese, is that will they launch another attack? Or when will they live to. For me, this novel has become more and more puzzling for me because there are so many main characters and also, their names are in Japanese.
I think what made the bomb so horrific and so devastating was the confusing of the people of Hiroshima during the atomic bomb. They had prepared for bombs and had air raid drills, but they weren't sure when exactly a bomb was going to come. They knew even less that they were going to be the first victims of the most destructive bomb in history. It was sad to see the victims bewildered and walking around the street confused. They weren't prepared for this big of a calamity. They didn't even know what hit them. The whole world probably already knew that the Americans dropped an atomic bomb, but the victims in Hiroshima didn't even know what hit them and caused so much damge to them.
I took a long time reading the second chapter, because the transition between the six characters is confusing and there are other characters that are related to this bombing in Hiroshima. Responding to Hannah's question, I believe that Night and Hiroshima had something in common, like desensitization. Father Kliensorge and the other priests decided not to take Fukai along with them, because he had gone crazy. Another example is when Father Kliensorge was “growing apathetic and dazed in the presence of the cumulative distress” and rejected the woman’s request for help. How can this Christian priest who is civilized and supposedly is obliged to serve others betray his own faith just to survive? I think Father Kliensorge is desensitized by the sudden horror of the bombing. Some people are not desensitized, like Mr. Tanimoto, because despite all the peril, he still ferried across the river to aid others.
I think this chapter really shows the terrifying experience of the characters. This sudden surprise attack resulted in many deaths and many injuries. The bomb brought out the abilities of each person. Dr. Sasaki, a doctor without a permit, was the key to life to many people that were injured and Mr. Tanimoto tried his best to save as many people as he can. It shows how each person has to depend on another to survive this destruction. One’s decision can decide another’s fate. As a result of the bomb, many people started to appreciate what they have.
CHUNI: Chuni, I agree with you. After the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, many people didn’t care about their possessions or belongings anymore; they only cared about survival. For example, when the theological student lost his shoes, he said, “It’s funny, but things don’t matter anymore. Yesterday, my shoes were my most important possessions. Today, I don’t scare. One pair is enough.”(37) From here, we can tell that survival instincts tend to take over when everything is lost. To your first question, I think that Mr. Fukai ran back into the fire was because he didn’t care about anything anymore. He lost all his possessions and he can’t walk either. Therefore, I think Fukai felt like there wasn’t a reason to continue living. Another possibility could be that he felt like there wasn’t any more hope of surviving, so he gave up his survival instincts and decided to face death.
What happened in chapter 2 is tragic, because many people survived the bomb but died after because there were too less people to take care of them. And how Mr. Fukai reacted when they were trying to save him was so sad. This chapter brings out what impact and effect the bomb had on the victims. The part where Father Kleinsorge finds out that his paper suitcase is totally unscratched fascinated me. So many lives were taken but a single suitcase made of paper was left untouched.
At first, this book disappointed me as I realized that the author did not intend to get scientific with this novel. I was looking forward to reading almost a documentary about how the bomb itself worked.
However, as I read on into chapter II, I realized that this book instead instilled in me something that was far more important and titanic than naked facts--the book focuses on the sufferers of the great atomic Experiment.
All the facts were in my head--the time, power, damage capacity of the bomb, yet, I never gave a thought to the people on the ground that were actually suffering. Death tolls which had merely been numbers imprinted on paper became an individual that was alive, and had feelings like you and me. It pained me that I could be so knowledgeful of the event and yet so ignorant. Chapter II opened my eyes.
Why do you think Mr. Fukai wanted to stay and die when he still had a chance of surviving if he escaped with the others?
"Mr. Fukai, a very short man of about fifty, turned around slowly, wuith a queer look, and said, 'Leave me here.'"
I think the fact that the bomb destroyed everything Mr. Fukai had has made him give up all his hope. With his physical loss (ex. his house, everything he owned in his house), his memories and all the hard work and time he put in to let him live such a life was torn away from him. There just wasn't a point to living anymore. It would be too much for an aged man like him to restart his life and redo everything he did to be able to life the comfortable life he used to live.
Isn't Mr. Tanimoto a Christian? But he seems to believe in en ghosts, when on page 37 he says, "Forgive me for taking this boat. I must use it for those who are still alive." Why is this?
Dawn, I think Mr Tanimoto just feels a little creeped out to be taking a boat away from dead people. He doesn't necessarily believe in ghosts, but maybe he thinks he'll interfere with their "ghostly way" or their journey to heaven/hell. He's uncomfortable with the thought that he might be disturbing the dead. I think his excuse for taking the boat is more just words he uses to convince himself that it's ok to steal the boat. I doubt any of us would feel comfortable if we were in his situation either.
In this chapter, Hersey tells us how badly the bomb had impacted the city and the citizens of Hiroshima, through the eyes of the six main characters. As I read on, I can easily visualize the destruction the bomb had made. Because some people were worried about their own safety and survival, they did not stop to help those that are in need. They didn’t seem to care any longer. If I were in that situation, I probably wouldn’t have cared either.
I think this novel is very alike to the novel Night, the hopelessness and the atmosphere. While reading the chapter, the feeling of hopelessness comes out every time in that chapter. The part where the doctors were getting people out of the houses, all the feeling of nervousness, hopelessness, and fear. But also there was a question while I was reading, my question is: on page 32, where Miss Sasaki’s left leg was cut off, and the man told her to get up by her own, but we all know that its impossible for her to get up by her own, but why did the man call her to get up by her own? I thought in that kind of condition you would help each other, but this man is not helping her, even though at last he called some people to help her. Why did John Hersey write this part? Also when Miss Sasaki was been carried by the people, who are been badly hurt, what does it symbolizes? Does it symbolize that even though you got hurt badly you still have to fight and stand up your own? What does it really mean?
Jenny: If I was under the condition where a bomb like this hit an area where I lived, then I would wait for things to settle and then come to the peoples aid. What these men and women did to help others saved many lives and one life is worth a lot to sustain.
In this Chapter I was really shocked about all the events happening and the struggle for survival. Survival was so important that some even drank river water to quench thirst. Even though all these discomforting scenes were running through my head, I was satiated by depictions of people helping others to safety. It reminded me that their were really kind people out their always willing to lend a hand.
Why had Mr. Fukai run back in the fire? Father Kleinsorge had so painstakingly dragged him out on his back and yet he wasted all that effort in suicide.
To say the truth, I was surprised when I read that there so so many survivors. What I have learned in the past (e.g. Discovery Channel) is that nuclear bombs can completely destroy (flat out) a city. I guess what happened in Hiroshima was different because it was one of the first nuclear bombs ever created. The good thing about this is that at least the bomb showed some mercy and didn't kill everyone. In this chapter, Hersey explained what happened to every individual of the six remaining major survivors. Sometimes the story can get a little confusing (because of the constant changing of characters), but it is still very understandable. Of the six main survivors, Hersey mainly talks about Mr. Tanimoto, or also known as Reverend Mr. Kiyoshi Tanimoto. After the explosion, Mr. Tanimoto immediately rushed back into the city trying to find his wife and child. Luckily, he found them evacuating the city and was relieved. Later, he began to help the people that are in need. In the end, he decided to stay and help in Asano Park to transport people from one side of the river to the other.
