"Seventeen Syllables" is a short story by Hisaye Yamamoto, first published in 1949. The story is set in the context of the Japanese-American internment during World War II and explores the relationship between a Japanese-American mother and her American-born daughter.
The story is structured around the traditional Japanese poetic form of haiku, which consists of three lines and seventeen syllables. Each of the story's three sections begins with a haiku that captures the essence of the events that follow.
In the first section, the mother, Mrs. Hayashi, is revealed to be a talented haiku writer who is struggling to come to terms with her identity as a Japanese-American. In the second section, her daughter, Rosie, falls in love with a young man who is not Japanese-American, causing tension between the two generations. In the final section, Mrs. Hayashi's haiku about a falling leaf serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the changing relationship between mother and daughter.
"Seventeen Syllables" is a powerful and poignant exploration of the complexities of identity, assimilation, and cultural heritage. Yamamoto's prose is spare and understated, but carries a weight of emotion that resonates long after the story has ended. The story is notable for its nuanced and sensitive portrayal of the Japanese-American experience during a dark chapter of American history, as well as its timeless exploration of the relationship between mothers and daughters.
0