Snow Falling on Cedars

Snow falling on cedars

Alvin Hooks, although a minor character in the book “Snow Falling On Cedars”, played a big part in demonstrating the prejudice that many people felt towards Japanese Americans in the time of and after World War 2. In the following paragraphs I will discuss Alvin Hooks’ contributions to the story “Snow Falling On Cedars” through his clever, but immoral, courtroom maneuvers, his dramatization of Kabuos’ demeanor, culture, and even his outward appearance during the trial. I will also discuss his seemingly endless mission to bring about “justice” any way he can. Throughout the entire trial, Mr. Hooks made many statements that directly regarded the race and ethnicity of Kabuo.

Although there was some fairly legitimate evidence that sided with the prosecutor, Mr. Hooks intentionally tried to play on the prejudices of the people of San Piedro and more specifically the jurors. Throughout the trial he makes subtle comments about the ethnicity of the defendant and points out his cold outward appearance as he sat in the courtroom charged with murder. Mr. Hooks called both Horace Whaley and Etta Heine to the stand and asked them only questions that would reveal evidence that would point to Kabuo, in the form of Horace Whaley’s previous experience with wounds like the one found on Carl’s head and through Etta Heines’ obvious prejudice for the Japanese people and especially Kabuo. He also used the fact that Kabuo had originally lied to the Sheriff, in the statement that he gave for the sheriff’s report, to make him out to be untrustworthy and a liar. Mr. Hooks seemed to have no mercy when it came to his mission of trying to make Kabuo appear to be nothing but a cold hearted killer.

When Alvin Hooks called Sergeant Maples to the stand, his intentions were to discredit Kabuo and make him seem like a ruthless killer. At no time did the Sergeants testimony contain anything that could have even been considered to be legitimate evidence for the...