After reading this chapter, it's interesting how these people meet each other in the book.But I'm wondering, do the people actually met each other in real life,or is this part of Hersey's imagination?
In this chapter, I think Hersey expresses the characters’ loss of hope and everything that was important to them. On page 20, Mrs. Nakamura “noticed her sewing machine…obviously she could not carry it with her, so she unthinkingly plunged her symbol of livelihood into the cement tank of water. Nothing else was important to her except to keep herself and her children alive. And on page 36, the theolgical student said to the priests—“Yesterday, my shoes were the most important possessions. Today, I don’t care. One pair is enough.” Same with Father Cieslik—He started to bring his books along, but he knew that there was no time for books. It’s like things don’t matter any more, survival and safetly is more important.
Why was Mr. Fukai refusing help from Father Kleinsorge and the others? He kept on repeating—“ Leave me here!”, “I won’t leave!”, and “Let me stay!”. Why didn’t he want to escape when he has the chance? I think he’s is a bit crazy, just like what I said in the beginning—that they had lost everything, and nothing else was important. But the strange part is everyone else wanted to live, but he wanted to die. Why is this? On the same page, Father Kleinsorge said “We have lost all our possessions but not our sense of humor.” What was that supposed the mean?
Chunni:On page 40, why did Mrs. Kamai, the women who held on to her dead baby, still decide to keep the corpse? Did she not know that her husband is probably dead? Is she mad?
I think she's shocked what had just happened, and that she wants to find her husband even though she knows that he might be dead already. I guess she wants to forget the reality that her husband's dead.
I also thought that this book, is kind of like "Night", because many of them are starting to care about their own needsand not caring about others. The only ones who aren't in this condition are Reverend Tanimoto and Father Kleinsorge, who are still helping others. But I'm wondering will they become selfish like the others, or will remain the same in caring for others?
Liang: Why do you think Mr. Fukai wanted to stay and die when he still had a chance of surviving if he escaped with the others?
Mr. Fukai probably knew that he wasn't going to make it until the end of the war. He had seen so many lives been taken away when the bomb hit Hiroshima. He didn't want to continue to see people suffer. He wanted to end his life, his misery.
This chapter really gave me an impression of the amount of damage caused by the atomic bomb. The aftermath of it was worse than the impact. The explosion itself flattened buildings and burned many people seriously, but the fires and the water poisoning after that caused even more destruction and took more lives by keeping them trapped under the debris, left to die a slow death unless they could get out. It was saddening to see how a whole city could be thrown into such chaos and confusion after a single flash of light. They had to struggle just to survive, and not even well. However, I also felt that it was surreal and amazing the way some things were totally destroyed; but other things were kept intact and even prepared, in a way. The part that struck me the most was “He noticed a pumpkin roasted on the vine. He and Father Cieslik tasted it and it was good. They were surprised at their hunger, and they ate quite a bit. They got out several bags of rice and gathered up several other cooked pumpkins and dug up some potatoes that were nicely baked under the ground, then started back.” (40) It was as if by some amazing twist of fate that they had food actually cooked for them by the bomb, and that out of all the bad things the bomb had done, there was at least one good thing, however miniscule (though the good thing only served to feed those who were harmed by it in the first place). But I still have a question. “While fetching the cloth, Mrs. Nakamoto noticed her sewing machine; she went back in for it and dragged it out. Obviously she could not carry it with her, so she unthinkingly plunged her symbol of livelihood into the receptacle which for weeks had been her symbol of safety—the cement tank of water in front of her house.” (20) It seems so irrational? Why did she do this? Was there any meaning to this?
The coincidence involved in the Hiroshima bombing is quite frightening. Many of the people were just barely away from life or death. From injury and unscathed. Do you think that these few chosen do be alive were not by accident, but by the need for them, for example the doctor was unhurt and so were the priests.
The second chapter of Hiroshima describes in detail the aftermath of the atomic bomb and its effects on the city of Hiroshima. I thought that the author describes the scene very well: the way he describes all the houses that were knocked down and how they were almost all burning up is very vivid, and gives you a great mental picture of what went on in Hiroshima, and what the city was like after the bomb. He also describes the feelings of the characters very well in my opinion. He shows how many of them wondered what went on, and how no one knew that an atomic bomb had been dropped; they all thought that a bunch of bombs had been dropped instead of just one bomb. This shows the magnitude of the atomic bomb: it was so great that it seemed as if many bombs had been dropped simultaneously to create the amazing damage. He also describes the wounded very well. He tells of how they swarmed the hospital by the thousands, and how the only doctor had to treat all of them at once. This shows the amazingly large effect of the bomb on the population, not just buildings.
The atomic bomb did not just hurt its victims by killing them instantly with a noiseless white flash. It caused buildings to collapse and trapped many people within the debris. Many people, such as Mrs. Nakamura and Mr. Tanimoto, were separated from their family, although the two were lucky to have found their family members. Hersey makes readers picture the chaos that must have happened, with everyone staggering around, bleeding, looking for friends and help. The way Hersey writes makes reading much easier, because he lists the events one by one, without writing words with hidden meanings every other sentence, unlike many books we have read before.
I think this chapter was somewhat confusing, because it keeps going back and forth between the characters. My questions are why did Fukai run back towards the fire when everyone else was trying to run from it? And why didn't Mr. Tanimoto embrace his wife when he saw her?
Kimi: The man tried his best to rescue her, but he had no additional help. He probably did not want to risk his life trying to save a helpless case. Also, I'm not too sure he was the one who called the others to help. They other men might have stumbled across her as they were trying to escape the wreckage, or they might have been searching for others in need of their assistance. Hersey probably wrote about this because it really happened.
Question: "She (Mrs. Sasaki) was grateful until he brought two horribly wounded people- a woman with a whole breast sheared off and a man whose face was all raw from burn- to share the simple shed with her." (page 33)
Why isn't she grateful when she discovers she has to share her shelter with two other greatly injured people? Is she simply being jealous despite the unimaginable chaos surrounding her? Why? :O
This chapter had really frightened me. The gruesome description had made a horrifying picture in my head. Like Diane, I was angered by the Americans demolishing their homes; they were innocent!"A woman with a whole breast sheared off and a man whose face was all raw from a burn" or "for most of the people lay still, with their eyes open." Don't you think this is pretty disgusting? Also, the atomic bomb had turned everyone lifeless. For example, "Dr. Sasaki lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man; he became an automaton, mechanically wiping, daubing, winding, wiping, daubing, winding" (26) and it was frightening when Mr. Tanimoto,"fearful for his family and church...ran toward them" (29) but when he finally met her, "he did not embrace his wife, he simply said 'Oh, you are safe'" (30). This really describes how the bomb had wiped away everyone's life psychologically. They became "mechanical" (26)
Question: (1)How is Hiroshima similar to Night? Different?
