Hazel begins spending time with Sogoji and invites him to hang out with her again. She says "I wasn't sure about my reasons for making the invitation - friendship or Knowing the Enemy? - but when he smiled, it seemed like the right thing to do." Why do you think Hazel invited Sogoji to come to the hill again, to be friends or to keep an eye on the 'enemy?' Explain your thinking. What did she mean when she said it "seemed like the right thing to do?"
Please write you response in RAD format. Check your spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization before you post.
I think that Hazel wanted to be friends and keep and eye on the ‘enemy.’ I think this because maybe she was trying to learn a little more about Sogoji as if he was the ‘enemy’ but really just wanted to learn about him as a person. She wanted to find out if Sogoji was an enemy or a friend. What she meant when she said it “seemed like the right thing to do” was after Sogoji smiled she learned that he wasn’t playing the role as the enemy, he was playing the role of the friend. That says that Sogoji doesn’t approve for his country’s doings and he was looking for someone to show (other than the Lanskis) that he was a true American. I think that Sogoji wants Hazel to be that person.
ReplyDeleteHi Q=) I really liked your opening sentence that Hazel, "really just wanted to learn about him as a person." I couldn't have said it better myself. I agree that by Sogoji's actions, it does appear that he wants to be a true American. But, I know that he also is showing his allegiance to his native culture. I say this when in chapter 14, page 136, he gets upset by Hazel's strong opinions regarding the kamikaze's suicide missions. I also found Hazel's blooming friendship with Sogoji such a contradiction to her actions at the beginning of the book. I like watching her character develop and change. Happy reading!
DeleteMara (Q's mom =)
Hi Q=) I really liked your opening sentence that Hazel, "really just wanted to learn about him as a person." I couldn't have said it better myself. I agree that by Sogoji's actions, it does appear that he wants to be a true American. But, I know that he also is showing his allegiance to his native culture. I say this when in chapter 14, page 136, he gets upset by Hazel's strong opinions regarding the kamikaze's suicide missions. I also found Hazel's blooming friendship with Sogoji such a contradiction to her actions at the beginning of the book. I like watching her character develop and change. Happy reading!
DeleteMara (Q's mom =)
Quincy, I think your thinking is great. It is true that Hazel wanted to know more about Sogoji, and also kind of be friends with him. Your response was very well supported by the book, and I agree that Sogoji is trying really hard to show and prove that he is an American. Also, you are right about Sogoji who is truly a friend.
DeleteI think that Hazel invited Sogoji to the hill again because maybe she wants to know him a little better.I also think that she is starting to understand that Sogoji is very sad and hurt inside, because his parents died. Hazel is also starting to understand that Sogoji is probably not a spy, just a lonely boy. The reason she thought it the right thing to do was because when Hazel saw that Sogoji was truly trying to help her and to be friends with her, Hazel knew that he was not an enemy. Sogoji is just a japanese boy who is trying to avoid internment camps, and he has nothing to do with the fact that his people bombed Pearl Harbor... other than that he is Japanese. Hazel knows that now.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
DeleteYour response was very thoughtful and I enjoyed reading your answer. I felt it in my heart that you are right, that Sogoji is, "just a lonely boy." I agree when you pointed out that he probably is very sad and hurt inside since he lost his parents. Your response makes me think that just because Sogoji is Japanese, doesn't mean that he hasn't suffered losses as well as Hazel, her community, and the rest of the country. I think Hazel realized that when she went into his house and saw the shrine to his parents, I think this connected her to him in her own personal losses. Thank you for making me think deeper.
Mara (Quincy's mom)
I think Hazel invited Sogoji to come to the hill again because she both wanted to be friends AND wanted to keep an eye on the 'enemy’. She is still not fully friends with Sogoji, and she still has her suspicions about him. When she said it "seemed like the right thing to do", I thought she meant that she both wanted to fulfill her “duty” (which was to keep an eye out for things) and get along with Sogoji.
ReplyDelete-Mateusz T.
Hi Mateo,
DeleteI am enjoying reading all of your (and your classmate's) responses, each one makes me think in a different way. For example, when you mentioned it "seemed like the right thing to do" as Hazel's way of doing her duty of keeping an eye out for things, was something I didn't think about. I think that her reasons are very complicated. Thank you for expanding my thinking.
Mara (Quincy's mom)
I think that she wants to spy on Sogoji and be her friend I think this because she really has no friends especially when Jed left and now she is super sad without Jed and she has no one to hang around with and have something to do and she seems really bored so she invites Sogoji to hang around with so she has... like a companion to share her thoughts,concerns,and secrets. Why I think that she `knowing the enemy` is because Jed made her a promise that is to watch the enemy and that means Sogoji and in my opinion she has a crush on Jed so when Jed told her to watch the enemy she would do it for him!!! That is why I think that she is friendship and knowing the enemy
ReplyDeleteHi Matthew,
DeleteLike I was saying to Mateo, your whole book club group has had a different idea of why Hazel is hanging out with Sogoji, and they are all great thoughts! Each one is different than how I interpreted it. I didn't think about Hazel really not having friends, especially after Jed left. I think you made a great point. I was also thinking she had a crush on Jed and that is why she started spending time with Sogoji. I think that's a very good reason, but now I think she is actually starting to really like Sogoji as a true friend. Great response Matthew.
Mara (Quincy's mom)
Matthew, even though I have the same answer as you, you explained it in a really easy-to-understand way. I also like the clarity of your response. It's in a really good format too! Keep up the awesome posting!
Delete-Mateo
@Mateo I agree that she doesn't fully trust Sogoji. I think that she doesn't trust sogoji still because he is a Japanese during world war two and so she can't really trust him as deeply as he could if maybe it wasn't the war. I also think that Sogoji is trying to earn Hazel's trust because of how he wants a guaranteed safety from internment camps. He also just wants a friend. I mean he is stuck playing a role of "the maid" and he wants someone (other then the Lanskis) to appreciate him.
ReplyDeleteQuincy, your reply to Mateo seems right on the money. Trust is a big issue while the US is at war with Japan when Hazel met Sogoji. Furthermore, I agree that Sogoji has to work extra hard gaining Hazel’s trust for safety (keep out of internment camps) as well as just having a friend. When you stated “stuck playing a role of the “the maid” ”, I had to chuckle as I pictured him wearing that sunbonnet.
DeleteI was also thinking about Sogoji and Hazel they have a unipue way of thinking one takes all the ideas(Hazel)and(Sogoji) does what ever Hazel says to do and that in my opinion is not a good friendship. For Example: Hazel wants to build her `tower` to watch for enemy planes and so Sogoji just builds it for her,so what I am saying is that Hazel is bossy!!!
ReplyDeleteMatthew, that is a great point! I never thought of that character trait for Hazel, but she does appear a tad bossy. Thanks for making me think even deeper about Hazel and Sogoji's friendship. Great thinking!
DeleteMara (Quincy's mom)