When the Emperor was Divine Characters

The woman—who, like the other main characters, is never named—begins the novel as an upper middle-class Japanese-American housewife living in California. She is quiet, confident, and graceful, and keeps her inner emotional life to herself… read analysis of The Woman

At the cusp of adolescence, the girl is inquisitive, friendly, and has a strong American identity: she wears Mary Jane shoes, listens to Dorothy Lamour, and loves American candy. Because she has internalized white… read analysis of The Girl

The woman’s younger child, the boy is seven when the novel starts. A dreamy child, he has a strong imagination and a deep connection to the natural world. Sensitive, intuitive, and compassionate, the boy… read analysis of The Boy

For most of the novel, the father only exists in the memories of the other family members and in the short, censored letters he writes from the detention camp (he was detained by the U.S… read analysis of The Man / The Father

The Japanese Emperor during the war. According to Japanese traditions, the Emperor was the divine embodiment of a god. The boy repeats his name over and over as an act of defiance against the prison… read analysis of Emperor Hirohito