(2)Why does the author use such precise language to describe a scene? "In a city of two hundred and forty-five thousand, nearly a hundred thousand people had been killed or doomed at one blow; a hundred thousand more were hurt...Of a hundred and fifty doctors in the city, sixty five were already dead and most of the rest were wounded. Of the 1,780 nurses, 1,654 were dead or too badly hurt to work..."
Responses: Chuni: I AGREE. The bomb brought out everyone's selfishness, but it's supposed to be one of our natural instincts- to think for ourselves; survival. However, some people still show tremendous love for their relatives, like mother at the end of the chapter who asked Mr. Tanimoto where her husband was. Mr. Tanimoto also became very generous; he ferried people across the river, fed people, quenched people's thirst with the basin...etc.
Liang: Although he had a chance of being alive, it would another burden. If Mr. Fukai was dead, it would be a gift to escape the misery caused by the bomb; if alive, then he'd had nothing anyways- that's what he thought. He didn't have to face the pain of his wounds, loss..etc if he died.
This chapter generally is describing the harsh condition and the unbelievable execution in in Hiroshima Brought from the atomic bomb. Comparing to "Night", both are describing the scene where large amount of people is suffering or dead, but this time, when I was reading Hiroshima it doesn't scare me as much. Does killing with "bombs" look better than killing with "guns"?
In this chapter, The author wrote explained how the characters reacted to the bomb and what they did after that. I liked how he is very descriptive and uses alot of detailed words to descripe the scenes.
Will Dr. Sasaki give up? It says that he is no longer a licensed doctor but only a sympathizing citizen. Dr. Sasaki is being overwhelmed by this burden of trying to save as many lives as he can. He is pretty much the only one that is unharmed. He is trying to save as many people as he can.
This chapter is quite scary. After the bombing, people still arent sure how the entire thing had happened. Somehow, all the victims ended up in the same place. It's scary how many people are wounded and dead from the explosion. It also seems like the water is contaminated and people are throwing up because of it. The descriptions by Hersey of the burned and injured victims paints an image in my mind. It is haunting. I couldn't imagine what it must be like in a completely destroyed Hiroshima. I'm especially amazed at Mr. Tanimoto, who felt the need to run towards the wreckage. He sees his wife, and is so relieved he doesn't even know what to say. He even says that, as a Christian, he felt the need to help them, and as a Japanese, he felt shamed that he was uninjured when everyone else was hurt. This chapter clearly shows the confusion of the people, who think that it might have been gasoline or molotov flower baskets.
1. Mr Tanimoto ran back towards the blazing city for he was fearful for his family and his church. He wanted to find them as well as help people, being a reverend a devout Christian, he was compelled to help the suffering. 2. Mrs. Kasai wanted to keep her baby because she knew that her husband loved the baby and he wanted to see it again. She was out of her mind, believing her husband to be alive when more than half of the soldiers had been killed or seriously maimed.
As I read chapter two, I had to read it twice to understand the full meaning of the chapter. Panic ensued the dropping of the bomb, and in a blink of an eye, hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Others were disabled for life, and even more lost limbs or body parts. The gore of the aftermath of the bomb is horrifying. The bomb changed everyone, even the loving Tanimoto into a man that had no feelings when finding out that his family was perfectly safe. The cruelty and shock of the bomb is unimaginable.
I think it’s a little funny how these six people react. It must had been chaotic when people in only underwear running around and people dead or hurt everywhere. I think it is cool that these people sort of knew each other meet each other as the story goes on. It is like a puzzle to fill in and we get them piece by piece. I think this author’s precision with words and small detail really paint picture in the reader’s mind.
This chapter shows the how dangerous the people are in Hiroshima. This bomb was extremely surprised to the people in Hiroshima. the only place that they can hide is in the Asano park, Jesuits mission house.
Many people got injured, Mr. Tanimoto care more about his family, because he ran toward the city where people were running to the opposite way to the mission house. I was impressed what he did because in that dangerous situation, he can still rememberto safe his family.
This chapter showed us how the people of Japanese reacted to the atomic bomb. They hided from the heat of the explosion in the houses, and pray that they would be alright. They were so scared and hopeless that they stayed united.
“Just then, the kindergarten teacher pointed out to the priests Mr. Fukai, the secretary of the diocese, who was standing in the window on the second floor of the mission house, facing in the direction of the explosion, weeping.” (Hersey 27) I wonder why does Mr. Fukai weep while facing the explosion site. He did not try to go to a place of refuge like all the others. He also ran back to the fire after he got away from the soldiers. Has Mr. Fukai given up the will to live? He was not one of the heavily wounded and he did not suffer from flash burns. Did Mr. Fukai want to die because he was depressed over how badly the Americans bombed Hiroshima?
Mr. Fukai said, "Leave me here to die" (Page 27). Then on the next page, Mr. Fukai cried, "I can't walk...Leave me here!" Father Kleinsorge picked Mr. Fukai up pickaback, but Mr. Fukai refused to. Then Father Kleinsorge replies, "We have lost all our possessions but not our sense of humor." What is the significance of Father Kleinsorge's quote? Why would Mr. Fukai want to give up his life? Isn't survival very important, because everyone wants to survive?
KK: (2)Why does the author use such precise language to describe a scene?
"In a city of two hundred and forty-five thousand, nearly a hundred thousand people had been killed or doomed at one blow; a hundred thousand more were hurt...Of a hundred and fifty doctors in the city, sixty five were already dead and most of the rest were wounded. Of the 1,780 nurses, 1,654 were dead or too badly hurt to work..."
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The author uses such precision, because the story is written as a journal. The book was first published as a journal, then put as a novel. Precision creates suspense, which attracts attention. Also, precision makes every detail sound very important. This makes the event sound very detailed, serious, and important. Hersey must have taken a lot of time to write down every little detail about the bombing of Hiroshima. When Hersey adds in tiny details, it makes his readers trust him more. His readers would think that the author is knowledgable and trustworthy. This would attract more readers to read his story, because they can "gain" something out the book, which is more knowledge on what happened. Readers would think he's fake if he doesn't make his story precise.
This chapter was a but more boring towards the end, but I think the the beginning paragraphs were a bit more captivating. I love how the author uses lots of details and interesting phrases, and some of the characters' humor still lingers in the air (or am I thinking of something else?). -- To Jasmine: Apparently, Mr. Fukai is giving up already. Perhaps the terror of the bomb, leaving the the place desolated, has make Fukai hopeless, so he might be thinking that it is pointless to live on. It is true that survival is essential, but he probably doesn't think so, after the sight of all the destruction.
