In "Snow Falling on Cedars," write about the way Guterson presents the character of Kabuo in the novel.

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Write about the way Guterson presents the character of Kabuo in the novel.

        Kabuo Miyamoto is presented to have grown up in Amity Harbour and to have lived together with his family on the strawberry farm of Carl and Etta Heine, where he worked as a share cropper. He grew up in the Japanese way of life and learned Japanese traditions. Kabuo and Carl Heine Jr. grew up together. As children they had been friends and played together. But now Kabuo is accused of being the murderer of Carl Heine Jr. During his time in the internment camp in “Manzanar” he got to know Hatsue and they got married. He marries Hatsue because she is a beautiful girl that he had always admired, and while in the camps, she was the obvious choice for a wife. A Japanese-American accused of the premeditated, first-degree murder of Carl Heine. He was a childhood friend of Carl Heine. His family worked as sharecroppers on the Heine’s strawberry farm until there internment at the Manzanar camp. Kabuo is presented to be determined to get back the land that was taken from them while they were interned. He served in the United States Army in World War II to prove his loyalty to the U.S. He carries the guilt of having killed three people during the war. He is married to Hatsue and has three children. Guterson displays Kabuo throughout the novel to still have his religious faith, although his faith does not comfort him. This is surprising as many people would have lost their religious faith because no one seemed to be looking over him. This shows Kabuo is a sensitive character with very strong beliefs.

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        Throughout the novel Guterson uses flashbacks. These are very effective and this is where we learn not only how Kabuo came to be accused but of the relationships of the characters to one another and their history together. The technique allows the reader into the mind of the characters. This helps to build suspense and intrigue the audience of the novel.        

        Kabuo Miyamoto is described as a criminal from the beginning of the murder trial. This is done to give the reader gets the impression that he is guilty for murdering Carl Heine. “….his stillness suggested a disdain for the ...

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