All I Asking For.....dialogue

This weeks reading comes from the story All I Asking for is My Body, by Milton Murayama. The story takes place in Hawaii in the early to mid twentieth century, and is told by a young Japanese boy named Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi and his friends Nobuyuki and Mitsunobu become friends with an older boy named Makot, who is a resident of the Filipino camp on the island.

The three boys became fast friends with Makot, I think mainly because he spent money on them, and they were poor. Makot would take them to the movies, and buy them food and treats. I think Makot spent money on them because he wanted and needed friends, and nobody wanted to associate with him because of his parental situation. In a sense, he was buying friendship. Makot's father did not work, and his mother seemed to be a disrespected lady. I do feel sorry for Makot to be living in a situation like that. No child can pick their parents lifestyle, and when the child see's how disrespected his parents are by others, and knows there's nothing he can do about it, it makes for a lonely life. I think it's one of those unfair injustices of life, where there is nothing to be done but survive as best you can. Makot seems to accept this life, but when Kiyoshi tells him he's been forbidden to be his friend because of Makots parents, Makot shows his shame in his face. It's obvious this has happened to Makot before, because his reaction is to just say goodbye and then walk away.

I don't like the way Mikot treated his mother, by being physical with her and telling her to shut up, but I also believe that children are a direct product of their upbringing. Makot was throwing his anger and the injustice of his life on his mother, and projecting the blame towards her. Makot was clearly embarrassed by his mother, and didn't want her near his friend. Kiyoshi was puzzled by Makots disrespect towards his mother, thought he would never do that to his own mom, but he also thought that his mom would never act the way Makots mom did in the first place.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the book, I really liked this first section! Does Kiyoshi continue to be Makots friend behind his parents back? Does Makot try to run away from home? And I really like the dialect the story was written in. It breaks the rules of English, and that catches and holds my attention more than anything.