The Buddha in the Attic

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The Buddha in the Attic follows the stories of Japanese immigrants (mainly women) to America from the turn of the 20th century until the start of World War II. What is the history of Japanese immigration? How did Japanese immigrants create new communities in America, and what barriers did they face as they established cross-cultural identities?

Teaching Suggestion: You might consider defining the terms issei, nisei, and sansei, as they are essential vocabulary to understanding the ways that Japanese Americans consider the relationships between generations. Additionally, it may be helpful to introduce the themes of The Unique Place of Japanese Women in Racist America and Second-Class Citizenship and Family Dynamics while discussing these questions.

• “A Community Grows, Despite Racism” from Densho, a nonprofit organization that documents oral histories of Japanese Americans, summarizes the history of Japanese immigration to the United States.
• “Looking Like the Enemy,” also from Densho, follows the above resource and explores the xenophobia and wartime panic that led to the systematic incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

2. Julie Otsuka’s writing is inspired by both her own family’s experiences as Japanese Americans and her prior artistic exploration as a painter. List 3-5 writers whose family history or background experiences influenced their storytelling. In what ways does history and memory inform each writer’s artistic expression and their journey to becoming a writer?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be helpful to share the unit themes with students prior to exploring the above questions. Once readers have a chance to connect this topic to writers they have experienced in the past, they can address these questions regarding Julie Otsuka, using the articles below and similar resources if needed: How does Otsuka examine the role of one’s family history in one’s own formation of identity? How do history and memory inform Otsuka’s artistic expression and her journey to becoming a writer?

• In “Julie Otsuka on Writing From and Into Memories” from Literary Hub, Otsuka writes about the experience of sorting through her parents’ belongings after their deaths and the potential inspiration contained in keepsakes and memories.
• In “Julie Otsuka on Discovering Her True Art Form,” an interview with Michael Shapiro, Otsuka describes her journey to becoming a writer, having first attempted a career as a painter. She discusses the similarities between painting and writing and how writing is her true calling.

Short Activity

Watch the 15-minute TED Talk by George Takei about his own experience in internment camps in the 1940s. You may want to take notes about the following topics for the class discussion that will follow the video.

• How did Takei’s memories of internment influence his life as he grew up?
• In what ways did Takei’s family’s experience (like that of his father) impact his own understanding of the system of Japanese American internment?
• How did this experience shape Takei’s identity as an American, and how has it influenced his perception of patriotism?

Teaching Suggestion: It will be helpful for students to preview the discussion questions prior to viewing the TED Talk; a guided note template to record their thoughts as they watch would be beneficial as well. Additionally, students might appreciate brief pauses during viewing to record their thoughts and ask clarifying questions.

• Takei’s TED Talk, “Why I Love a Country That Once Betrayed Me,” reflects on his and his family’s experience being interned during World War II. 

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Why do you think the theme of home is a popular theme among writers and other artists? What different ways have you experienced this theme across age groups and genres? What makes a work involving the theme of home effective for audiences?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might journal about the above questions independently before engaging in a small-group or full-class discussion in which students share their thoughts. As a follow-up, students might use their thoughts to anticipate aspects of the novel through a list of predictions in their notes or reading journal.