So, What Are You Saying? We Can Only Show Others Who We Are by What’s on The Outside? Doesn’t the Inside Matter Too?
Well, of course it does! Even more than the outside! But you see, we need to express how we feel on the inside to make it clear to everyone. Our actions truly show what we are like on the inside. Despite Keiko’s prior thought about Henry, he truly cared for her and her culture. So when Mr. Preston and his son, Chaz (a bully to Henry at school), come to talk to Henry and his father about buying buildings from under Japanese families, Henry, also the translator, is not about to let Mr. Preston and his father get away with it.
“Henry, can you tell your father that I’m trying to buy the vacant lot behind the Nichibi publishing company? If we can force the Japanese newspaper out of business, will he approve us to buy that land as well?”…
His father evidently knew this area well, answering, “That property is owned by the Shitame family but the head of the family was arrested week ago. Make an offer to the bank, and they will sell it out from under them.” The words came out slowly, presumably so Henry wouldn’t miss a thing in translation.
Henry was shocked at what he was hearing…He hesitated for a moment, then looked at Mr. Preston and in all seriousness said, “My father won’t approved of the sale. It was once a Japanese cemetery and it’s very bad luck to build there. That’s why the lot is empty.” Henry pictured a dive-bomber, augering toward its target, loaded with ordinance.” (88)
The conversation between the two (and a half) men kept on augering from there. But this shows that Henry, for the first time of many, was sticking up for what he believed to be right. It shows how courageous and brave he can be, while also being a little bit deceiving on both parts. I believe this clearly shows who Henry can really be.
