Benjamin Main

Hiroshima Expository Essay:

Has the creation of atomic power fabricated an inevitable ending for human life?
Within the constructs of science we expect only advancements of good within
our societies, the day the bomb was dropped Science became identified with
death and destruction. In John Herseys journalistic narrative, Hiroshima, we
experience the malign and destructive effects of what is the atomic bomb that
was detonated over the city of Hiroshima in 1945. Author John Hersey had a
diverse cultural background giving him a unique perspective into American
Japanese conflict. Throughout the novel Hersey explores the mental and physical
aftermath of certain individuals and the experiences bearing with them. With this
we are given certain ideas about power and ethnicity through selective word
choice and language conventions.
Americas dominance reins over that the people of Japan through the detonation
of the bomb. Catastrophic results lay there in front of us, through the suffering
people, the wiped out house, and broken morale.
1. Culture: Japanese stoicism
2. Japanese lady holds onto baby. (quotes) How language convention link in
with this idea.
Linking into thesis statement with power and domination. This perceived power
of the Americans is challenged when we see the destructive qualities or effects
of the bomb.
3. Mr. Tanimoto. Challenges this animalistic quality. Also this image of
Japanese as robots without compassion or humanity. (convention of
characteristation)
He stops to help others, talks about a guilty conscience, Juxtaposes the image of
him being Japanese with being Christian
4. The lady being crushed by books. American power and how it is portrayed
as destructive
(irony & Word choice)
1.
Topic: Americas dominant rein of that the people of Japan through the detonation
of the bomb.
We see Americas destructive power throughout the journalistic narrative, seeing
the dastardly effects on the Japanese people.
in the first moment of the atomic age, a human crushed by books the first
proper use of this new technology and it was used to dominate. Use of irony by
that of the old technology (book) being the closer cause of death than the actual
bomb. Human knowledge turning on themselves to destroy them.
The first part of advancing technologies to take human life to an end.

Benjamin Main
2.
Topic: Japanese challenging that of the animalistic stereotype quality that had
been brought upon them by many.
We see the Japanese attempting to help each other, showing compassion for
relatives as they struggled to survive and protect their family. Also showing
conscious/mental battle with themselves about their own beliefs.
as a christuan he was filled with compassions for those were trapped, and as a
Japanese he was overwhelmed of being unhurt through giving the character a
Christian religious belief, readers were able to relate to him and his values.
Characterisation challenged the Japanese being categorized as animalistic.
Juxtaposition allows for the contrast of the two beliefs he is challenging himself
upon.
This links back to the main point of culture affecting

Paragraph 1.

Paragraph 2.
John Herseys text also challenges perceived ideas about the Japanese ethnicity
and their animalistic qualities. Through the application of characterisation of a
certain person and the use of juxtaposition we are able to oppose these ideas. Mr
Tanimoto, a Japanese Christian has been characterised to oppose pre-conceived
ideas about the Japanese. Mr Tanimoto is put into a difficult conscious struggle
within the text.
As a Christian he was filled with compassion for those who were trapped, and as
a Japanese he was overwhelmed by the shame of being unhurt.
We can feel this emotional distraught and through this can see his human
personality. He attempts to help others and feel compassion for all those around
him. We no longer see the Japanese as animals but people in a dire struggle to
help family and friends in need.

Benjamin Main