Uploaded October 2013 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is a quick summary and analysis of Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. This channel discusses and reviews books, novels, and short stories through drawing...poorly. New Minute Book Reports are posted every week.
Facebook Page - facebook.com/pages/Minute-Book-Reports/1148331925195691
This is a story about a Japanese boy named Tomi who lives with his poor family in a humble home on the island of Oahu in the 1940's. His father is a fisherman, his mother is a maid for their landlord, the Wilson's, his sister, Kimi, is playful, and his grandfather is stubborn.
Despite being poor, Tomi enjoys life. He watches over his father's racing pigeons and plays baseball with his best friend, Billy, and his baseball team, the Rats. However, Tomi is constantly harassed by Keet, the landlord's son.
One day, as Tomi and Billy are practicing baseball, they see planes flying low and hear large explosions in the distance. The island is under attack from Japanese planes.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor and other areas, the situation for Tomi and his family becomes tense. Tomi is even ordered to kill his father's pigeons as they might have been used as messenger birds to help the Japanese.
When the government begins rounding up the local Japanese men and placing them in internment camps, Tomi's father is arrested and taken in, and Tomi's mother loses her job.
Despite the newly imposed curfew, Tomi swims to the internment camp and talks with his father briefly.
Tomi's grandfather expresses his shame for Japan's attack and presents Tomi with the family katana. However, Tomi's grandfather gets taken away.
As time passes, things begin getting better for Tomi and his family. Billy's father assists them and the Wilson's rehire Tomi's mother as a maid.
In the end, the family receives a letter from Tomi's father and they await his return.
Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of this book is the Hawaii culture that makes the backdrop of this story. The culture is a mixture of different ethnicities and peoples, foods and ways of life. So while the author's protagonist is Japanese, the story includes a cast that is very diverse, an aspect of young adult fiction that doesn't often get explored.
And from this diversity comes the racial tension that is prominent in the story. It's an important theme that creates the internal conflict for Tomi. Not only is there racial tension towards those of Japanese ancestry, but also amongst people of different geographical areas on the island.
Whether or not readers have experienced or understand the prejudice that Tomi and his family experience in the story, readers can empathize with the internal conflict experienced by Tomi's grandfather. The story establishes him as a traditional Japanese man, one who likes the old ways and is resistant to change.
But when Japan attacks Hawaii, the grandfather, rather than feel pride for Japan, feels shame and dishonor. This is a very complex emotion, to feel betrayed by a society that one is utterly loyal towards.
Through Minute Book Reports, hopefully you can get the plot and a few relevant discussion points in just a couple of minutes.
Music by WingoWinston from newgrounds.com.
This is a quick summary and analysis of Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. This channel discusses and reviews books, novels, and short stories through drawing...poorly. New Minute Book Reports are posted every week.
Facebook Page - facebook.com/pages/Minute-Book-Reports/1148331925195691
This is a story about a Japanese boy named Tomi who lives with his poor family in a humble home on the island of Oahu in the 1940's. His father is a fisherman, his mother is a maid for their landlord, the Wilson's, his sister, Kimi, is playful, and his grandfather is stubborn.
Despite being poor, Tomi enjoys life. He watches over his father's racing pigeons and plays baseball with his best friend, Billy, and his baseball team, the Rats. However, Tomi is constantly harassed by Keet, the landlord's son.
One day, as Tomi and Billy are practicing baseball, they see planes flying low and hear large explosions in the distance. The island is under attack from Japanese planes.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor and other areas, the situation for Tomi and his family becomes tense. Tomi is even ordered to kill his father's pigeons as they might have been used as messenger birds to help the Japanese.
When the government begins rounding up the local Japanese men and placing them in internment camps, Tomi's father is arrested and taken in, and Tomi's mother loses her job.
Despite the newly imposed curfew, Tomi swims to the internment camp and talks with his father briefly.
Tomi's grandfather expresses his shame for Japan's attack and presents Tomi with the family katana. However, Tomi's grandfather gets taken away.
As time passes, things begin getting better for Tomi and his family. Billy's father assists them and the Wilson's rehire Tomi's mother as a maid.
In the end, the family receives a letter from Tomi's father and they await his return.
Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of this book is the Hawaii culture that makes the backdrop of this story. The culture is a mixture of different ethnicities and peoples, foods and ways of life. So while the author's protagonist is Japanese, the story includes a cast that is very diverse, an aspect of young adult fiction that doesn't often get explored.
And from this diversity comes the racial tension that is prominent in the story. It's an important theme that creates the internal conflict for Tomi. Not only is there racial tension towards those of Japanese ancestry, but also amongst people of different geographical areas on the island.
Whether or not readers have experienced or understand the prejudice that Tomi and his family experience in the story, readers can empathize with the internal conflict experienced by Tomi's grandfather. The story establishes him as a traditional Japanese man, one who likes the old ways and is resistant to change.
But when Japan attacks Hawaii, the grandfather, rather than feel pride for Japan, feels shame and dishonor. This is a very complex emotion, to feel betrayed by a society that one is utterly loyal towards.
Through Minute Book Reports, hopefully you can get the plot and a few relevant discussion points in just a couple of minutes.
Music by WingoWinston from newgrounds.com.
