Spiritualism as an Outlet for Trauma
Akiko has experienced so much trauma in her life that it's a miracle she can still function. As Beccah recalls, she has often resented her mom for being emotionally unavailable during her childhood. Akiko found it impossible to be intimate and vulnerable after her time in the camp, having long ago abandoned her sense of personal identity and value. In order to cope with her trauma she often retreats into her spiritualist practices. They bring her peace and a sense of meaning. In fact she works as a psychic/medium at a local cafe, performing seances and trances for people. She finds comfort in her work, believing that all of her suffering has purchased for her a greater understanding and connection to the spirit world.
Abuse
Akiko's life has been one long train of abuse to which she never was given a choice. When she's just a child, she's sold into slavery to the Japanese by her older sister. She's too young to resist or even comprehend what's about to happen to her. Living in a Japanese military recreation camp, she is used as a prostitute for the duration of the war. Every day she services hundreds of filthy, vile men who infect her with diseases, rape her, and beat her. As the years go by, she gradually gives up. She claims that her spirit died in that camp and only her body lives on today. In order to escape Japan, she marries an American named Bradley. Broken in spirit, she refuses to talk to him most of the time. He uses her silence as an excuse to get whatever she wants from him. Eventually she wishes he was dead, and he does die. This long train of abuse has caused Akiko no end of trouble. Although she is a free woman in a safe place, she leads a solitary and painful life having kept her past a secret for so many years before her death.
Heritage
Beccah has grown up avidly listening to her mother talk about her native Korean culture. She's proud to be Asian American, often wishing she knew more about her heritage. When Akiko tells her daughter about her time during the war, she gives Beccah the final key to understanding her identity; Beccah is the product of her mother's time in the camp. She now understands how important these stories are, not just to her but to everyone. She's a part of something greater than herself. Keller does an excellent job portraying the significance of this moment shared between mother and daughter. While Akiko was powerless to help her situation, her daughter is now able to spread the truth and bring some semblance of justice to her. If nothing else, the two now better understand one another, and Beccah is given an opportunity to participate in her mother's legacy. All of this -- the good parts and the bad -- are a part of her heritage and of her identity.
