“Lined up in a neat row, stood the remnants of some long-ago game of Monopoly.” A Marxist Reading of When the Emperor was Divine Anonymous 10th Grade

When the Emperor was Divine tells the story of a family of Japanese Americans living in California during World War II. During this time the United States Government forced the relocation and incarceration of those of Japanese descent into internment camps on the west coast. The United States was at war with Japan and anyone Japanese was considered a threat to the nation and a possible spy. Although this book mainly focuses on the struggles the family undergoes and the internment camp, there is also an underlying focus on the American Dream. The American Dream is inherently tied to capitalism. The American Dream is the belief that if you live in America, you can rise from nothing purely through hard work and determination because of the equality of opportunity present in America's capitalist society. Capitalism tells us that to be successful is to be wealthy and this is the main goal of the American Dream. However, Emperor dispels the belief that the American Dream is achievable for everyone by showing the discrimination and exploitation of the most vulnerable due to capitalism. By showing the lack of individualism and the physical and mental problems that the characters face due to their socioeconomic status When the Emperor...