Blu's Hanging (1997)

Blu's Hanging is a 1997 coming-of-age novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka. It follows the Ogata family after the death of their mother, as each family member struggles to come to terms with their grief. The story is told through Ivah, a smart-mouthed thirteen-year-old who is left as the oldest child to take care of her younger siblings, Blu and Maisie, while she struggles with her own grief, emerging sexuality, and awareness of the world. Similar to Yamanaka's other works, Blu's Hanging, encompasses the topics of racial politics and the diverse culture of Hawaii, as well as the coming of age of the main character amongst various sexual threats and questions.

Following its publication, it was awarded the literature prize by the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS), which was later revoked on the grounds that her portrayals of certain minorities were racist.

Plot summary

Blu's Hanging is a novel which introduces the very distressed life of the Ogata family. Sisters Ivah, Blu, and Maisie struggle to deal with life and the issues that ensue as a result of the death of their mother, Eleanor. Their father, Poppy, struggles to parent them, barely making ends meet and not knowing how to care for his children after losing his wife. Ivah is left to fulfill the maternal role to her two younger siblings and is held to unrealistic expectations by her father.

Even though Eleanor has died, her presence among the family remains. This has both positive and negative effects on the family. The Ogata's struggle to move on, specifically Poppy, who cannot come to grips with her death. He constantly speaks of Eleanor, with frequent references to Moon River. He becomes hardened and cold to his children as he struggles to grieve. The children are also deeply affected by Eleanor's seemingly constant presence within the family. As they still look to her for guidance and support in dealing with their issues, they are able to rely on her when in pain yet battle with being able to move on.

Because of the fractured state their family is in, their wounded unit is easily torn apart by outer societal influences. Due to the lack of parenting, each child struggles to cope in unique ways. They are treated harshly by Poppy and are neglected of any true care or concern. As he is depressed himself, he turns to drugs bringing the family to a more desperate state, economically and emotionally. Certain events begin to unfold and proper judgment on behalf of the children is not used. They find themselves teetering with very dangerous situations to which Eleanor would've never approved of. As a result, Uncle Paulo, a neighbor of the family, rapes Blu, weakening the already fragile state of the Ogatas.

Poppy, left feeling beside himself, blames Ivah for her abandonment of her younger siblings as she attempted to cross her first stepping stone to independence (i.e. going away to school). As the children have no real support system, and they are constantly combated with troublesome circumstances including racial angst and violence, they are left to feel like orphans as their place in society seems to diminish even further.

Ultimately; Ivah, Blu and Maisie, who are still very attached to the presence of Eleanor, are able somewhat move on through the letting go of their dog, Ka-san. Poppy, still unable to cope with the loss of his wife, leaves as well. Although the children are conclusively alone, it seems as a small glimmer of hope in allowing them to reform as individuals

Characters

Major characters

Ivah Harriet Ogata

Ivah is the narrator and protagonist of Blu's Hanging – we see the novel entirely through her perspective. Ivah is the oldest of Bertram's three children and acts as a protector and caretaker of Blu and Maisie after their mother dies. Blu's Hanging acts as a coming of age narrative for Ivah, where she transforms into a maternal figure.

Bertram Ogata (Poppy)

"Poppy" is the narrator's father. He and his wife, Eleanor, have three children: Ivah, Blu, and Maisie. His wife dies just before the beginning of the novel, but he has not assumed the primary caretaker role of the family. He works several jobs, but his family lives in poverty. Poppy is sometimes rude and abrasive and Ivah often has to take care of him. He lives with leprosy like his wife did.

Presley Vernon Ogata (Blu)

The middle child, Blu has very few friends. At school, the kids make fun of him for his paper bag lunches. Blu is overweight for his age and he often eats gluttonously. He makes friends with a boy named Ed and he is infatuated with the Reyes sisters who live next door, but his sisters Ivah and Maisie are his best friends.

Maisie Tsuneko Ogata

The youngest of the Ogata children, Maisie is in Kindergarten. In Kindergarten, Maisie wets her pants daily and is eventually placed into Special Education, where Miss Ito helps her speak. Although she is a predominantly silent character, Maisie lends insight into the spirit of her mother.

Minor characters

Eleanor Ogata (Mama)

The mother of the Ogata children, Eleanor dies a few months before the novel begins, but she is mentioned frequently. We later find out that she died from the treatment she used for her leprosy. Ivah often reflects on her mother's absence.

Mr. Iwasaki

Mr. Iwasaki is an old Japanese man who lives on the way to the Friendly Market. He exposes himself to passers-by. He exposed himself to Ivah's mother and later to Blu as Blu and Maisie were walking by.

Uncle Paulo

The Reyes girls' uncle, Uncle Paulo is a 20-year-old Filipino male. He is a sexual predator who molests his under-aged nieces and eventually Blu.

Henrilyn Reyes

Henrilyn is one of the younger Reyes girls who live next door to the Ogatas.

Trixi Reyes

Trixi is one of the Younger Reyes girls who live next door to the Ogatas. She enjoys playing with the canary at home and she is afraid of her Uncle Paulo who threatens to rape her.

Blendaline Reyes

Blendaline, nicknamed "Blendie," is one of the Ogata's neighbors. She is Blu's first girlfriend and they are sexually intimate with each other.

Evangeline Reyes