"Mr. Fukai, a very short man of about fifty, turned around slowly, with a queer look, and said, 'Leave me here.'" Pg 27
Shockingly, Mr. Fukai doesn’t want to be rescued. He is forcibly carried by the priests, but later on we learn that he runs back to the flames, never to be seen again. There are many possible reasons as to why he would do this, and one might be that the shock of being struck by such a bomb has caused him to lose his common sense and he has lost his will to live. The bomb had destroyed everything that he had cared about: his family, his property, his sanity…, and he couldn’t bear to live with te knowledge anymore. Another possibility is that he loves his country, and wants to suffer alongside the others who have died for this country, showing his nationalism and pride. Japan’s government instilled a strong sense of self sacrifice for the country, and Mr. Fukai is just one of many who willingly sacrificed themselves to keep their pride even when facing defeat.
Shannon: That shows how she still has some residue of caring left in her-she hasn't been completely dehumanized. However, at the same time, she's unable to really figure out what's important. I mean, their house is falling apart, and she worries about her kids being cold...
In this chapter the author described the events after the explosion. He did this with very percise descriptions and in great detail. All the surviors are extremely lucky to survive, I really admire how some of them are able to care for others after they assure their own safty. They did not just care for themselves but for other's also. unlike in night where they were so dehumanized that they only care about their own survival the survivor of Hiroshima care for each other.
62 comments:
The descriptions of the situation only get more and more horrifying. I know that that is the reality of war, but I couldn't help but feel a little angry at the American army for causing so much devastation on all those innocent lives.
It was frightening to note that Mr. Tanimoto, "fearful for his family and church...ran toward them" (29) but when he finally met her, "he did not embrace his wife, he simply said 'Oh, you are safe'" (30). I can't imagine the toll the bomb took on his emotions.
Also, this scene reminded me a little of Night: "As Mr. Tanimoto's men worked, the frightened people in the park pressed closer and closer to the river, and finally the mob began to force some of the unfortunates who were on the very bank into the water. Among those driven into the river and drowned..." (38) People, so scared and desperate for their lives, stop caring about other peoples'.
Ah, yes, Diane. That scene reminded me of Night, too.
There was a scene where Dr. Sasaki was in the hospital with broken bottles of medicines. It reminded me of Wladek in the Pianist, where he was in the hospital all alone, but the difference is that Dr. Sasaki had thousands of patients (and nurses and doctors that became patients, too,) to take care of.
Why didn't Mr. Fukai want to follow Kleinsorge and the others? Why was he so desperate of staying there that he had to run back?
I thought the layout of the story was pretty confusing, for it jumped from one character to another, and since the characters' names were Japanese, I found it hard to remember who was who. Even though so, I thought the story was interesting, since in this chapter we could see all of the characters gradually join together, and how the author starts telling us connections between each another, instead of having us remembering various characters.
I thought that Mrs.Nakamura's personality realy showed in this chapter, when she was pulling her kids out of the wreckage. Yaeko's screaming, "Itai!!!" and Mrs. Nakamura just goes, "There's no time now to say whether it hurts or not!" and continues to keep pulling. And when the kids come out only wearing underpants, even though it was a really hot day, she "worried rather confusedly about being cold." It really shows her practical, motherly character.
After reading this chapter, one would be able to find out how all these victim’s fates seem to intertwine. Every character was able to get past the explosion unhurt, but Tanimoto was the only one who went to rescue others, but only after he had found his wife and children. The different fathers were confused if they should help or leave with their own lives. Many of the people alive didn’t care for the others who needed help. I believe that they should have helped the others in need instead of leaving them to die. If everybody that day had helped the others need, there probably wouldn’t have been that many casualties. After the bombs had exploded, the whole city was in chaos, people hurt or wounded were running around panicking. Only one can imagine the chaos in Hiroshima that day.
I think that Hersey’s way of writing is very special. When you read the text, it’s like he’s only reporting the facts. No sentence is wasted; every one of them is filled with new information, yet I could feel compassion from him when I was reading the second chapter. He reported casualties without writing out any sympathy as a person, but I think that he showed his sympathy through the actions of the six characters.
Each of the characters has helped the people near them who were in need. Mr. Tanimoto, for instance, did more than his share of helping, with the boat and giving out water.
I think that in this chapter, Hersey has shown an aspect of human nature that is to help those in need of help, even if the person himself is wounded or traumatized.
I think this chapter really brings out the horrors of the atomic bomb as many die and wounded walk in an "endless parade of misery". However what does puzzle me is when they said that "nobody paid attention, and he (Father Cieslik) had to leave the buried ones to die" (27). One may wonder why civilians ignored their own buried neighbors and fellow citizens. Maybe they were too concerned about their own survival to care. They must have been thinking so much about their relatives and their own wounds that they stopped thinking about the others.
Personally, I think that the horrors of the atomic attack on Hiroshima brought out the worst and best out of it's victims. In times when they can not explain what hit them. In times when people all around them died and they are dying themselves, you really get to see how people are like. For example, as previously mentioned, people started to return to their natural instincts. They abandoned the buried and cared only of their own survival. However, it also brings out the best of people, such as when Mr. Tanimoto ferries the wounded people across the river. Another example would be the love shown by the mother who's baby died.
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My questions:
1. On page 29, why did Mr. Fukai run back into the fire facing imminent death? What was his motive for running back into the fire?
2. On page 40, why did Mrs. Kamai, the women who held on to her dead baby, still decide to keep the corpse? Did she not know that her husband is probably dead? Is she mad?
Shannon, I don't really think it shows Mrs. Nakamura's personality in general - right now she's just really stressed and worried and just wants her and her kids to get to a safe place.
Lol, it seems like it's all connected to each other, I mean the situations and the bombings - but this time it's the enemy being attacked, the Japan that in stories and sayings we were said to dislike and distrust. (Well not really, but there was always a bit of a negative image of the Japan, especially then.) Whenever they talk about the atomic bombing that the Americans did to the Japanese, all they mention that there were two atomic bombs dropped and that many Japanese suffer from some kind of cancer or something because of it. Oh, and it somewhat insinuates and gives us the idea that the Japanese deserved all they got.
Here, there's a different perspective. The people we read about are suffering - not dying, but watching others die and suffering from minor/major injuries and losses as well. These people are not at fault (nor are the soldiers who caused the war, really, if you think of it that way) these people probably did not all want the war, these people were probably brainwashed to be for the war, and these people are suffering because of the war their soldiers started.
Or maybe I have my facts a bit wrong. But from the perspective and facts they give, most of them probably did not exactly advocate the war Japan started, and many probably did not have a say in this.
Chuni: You'll find out about Mr. Fukai's story soon enough.
About your other question: I don't think Mrs. Kamai is exactly mad, but she isn't really in her right mind either.I think she's just in shock, grieved and a little lost at what's going on. Everything probably seems surreal to her (as it does to me as a reader) and she has no idea absolutely what they're facing, what's going on. She probably knows deep in her heart that her husband's dead, but she doesn't want to believe it, she's in total denial about it. (Not like the baby, which she can clearly see dead in her arms). Sometimes when a loved one dies (or maybe), the first thing you turn to is denial, trying to convince yourself that they're still there.
Mrs. Kamai sort of reminds me of the lady in the pianist, the one in the beginning who walks aroudn with a feathery-hat and asks about her husband everytime and tells the main character to write to her if he finds him.
