Born in November 1921, author Yoshiko Uchida certainly had an interesting life. During her senior year at U.C. Berkeley, Uchida was informed that she and her family -- as well as all of the Japanese Americans in the United States -- would be interned in prison under the strict orders of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt because of the publics' growing paranoia in the time following Pearl Harbor in WWII. Uchida and her family were forced live in inhumane conditions -- horse stables. This life experience clearly influenced her writing, particularly "Tears of Autumn."
"Tears of Autumn" takes place in Japan, the Pacific Ocean, and in California and tells the story of Hana Omiya, a girl from Japan. Hana wants to escape her village because of 1) the stranglehold her family has on her and 2) so she can fully experience life. Also, before she leaves, Hana is being pushed (and will eventually be forced) to marry a man whom she has no interest in. The story covers her time in the village, as well as her journey on boat to the United States in search of a new life.
"Tears of Autumn" is no doubt a culturally significant story. It was also a massive critical success and is used in English classes across the United States.
