Heart of a Samurai Foreignness and the Other Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Jolly, whose oar was directly behind Manjiro's, hissed at him. "Yer a heap of trouble, ye filthy, spying Chinaman. … Eating our lobscouse, drinkin' our water. Yer nothing' but an ignorant pagan. … We'll be setting you off on the first desert island we spy." (2.4.47)

Calling the American sailors "barbarians" isn't going to win the Japanese fishermen any racial tolerance awards, but how Jolly acts toward Manjiro seems really bad by comparison. He's aggressive with his hatred of Manjiro, plus he can't even get the difference between the Japanese and the Chinese. It's the worst form of "othering" that can happen to Manjiro.

Quote #8

"I feel it is important for me, as the leader of our group, to watch out for you. Now, listen to me. It is better for you to stay away, so that you don't become tainted by their ways. They are corrupting you. Already you walk with their swagger. You are forgetting your manners and addressing all of us as your equals. You neglect to bow. Just now—you did not acknowledge me. You don't even bow to the captain of this ship!" (2.5.35)

Uh-oh…. Sounds like Denzo already doesn't recognize Manjiro. Although don't you wonder why he can't cut Manjiro a little slack? Is it that Manjiro is really becoming foreign or is it that he's just so busy helping out on the ship that he forgets to bow to Denzo?

Quote #9

Jolly sneered. "Cap'n won't take you back to yer godforsaken country. Savages and beasts that they are, they'd boil us in big pots and skin us, too. They'd do the same to you. That's how you can tell they're no better than animals." Jolly shoved his face up close to Manjiro. "Ye won't be going home again," he said. (2.6.5)

What's funny about Jolly's words (if funny is even the right word) is how similar they are to the words the Japanese guys say about the American sailors. Foreigners: More alike than they seem, if only in their hatred for each other.