Kamai not wanting to let go of her child, it reminds me of a story i heard. A lady in Bergen-belsen (a concentration camp) thrusted a thing into a liberation soldier, but the baby was all rotten and stinky. A mother will never let go of her child. I once heard from a person that it is most difficult to calm a mother when her young child dies. I think she doesn't want to believe the truth and can't believe that she survived and her child didn't. She probably would want to kill herself as well
Chaos broke out after the explosion take place in the area of Hiroshima. I can’t believe it’s this horrible when an atomic bomb explode. Even though I’ve learn about them but according to this. John Hersey gave me bigger picture of what really happened. Clothes they were originally wearing are all burned. Thousands of people died, and everything is burning. All in chaos which I could not imagine myself to be in and especially being surround by the crow of people crying out for help. To think of myself in a situation like this is very scary. Time is the most important thing that they need to be aware of. In these perspectives, two met each other and knew some of them. I like how the author brings the character to meet each other from different location. It shows lots of different pains and hard times.
Question:
Is there any connections between Night and Hiroshima?
What are the similarities or themes?
“Tugged here and there in the aid of the worse wounded, bewildered by the numbers, staggered by so much raw flesh, Dr. Sasaki lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man; he became an automaton, mechanically wiping, daubing, winding, wiping, daubing, winding.”
As a doctor in Hiroshima during the bombing, what has Dr. Sasaki experienced that differs from other people?
I think that Dr. Sasaki must have been extremely shocked and pained. As a doctor, it is his job to heal people. Seeing so many wounded to be treated, all those humans in pain, he must have wanted to help them. But as the quote said, he “lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man” and became an “automaton”. The only thing he could do was just try to stop people from bleeding to death. If he had been sympathetic and skillful, he wouldn’t be able to save that many people. This shows the aftereffects of the bomb on the people, and how it affected the doctors there.
Hersey showed the extent of the bomb made through the 6 characters. Hersey conveyed the damage not by listing it like the news do, he shows it through the 6 characters eyes. He writes that the 6 characters while walking saw many building collapsed with people entangled in the debris of the buildings, calling for help. Hersey also showed the affects of the bomb to the weather. Through Dr. Fujii he shows the injuries the citizens had.
I think this way of presenting the destruction the bomb made impacts the reader more.
Hershey's style of writing is quite unique. He tells the story both as a narrator and journalist. Even as he includes statistics about the explosion, he never takes the focus off the six characters, and as a result we are terrified by these six human stories. Although Hershey has a lot of statistics at hand, he uses them carefully. Hershey doesn't report them as how a media would report them; he uses them along with the six characters to show how the atomic bomb was such a horrifically efficient weapon. Not only did the initial blast topple buildings miles away, the fires itself lasted for days.
In chapter two, Hershey described the scene of the six characters, after the bomb fell. He was very descriptive about all the details of the events that were going on. The miasma from the bomb, and the darkness of the sky were all new to the survivors because never had there been such a bombing. They were all shocked because the siren for the "all clear" had sounded and then suddenly they were bombed. The bomb came noiselessly, because no one had heard airplanes went by.
“He was surprised to see glass all over the floor and fifty or sixty injured people.”
“Why did our house fall down?”
“He found his room in a state of weird and illogical confusion.”
Many of the characters in the book actually thought that they were the only ones hit by the bomb. All of the characters were mystified by the situation. Since they were the ones alive, they start to care about others more than themselves. Will the characters know what had happened? And would they face an even more dangerous situation if they start to care about others? Will it better if they only cared about themselves?
In chapter 2 the reader views the horrors of the atomic bomb from the 6 characters point of view. We also see the 6 character’s reaction when they see people suffering around them and their own survival needs. In this section all the main characters except for Rev. Tanimoto and Father Kleinsorge becomes selfish, caring their own injuries, planning how to escape, and worried about their own families. I found it shocking how people are trapped under burning buildings, yet no one wanted to help them. Some tried to get help to free their trapped relatives and had to watch them die in the flames. Is Hersey trying to tell the readers that under this horrible condition, humans have limited powers and their own survival needs?
The survivors continued to be terrified after the bomb’s attack and throughout the day everyone felt terror. People started to over think the situation by thinking the Americans dropped gas to poison them and when they hear planes overhead, they fear the Americans are returning to attack them again.
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My question: What would you do if you were under the condition? would you rescue the people around you who are suffering or think that humans have limited powers?
I like how Hersey write the story and how he describes it. In this chapter, Hersey show the damage of the atomic bomb but he describes it through the 6 characters eyes. For example, when Mr. Tanimoto went back to find his children and wife, he passes a lot of damaged buildings, and the author describes it with details. Hersey keeps focus on the 6 characters as in chapter one.
In this chapter, John Hersey continues to describe what each character is doing after the explosion. So far, it seems to me that John Hersey is using each chapter to tell us more about each character. However, I find it very confusing to catch up. Partly because the names are in Japanese and the other reason is because he jumps from one character to another, making it even more confusing. After reading a few times, I finally got it. :D In the first chapter, he portrays the peace before the explosion; in the second chapter, his descriptions become more horrifying because if is about after the explosion. “Clumps of smoke, near and far, had begun to push up through the general dust,” imagine yourself in this situation, with smoke everywhere and you can’t see things clearly. This chapter reflects more about what Ted Ling-Hu said during class time, “this novel seems realistic and unrealistic to me.” The main characters all survive, none of them die. Dr. Fujii is hurt, but his clinic has collapsed; four of his nurses died, and his only two patients died as well. Those people are just that lucky.
I think symbolism is playing a key role in this chapter. First off, the sewing machine. The way Mrs. Nakamura put it into cement was as if she was burying her only means of living. This chapter is the beginning of confusion and chaos for the Japanese. And i think the main fear now, for the Japanese, is that will they launch another attack? Or when will they live to.
For me, this novel has become more and more puzzling for me because there are so many main characters and also, their names are in Japanese.
I think what made the bomb so horrific and so devastating was the confusing of the people of Hiroshima during the atomic bomb. They had prepared for bombs and had air raid drills, but they weren't sure when exactly a bomb was going to come. They knew even less that they were going to be the first victims of the most destructive bomb in history. It was sad to see the victims bewildered and walking around the street confused. They weren't prepared for this big of a calamity. They didn't even know what hit them. The whole world probably already knew that the Americans dropped an atomic bomb, but the victims in Hiroshima didn't even know what hit them and caused so much damge to them.
I took a long time reading the second chapter, because the transition between the six characters is confusing and there are other characters that are related to this bombing in Hiroshima. Responding to Hannah's question, I believe that Night and Hiroshima had something in common, like desensitization. Father Kliensorge and the other priests decided not to take Fukai along with them, because he had gone crazy. Another example is when Father Kliensorge was “growing apathetic and dazed in the presence of the cumulative distress” and rejected the woman’s request for help. How can this Christian priest who is civilized and supposedly is obliged to serve others betray his own faith just to survive? I think Father Kliensorge is desensitized by the sudden horror of the bombing. Some people are not desensitized, like Mr. Tanimoto, because despite all the peril, he still ferried across the river to aid others.
