Snow Falling on Cedars Lesson Plan

Nels tells Kabuo that his fate will be determined by the expressions on his face, but the reality of the trial is far more complex. Why might the largely (entirely, perhaps) white jury misinterpret his stalwart silence for guilt? What does this say about the different cultural values between white people and the Japanese?

When Nels tells Kabuo that his fate will be determined by his face, he refers to the way people look into a person's face to gain a better sense of the person's character. "Character," in other words, can determine one's "fate," and the act of judging is essential. But when prejudice is involved, the judgment can be inaccurate or untrue. In Kabuo's...