Snow Falling on Cedars
Summary
David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars, published in 1994, is a critically acclaimed novel that expertly weaves together themes of love, prejudice, and justice. Set on a fictional island in Washington state in the 1950s, the story revolves around a murder trial that unearths deep-seated racial tensions and painful memories of World War II. The novel's gripping narrative and atmospheric prose earned it the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 1995 and propelled it to bestseller status. In 1999, the book was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Scott Hicks and starring Ethan Hawke, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.
Plot
Set on the fictional San Piedro Island in Washington state in 1954, Snow Falling on Cedars centers around the murder trial of Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American accused of killing Carl Heine, a local fisherman. The story unfolds through a series of flashbacks, revealing the complex relationships and tensions within the island's community, particularly in the aftermath of World War II and the internment of Japanese Americans.
Ishmael Chambers, the local newspaper editor and a World War II veteran, covers the trial while grappling with his past love for Kabuo's wife, Hatsue. As the trial progresses, witnesses testify against Kabuo, citing racial prejudices and a land dispute between the Miyamoto and Heine families as possible motives for the murder. The prosecution builds its case, while the defense, led by the experienced Nels Gudmondsson, tries to counter the accusations.
As the trial nears its conclusion, Ishmael discovers crucial evidence that suggests Carl's death was an accident caused by a passing freighter's wake. Despite his conflicted feelings towards Hatsue, Ishmael comes forward with this information, leading to the dismissal of charges against Kabuo. The novel concludes with Ishmael finally letting go of his lingering feelings for Hatsue and finding a sense of closure.
Themes
• Prejudice and racism in post-war America
• Impact of World War II on Japanese-Americans
• Love and loss across cultural divides
• Justice and the legal system
• Memory and its influence on the present
• Nature's role in human affairs
• Conflict between duty and personal desires
Setting
Set in the 1950s, Snow Falling on Cedars unfolds against the backdrop of post-World War II America. The story takes place on the fictional San Piedro Island, located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just north of Puget Sound in Washington state. This isolated setting serves as a microcosm of the larger societal tensions and prejudices of the era, particularly those directed towards Japanese Americans in the aftermath of the war.
The island's landscape is vividly portrayed, with snow-covered cedars and strawberry fields playing significant roles in the narrative. The harsh winter weather, particularly the snowstorm that grips the island during the trial, acts as both a physical and metaphorical backdrop to the unfolding drama. The courthouse, where much of the present-day action occurs, becomes a focal point for the community's collective memories and unresolved conflicts.
Guterson's novel also explores other key locations that shape the characters' experiences. These include the internment camps where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during the war, specifically mentioning Manzanar in California. Additionally, the Pacific theater of World War II, including the Battle of Tarawa, serves as a crucial backdrop for understanding the characters' wartime experiences and the lasting impact of the conflict on their lives and relationships.
Characters
• Ishmael Chambers: Local newspaper editor and World War II veteran who lost an arm in battle. He harbors unresolved feelings for Hatsue from their teenage romance.
• Kabuo Miyamoto: Japanese-American fisherman on trial for murder. A decorated war veteran who faces prejudice due to his ancestry.
• Hatsue Imada Miyamoto: Kabuo's wife and Ishmael's former love interest. She struggles with her past relationships and cultural identity.
• Carl Heine Jr.: The murdered fisherman whose death is at the center of the trial. He had a complicated history with the Miyamoto family.
• Etta Heine: Carl's mother, who holds prejudices against Japanese-Americans and serves as a key witness in the trial.
• Nels Gudmondsson: Experienced defense attorney representing Kabuo in the murder trial.
• Art Moran: Town sheriff investigating Carl's death and presenting evidence at the trial.
• Alvin Hooks: Prosecutor in Kabuo's murder trial, seeking conviction based on circumstantial evidence.
• Horace Whaley: Town coroner who examines Carl's body and provides testimony during the trial.
• Ole Jurgensen: Elderly farmer who sold his strawberry field to Carl, a key piece of evidence in the trial.
Quick facts
• Author David Guterson wrote the novel over a 10-year period, waking up at 4:30 am to write before his teaching job.
• It was Guterson's first novel and became an unexpected bestseller, allowing him to quit teaching to write full-time.
• The fictional San Piedro Island is based on Bainbridge Island, where Guterson lived.
• A stage adaptation premiered in 2007 at Seattle's Book-It Repertory Theatre.
• The book has been challenged or banned in some U.S. school districts due to its sexual content.
• Guterson was inspired to write about the Japanese-American internment after learning his own high school classmates had been interned.
• The novel's structure, with its use of flashbacks, was influenced by William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!
• Guterson conducted extensive research on salmon fishing and cedar logging to accurately depict the story's setting.
About the author
David Guterson
David Guterson, born in 1956 in Seattle, Washington, is a renowned American author best known for his bestselling novel Snow Falling on Cedars. This work, which explores themes of love, prejudice, and justice against the backdrop of Japanese American internment during World War II, earned him the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1995 and has sold nearly four million copies worldwide.
Before his literary success, Guterson spent a decade teaching at Bainbridge High School while honing his craft as a writer. His diverse body of work includes six novels, two story collections, two works of nonfiction, and two books of poetry. Notable titles beyond Snow Falling on Cedars include East of the Mountains, Our Lady of the Forest, and The Final Case.
Guterson's writing is celebrated for its atmospheric intensity, narrative drive, and exploration of fundamental human themes such as love, death, meaning, and morality. His journalistic background is evident in his meticulous research and attention to detail, particularly in his portrayal of the Pacific Northwest landscape where he has lived his entire life.
A family man and community contributor, Guterson resides on Bainbridge Island with his wife Robin. They have five children and three grandchildren. In addition to his writing, he co-founded Field's End, an organization dedicated to supporting writers. Guterson's commitment to his craft and his region continues to shape his literary output, making him a significant voice in contemporary American literature.