I think this chapter really shows the terrifying experience of the characters. This sudden surprise attack resulted in many deaths and many injuries. The bomb brought out the abilities of each person. Dr. Sasaki, a doctor without a permit, was the key to life to many people that were injured and Mr. Tanimoto tried his best to save as many people as he can. It shows how each person has to depend on another to survive this destruction. One’s decision can decide another’s fate. As a result of the bomb, many people started to appreciate what they have.
CHUNI:
Chuni, I agree with you. After the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, many people didn’t care about their possessions or belongings anymore; they only cared about survival. For example, when the theological student lost his shoes, he said, “It’s funny, but things don’t matter anymore. Yesterday, my shoes were my most important possessions. Today, I don’t scare. One pair is enough.”(37) From here, we can tell that survival instincts tend to take over when everything is lost.
To your first question, I think that Mr. Fukai ran back into the fire was because he didn’t care about anything anymore. He lost all his possessions and he can’t walk either. Therefore, I think Fukai felt like there wasn’t a reason to continue living. Another possibility could be that he felt like there wasn’t any more hope of surviving, so he gave up his survival instincts and decided to face death.
What happened in chapter 2 is tragic, because many people survived the bomb but died after because there were too less people to take care of them. And how Mr. Fukai reacted when they were trying to save him was so sad. This chapter brings out what impact and effect the bomb had on the victims. The part where Father Kleinsorge finds out that his paper suitcase is totally unscratched fascinated me. So many lives were taken but a single suitcase made of paper was left untouched.
At first, this book disappointed me as I realized that the author did not intend to get scientific with this novel. I was looking forward to reading almost a documentary about how the bomb itself worked.
However, as I read on into chapter II, I realized that this book instead instilled in me something that was far more important and titanic than naked facts--the book focuses on the sufferers of the great atomic Experiment.
All the facts were in my head--the time, power, damage capacity of the bomb, yet, I never gave a thought to the people on the ground that were actually suffering. Death tolls which had merely been numbers imprinted on paper became an individual that was alive, and had feelings like you and me. It pained me that I could be so knowledgeful of the event and yet so ignorant. Chapter II opened my eyes.
Why do you think Mr. Fukai wanted to stay and die when he still had a chance of surviving if he escaped with the others?
"Mr. Fukai, a very short man of about fifty, turned around slowly, wuith a queer look, and said, 'Leave me here.'"
I think the fact that the bomb destroyed everything Mr. Fukai had has made him give up all his hope. With his physical loss (ex. his house, everything he owned in his house), his memories and all the hard work and time he put in to let him live such a life was torn away from him. There just wasn't a point to living anymore. It would be too much for an aged man like him to restart his life and redo everything he did to be able to life the comfortable life he used to live.
Isn't Mr. Tanimoto a Christian? But he seems to believe in en ghosts, when on page 37 he says, "Forgive me for taking this boat. I must use it for those who are still alive." Why is this?
Dawn,
I think Mr Tanimoto just feels a little creeped out to be taking a boat away from dead people. He doesn't necessarily believe in ghosts, but maybe he thinks he'll interfere with their "ghostly way" or their journey to heaven/hell. He's uncomfortable with the thought that he might be disturbing the dead. I think his excuse for taking the boat is more just words he uses to convince himself that it's ok to steal the boat. I doubt any of us would feel comfortable if we were in his situation either.
In this chapter, Hersey tells us how badly the bomb had impacted the city and the citizens of Hiroshima, through the eyes of the six main characters. As I read on, I can easily visualize the destruction the bomb had made. Because some people were worried about their own safety and survival, they did not stop to help those that are in need. They didn’t seem to care any longer. If I were in that situation, I probably wouldn’t have cared either.
I think this novel is very alike to the novel Night, the hopelessness and the atmosphere. While reading the chapter, the feeling of hopelessness comes out every time in that chapter. The part where the doctors were getting people out of the houses, all the feeling of nervousness, hopelessness, and fear.
But also there was a question while I was reading, my question is: on page 32, where Miss Sasaki’s left leg was cut off, and the man told her to get up by her own, but we all know that its impossible for her to get up by her own, but why did the man call her to get up by her own? I thought in that kind of condition you would help each other, but this man is not helping her, even though at last he called some people to help her. Why did John Hersey write this part? Also when Miss Sasaki was been carried by the people, who are been badly hurt, what does it symbolizes? Does it symbolize that even though you got hurt badly you still have to fight and stand up your own? What does it really mean?
Jenny: If I was under the condition where a bomb like this hit an area where I lived, then I would wait for things to settle and then come to the peoples aid. What these men and women did to help others saved many lives and one life is worth a lot to sustain.
In this Chapter I was really shocked about all the events happening and the struggle for survival. Survival was so important that some even drank river water to quench thirst. Even though all these discomforting scenes were running through my head, I was satiated by depictions of people helping others to safety. It reminded me that their were really kind people out their always willing to lend a hand.
Why had Mr. Fukai run back in the fire? Father Kleinsorge had so painstakingly dragged him out on his back and yet he wasted all that effort in suicide.
To say the truth, I was surprised when I read that there so so many survivors. What I have learned in the past (e.g. Discovery Channel) is that nuclear bombs can completely destroy (flat out) a city. I guess what happened in Hiroshima was different because it was one of the first nuclear bombs ever created. The good thing about this is that at least the bomb showed some mercy and didn't kill everyone.
In this chapter, Hersey explained what happened to every individual of the six remaining major survivors. Sometimes the story can get a little confusing (because of the constant changing of characters), but it is still very understandable.
Of the six main survivors, Hersey mainly talks about Mr. Tanimoto, or also known as Reverend Mr. Kiyoshi Tanimoto. After the explosion, Mr. Tanimoto immediately rushed back into the city trying to find his wife and child. Luckily, he found them evacuating the city and was relieved. Later, he began to help the people that are in need. In the end, he decided to stay and help in Asano Park to transport people from one side of the river to the other.
After reading this chapter, it's interesting how these people meet each other in the book.But I'm wondering, do the people actually met each other in real life,or is this part of Hersey's imagination?
In this chapter, I think Hersey expresses the characters’ loss of hope and everything that was important to them. On page 20, Mrs. Nakamura “noticed her sewing machine…obviously she could not carry it with her, so she unthinkingly plunged her symbol of livelihood into the cement tank of water. Nothing else was important to her except to keep herself and her children alive. And on page 36, the theolgical student said to the priests—“Yesterday, my shoes were the most important possessions. Today, I don’t care. One pair is enough.” Same with Father Cieslik—He started to bring his books along, but he knew that there was no time for books. It’s like things don’t matter any more, survival and safetly is more important.
Why was Mr. Fukai refusing help from Father Kleinsorge and the others? He kept on repeating—“ Leave me here!”, “I won’t leave!”, and “Let me stay!”. Why didn’t he want to escape when he has the chance? I think he’s is a bit crazy, just like what I said in the beginning—that they had lost everything, and nothing else was important. But the strange part is everyone else wanted to live, but he wanted to die. Why is this? On the same page, Father Kleinsorge said “We have lost all our possessions but not our sense of humor.” What was that supposed the mean?
