And The Soul Shall Dance Analysis

Words: 682
Pages: 3

The contrast between Hana and Emiko eludes to the primary theme of loneliness and misplacement within a new culture in the play “ And the Soul Shall Dance “ . Both families depicted in the play are immigrants that long for a sense of comfort and belonging , as they have been immersed into a culture starkly different than their own. However, both families deal with the inherent loneliness of being away from their culture in vastly different ways .
The difference between the two families is depicted by the way Hana reacts to Emiko in certain situations . Hana delivers an important dialogue after an evening at Emiko’s house, stating “ She can’t adjust to this life . She can’t get over the good times she had in Japan . Well, it’s
…show more content…
During a confrontation with Oka, Emiko delivers the dialogue “ I must keep the dream alive. The dream is all I live for , I am only in exile now. If I give in, all I’ve lived before will mean nothing. …. Will be for nothing. Nothing, if I let you me me believe this is all there is to my life , the dream would die. I would die.”(231). For Emiko, this “dream” is the only method she has to adapting and surviving within the new culture. Emiko’s melancholy attitude prevails virtually every scene she is in . As opposed to trying to detach herself from the memories she has of Japan, they consistently invade her mind, as she describes the memories she had in Japan as a “ feeling you’ll remember the rest of your life… will come back to you… haunt you… keep you alive”(235). Because of Oka’s abusive nature , Emiko has no individual that she can for a true sense of connection with . Because of this , she is forced to befriend the memories that haunt her. Emiko’s elusive nature is shown when she interacts with individuals, as Hana consistently states how she feels like Emiko is pushing her and her family away. It is also apparent that Oka receives no sense of comfort from Emiko as well, as he states “all I wanted was a little comfort…..” (230) during a confrontational dialogue. Oka is well aware that their marriage poses some difficult challenges , especially given the age