Heart of a Samurai is a 2010 young adult historical novel by American author Margi Preus. The novel is closely based on the true story of Manjiro Nakahama (1827–1898) and is illustrated by his drawings, with jacket illustration by Jillian Tamaki. Heart of a Samurai has received numerous awards and honors, including being named as a Newbery Medal Honor Book in 2011.
Plot
Heart of a Samurai is based on the real story of a Japanese boy, who is believed to have been one of the first Japanese people to land in America. In 1841, Manjiro Nakahama, a young fisherman at the age of fourteen, lived in a remote, poor fishing village in Japan. He dreamed of being a Samurai, a royal title bequeathed solely by inheritance. The fishing ship he worked on encountered a storm and ended up drifting out to the sea until it landed on an island which he and the crew named "Bird Island".
After months staying on the island, Manjiro and his crew were rescued by Captain Whitfield, aboard the John Howland, an America whaleship. Manjiro caught whales and quickly gained Captain Whitfield's admiration. By the time they reached Hawaii, the duo had developed a special relationship. Captain Whitfield wanted to adopt Manjiro and go back to America with him. In spite of the Japanese empire having portrayed foreigners as evil and barbarians, Manjiro was determined to see a new world through his adventure by stepping out of his comfort zone and leaving his crew members behind. Upon landing in America, Manjiro found the majority of Americans he encountered had shown kindness toward him, however, some others discriminated against him as a foreigner. He worked hard at school and took care of his new family while Captain Whitfield was at sea.
Finally, after a few years a chance to go home appeared, he quickly jumped on it. On his return to Japan, he was imprisoned for being a “spy” of a foreign country. Japan had isolated itself from the world for more than two hundred years by then. As the Japanese dynasty changed, the new emperor admired Manjiro's knowledge of the world and of the English language and made him become the teacher for his children. Eventually, Manjiro taught English, Maths, sea navigation, and shipbuilding; he wrote and translated English books into Japanese. Gradually, he initiated the whaling industry to Japan and became an interpreter of the first Japanese Embassy. Manjiro's influence on the political powers eventually led to the end of Japan's isolationism in 1854. Manjiro, in a rare honor, was awarded the title of Samurai, despite having been born a fisherman.
Characters
Manjiro aka John Howland-- Manjiro is a humble and innocent character. His curiosity and open mindedness brought him to a ten years' adventure in America. His eagerness to learn and forward thinking led him to successfully claim his unlikely dream of being a Samurai. Denzo, Goemon, Jusuke, and Toraemon – Manjiro's crew members of the shipwrecked Japanese fishing ship. Captain Whitfield-- Captain Whitfield is in charge of the John Howland, a whaleship. He is a pious, religious person.He provided the best possible aids for Manjiro to attain education and later learn a trade to be independent financially. Jolly--Jolly was a harpooner (boatsteerer) of John Howland before Captain Whitfield dismissed him due to his dishonesty. He discriminated against Manjiro and abused him verbally and physically. Tom--Tom is Manjiro's classmate in the Bedford School of Navigation. He bullied Manjiro from the first day of school. Tom portrays Manjiro as a spy and warns other students that being friends with him is anti-American. Job--Job is Manjiro's friend after he realized that Tom was being really rude to Manjiro, and has a lot of fun. Terry--Terry is a great friend of Manjiro, goes anywhere with him, and helps Manjiro name his horse.
Critical reception
Heart of a Samurai received many compliments and awards. As Daniel Kraus wrote, "It’s a classic fish-out-of-water story (although this fish goes into the water repeatedly), and it’s precisely this classic structure that gives the novel the sturdy bones of a timeless tale." Roger Sutton had said, in The Horn Book Magazine that “the facts of Manjiro's life are inherently dramatic (later episodes include a stop at the Gold Rush, a mutiny, and a return to Japan), but Preus keeps her hero human-sized and empathetic, allowing readers to see and learn along with him the ways of a strange new world." Michael Cart, the author of Young Adult Literature: From Romance to Realism, asserts that it is “a more mature, sophisticated, and artful historical fiction, one that is honest about the realities of history for older YAs”.