Kathy:I thought everything was real in this book. It says on the back cover of the book, it was told through the memories of survivors...
Chunni:On page 40, why did Mrs. Kamai, the women who held on to her dead baby, still decide to keep the corpse? Did she not know that her husband is probably dead? Is she mad?
I think she's shocked what had just happened, and that she wants to find her husband even though she knows that he might be dead already. I guess she wants to forget the reality that her husband's dead.
I also thought that this book, is kind of like "Night", because many of them are starting to care about their own needsand not caring about others. The only ones who aren't in this condition are Reverend Tanimoto and Father Kleinsorge, who are still helping others. But I'm wondering will they become selfish like the
others, or will remain the same in caring for
others?
Liang: Why do you think Mr. Fukai wanted to stay and die when he still had a chance of surviving if he escaped with the others?
Mr. Fukai probably knew that he wasn't going to make it until the end of the war. He had seen so many lives been taken away when the bomb hit Hiroshima. He didn't want to continue to see people suffer. He wanted to end his life, his misery.
This chapter really gave me an impression of the amount of damage caused by the atomic bomb. The aftermath of it was worse than the impact. The explosion itself flattened buildings and burned many people seriously, but the fires and the water poisoning after that caused even more destruction and took more lives by keeping them trapped under the debris, left to die a slow death unless they could get out. It was saddening to see how a whole city could be thrown into such chaos and confusion after a single flash of light. They had to struggle just to survive, and not even well. However, I also felt that it was surreal and amazing the way some things were totally destroyed; but other things were kept intact and even prepared, in a way. The part that struck me the most was “He noticed a pumpkin roasted on the vine. He and Father Cieslik tasted it and it was good. They were surprised at their hunger, and they ate quite a bit. They got out several bags of rice and gathered up several other cooked pumpkins and dug up some potatoes that were nicely baked under the ground, then started back.” (40) It was as if by some amazing twist of fate that they had food actually cooked for them by the bomb, and that out of all the bad things the bomb had done, there was at least one good thing, however miniscule (though the good thing only served to feed those who were harmed by it in the first place). But I still have a question. “While fetching the cloth, Mrs. Nakamoto noticed her sewing machine; she went back in for it and dragged it out. Obviously she could not carry it with her, so she unthinkingly plunged her symbol of livelihood into the receptacle which for weeks had been her symbol of safety—the cement tank of water in front of her house.” (20) It seems so irrational? Why did she do this? Was there any meaning to this?
The coincidence involved in the Hiroshima bombing is quite frightening. Many of the people were just barely away from life or death. From injury and unscathed. Do you think that these few chosen do be alive were not by accident, but by the need for them, for example the doctor was unhurt and so were the priests.
The second chapter of Hiroshima describes in detail the aftermath of the atomic bomb and its effects on the city of Hiroshima. I thought that the author describes the scene very well: the way he describes all the houses that were knocked down and how they were almost all burning up is very vivid, and gives you a great mental picture of what went on in Hiroshima, and what the city was like after the bomb. He also describes the feelings of the characters very well in my opinion. He shows how many of them wondered what went on, and how no one knew that an atomic bomb had been dropped; they all thought that a bunch of bombs had been dropped instead of just one bomb. This shows the magnitude of the atomic bomb: it was so great that it seemed as if many bombs had been dropped simultaneously to create the amazing damage. He also describes the wounded very well. He tells of how they swarmed the hospital by the thousands, and how the only doctor had to treat all of them at once. This shows the amazingly large effect of the bomb on the population, not just buildings.
The atomic bomb did not just hurt its victims by killing them instantly with a noiseless white flash. It caused buildings to collapse and trapped many people within the debris. Many people, such as Mrs. Nakamura and Mr. Tanimoto, were separated from their family, although the two were lucky to have found their family members. Hersey makes readers picture the chaos that must have happened, with everyone staggering around, bleeding, looking for friends and help. The way Hersey writes makes reading much easier, because he lists the events one by one, without writing words with hidden meanings every other sentence, unlike many books we have read before.
I think this chapter was somewhat confusing, because it keeps going back and forth between the characters. My questions are why did Fukai run back towards the fire when everyone else was trying to run from it? And why didn't Mr. Tanimoto embrace his wife when he saw her?
Kimi: The man tried his best to rescue her, but he had no additional help. He probably did not want to risk his life trying to save a helpless case. Also, I'm not too sure he was the one who called the others to help. They other men might have stumbled across her as they were trying to escape the wreckage, or they might have been searching for others in need of their assistance. Hersey probably wrote about this because it really happened.
Question: "She (Mrs. Sasaki) was grateful until he brought two horribly wounded people- a woman with a whole breast sheared off and a man whose face was all raw from burn- to share the simple shed with her." (page 33)
Why isn't she grateful when she discovers she has to share her shelter with two other greatly injured people? Is she simply being jealous despite the unimaginable chaos surrounding her? Why? :O
Question: why was there silence, no screaming and shoutings of agony when the father was giving out water?
This chapter had really frightened me. The gruesome description had made a horrifying picture in my head. Like Diane, I was angered by the Americans demolishing their homes; they were innocent!"A woman with a whole breast sheared off and a man whose face was all raw from a burn" or "for most of the people lay still, with their eyes open." Don't you think this is pretty disgusting?
Also, the atomic bomb had turned everyone lifeless. For example, "Dr. Sasaki lost all sense of profession and stopped working as a skillful surgeon and a sympathetic man; he became an automaton, mechanically wiping, daubing, winding, wiping, daubing, winding" (26) and it was frightening when Mr. Tanimoto,"fearful for his family and church...ran toward them" (29) but when he finally met her, "he did not embrace his wife, he simply said 'Oh, you are safe'" (30). This really describes how the bomb had wiped away everyone's life psychologically. They became "mechanical" (26)
Question:
(1)How is Hiroshima similar to Night? Different?
(2)Why does the author use such precise language to describe a scene?
"In a city of two hundred and forty-five thousand, nearly a hundred thousand people had been killed or doomed at one blow; a hundred thousand more were hurt...Of a hundred and fifty doctors in the city, sixty five were already dead and most of the rest were wounded. Of the 1,780 nurses, 1,654 were dead or too badly hurt to work..."
Responses:
Chuni:
I AGREE. The bomb brought out everyone's selfishness, but it's supposed to be one of our natural instincts- to think for ourselves; survival. However, some people still show tremendous love for their relatives, like mother at the end of the chapter who asked Mr. Tanimoto where her husband was. Mr. Tanimoto also became very generous; he ferried people across the river, fed people, quenched people's thirst with the basin...etc.
Liang:
Although he had a chance of being alive, it would another burden. If Mr. Fukai was dead, it would be a gift to escape the misery caused by the bomb; if alive, then he'd had nothing anyways- that's what he thought. He didn't have to face the pain of his wounds, loss..etc if he died.
