The world we live in is violent, but Forgiveness: “A Gift From My Grandparents” by Mark Sakamoto is a reminder that things change. Through the result of colonial exploitation of Japanese Canadian and Canadian prisoners of war during World War II, this story helps Mitsue and Ralph shape the support of their cultural identity to develop the theme of forgiveness within the novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay During World War II, the Canadian government interned all Japanese Canadians, many of whom were Canadian citizens, and were evacuated 100 miles from the coast. Sakamoto talks about how politicians continue to call for the removal of the Japanese from the province of British Columbia. The author's maternal grandmother, Mitsu Sakamoto, was a young girl who lived in a community with other Japanese families in British Columbia. The arrival of Pearl Harbor gave politicians the opportunity they desired. The Japanese were given notice to abandon their homes, pack whatever goods they could fit into a wooden box, and head by train to the farmland of southern Alberta. There they spent the war working in the fields for meager wages. It was a racist policy, driven by economic racism. Tens of thousands of Japanese-Canadians were forced to carry identification cards and were eventually sent to internment camps on the prairies to await evacuation. Many injuries occurred during this hard work, Mitsue's mother-in-law was close to death and when he went to the doctor, he "didn't even touch her, he just wrote something in his prescription pad (...) and was out of door" (142). Another example where the author focuses on symbolism through the silence of bystanders, when Susanne, Mitsu Sakamoto's sister, has to leave school due to racial transfer. The teacher announces this to the class and Susanne says: “Why were they silent? Why didn't anyone say anything? Their silence left her with an uneasy sadness.” Canada is not an innocent bystander or a righteous benefactor, but is actively complicit in the oppression of its citizens. Even despite this injustice, Mitsue's parents maintained a strong heart, telling Mitsue “we have each other. They can't burn it." In that time of chaos, Canada was eager to prove itself, and so in 1941 the government sent 2,000 Canadian soldiers to Hong Kong. Ralph Mclean, the author's maternal grandfather, was captured in Hong Kong and spent five years living in brutal, near-death conditions as a prisoner of war in Japan. The author renders life in the prison camp in terrifying and disgusting detail, from the countless bed bugs to the dangerous latrine (Slip and fall and you're done). The food is unspeakable. “Eat what you can,” advises a fellow prisoner. Others are unsure when it comes to a more than usual unpleasant meal. “No one knew whether to eat it or leave it,” Sakamoto writes. After less than a year MacLean lost half his weight and has lost many of his friends. When the US Army arrives to save everyone, they drop care packages, his package contains the Bible, reads a quote, Mark 11:45 "And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your May the Father in heaven forgive you your sins.” This allows Ralph to forgive those who harmed him during the war and live as a proud Canadian. World War II took everything from both sides of the family by Sakamoto; he exposed everyone..