This chapter generally is describing the harsh condition and the unbelievable execution in in Hiroshima Brought from the atomic bomb. Comparing to "Night", both are describing the scene where large amount of people is suffering or dead, but this time, when I was reading Hiroshima it doesn't scare me as much. Does killing with "bombs" look better than killing with "guns"?
In this chapter, The author wrote explained how the characters reacted to the bomb and what they did after that. I liked how he is very descriptive and uses alot of detailed words to descripe the scenes.
Will Dr. Sasaki give up? It says that he is no longer a licensed doctor but only a sympathizing citizen. Dr. Sasaki is being overwhelmed by this burden of trying to save as many lives as he can. He is pretty much the only one that is unharmed. He is trying to save as many people as he can.
This chapter is quite scary. After the bombing, people still arent sure how the entire thing had happened. Somehow, all the victims ended up in the same place. It's scary how many people are wounded and dead from the explosion. It also seems like the water is contaminated and people are throwing up because of it. The descriptions by Hersey of the burned and injured victims paints an image in my mind. It is haunting. I couldn't imagine what it must be like in a completely destroyed Hiroshima. I'm especially amazed at Mr. Tanimoto, who felt the need to run towards the wreckage. He sees his wife, and is so relieved he doesn't even know what to say. He even says that, as a Christian, he felt the need to help them, and as a Japanese, he felt shamed that he was uninjured when everyone else was hurt. This chapter clearly shows the confusion of the people, who think that it might have been gasoline or molotov flower baskets.
Chuni
1. Mr Tanimoto ran back towards the blazing city for he was fearful for his family and his church. He wanted to find them as well as help people, being a reverend a devout Christian, he was compelled to help the suffering.
2. Mrs. Kasai wanted to keep her baby because she knew that her husband loved the baby and he wanted to see it again. She was out of her mind, believing her husband to be alive when more than half of the soldiers had been killed or seriously maimed.
As I read chapter two, I had to read it twice to understand the full meaning of the chapter. Panic ensued the dropping of the bomb, and in a blink of an eye, hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Others were disabled for life, and even more lost limbs or body parts. The gore of the aftermath of the bomb is horrifying. The bomb changed everyone, even the loving Tanimoto into a man that had no feelings when finding out that his family was perfectly safe. The cruelty and shock of the bomb is unimaginable.
I think it’s a little funny how these six people react. It must had been chaotic when people in only underwear running around and people dead or hurt everywhere. I think it is cool that these people sort of knew each other meet each other as the story goes on. It is like a puzzle to fill in and we get them piece by piece. I think this author’s precision with words and small detail really paint picture in the reader’s mind.
This chapter shows the how dangerous the people are in Hiroshima. This bomb was extremely surprised to the people in Hiroshima. the only place that they can hide is in the Asano park, Jesuits mission house.
Many people got injured, Mr. Tanimoto care more about his family, because he ran toward the city where people were running to the opposite way to the mission house. I was impressed what he did because in that dangerous situation, he can still rememberto safe his family.
This chapter showed us how the people of Japanese reacted to the atomic bomb. They hided from the heat of the explosion in the houses, and pray that they would be alright. They were so scared and hopeless that they stayed united.
“Just then, the kindergarten teacher pointed out to the priests Mr. Fukai, the secretary of the diocese, who was standing in the window on the second floor of the mission house, facing in the direction of the explosion, weeping.” (Hersey 27) I wonder why does Mr. Fukai weep while facing the explosion site. He did not try to go to a place of refuge like all the others. He also ran back to the fire after he got away from the soldiers. Has Mr. Fukai given up the will to live? He was not one of the heavily wounded and he did not suffer from flash burns. Did Mr. Fukai want to die because he was depressed over how badly the Americans bombed Hiroshima?
Mr. Fukai said, "Leave me here to die" (Page 27). Then on the next page, Mr. Fukai cried, "I can't walk...Leave me here!" Father Kleinsorge picked Mr. Fukai up pickaback, but Mr. Fukai refused to. Then Father Kleinsorge replies, "We have lost all our possessions but not our sense of humor." What is the significance of Father Kleinsorge's quote? Why would Mr. Fukai want to give up his life? Isn't survival very important, because everyone wants to survive?
KK: (2)Why does the author use such precise language to describe a scene?
"In a city of two hundred and forty-five thousand, nearly a hundred thousand people had been killed or doomed at one blow; a hundred thousand more were hurt...Of a hundred and fifty doctors in the city, sixty five were already dead and most of the rest were wounded. Of the 1,780 nurses, 1,654 were dead or too badly hurt to work..."
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The author uses such precision, because the story is written as a journal. The book was first published as a journal, then put as a novel. Precision creates suspense, which attracts attention. Also, precision makes every detail sound very important. This makes the event sound very detailed, serious, and important. Hersey must have taken a lot of time to write down every little detail about the bombing of Hiroshima. When Hersey adds in tiny details, it makes his readers trust him more. His readers would think that the author is knowledgable and trustworthy. This would attract more readers to read his story, because they can "gain" something out the book, which is more knowledge on what happened. Readers would think he's fake if he doesn't make his story precise.
This chapter was a but more boring towards the end, but I think the the beginning paragraphs were a bit more captivating.
I love how the author uses lots of details and interesting phrases, and some of the characters' humor still lingers in the air (or am I thinking of something else?).
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To Jasmine:
Apparently, Mr. Fukai is giving up already. Perhaps the terror of the bomb, leaving the the place desolated, has make Fukai hopeless, so he might be thinking that it is pointless to live on. It is true that survival is essential, but he probably doesn't think so, after the sight of all the destruction.
"Mr. Fukai, a very short man of about fifty, turned around slowly, with a queer look, and said, 'Leave me here.'" Pg 27
Shockingly, Mr. Fukai doesn’t want to be rescued. He is forcibly carried by the priests, but later on we learn that he runs back to the flames, never to be seen again. There are many possible reasons as to why he would do this, and one might be that the shock of being struck by such a bomb has caused him to lose his common sense and he has lost his will to live. The bomb had destroyed everything that he had cared about: his family, his property, his sanity…, and he couldn’t bear to live with te knowledge anymore.
Another possibility is that he loves his country, and wants to suffer alongside the others who have died for this country, showing his nationalism and pride. Japan’s government instilled a strong sense of self sacrifice for the country, and Mr. Fukai is just one of many who willingly sacrificed themselves to keep their pride even when facing defeat.
Shannon: That shows how she still has some residue of caring left in her-she hasn't been completely dehumanized. However, at the same time, she's unable to really figure out what's important. I mean, their house is falling apart, and she worries about her kids being cold...
In this chapter the author described the events after the explosion. He did this with very percise descriptions and in great detail. All the surviors are extremely lucky to survive, I really admire how some of them are able to care for others after they assure their own safty. They did not just care for themselves but for other's also. unlike in night where they were so dehumanized that they only care about their own survival the survivor of Hiroshima care for each other.
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