Who’s who?
Main characters in Snow Falling On Cedars by David GutersonHatsue is married to Kabuo Miyamoto and is the mother of three children.
She is the oldest daughter of Fujiko and Hisao Imada, who emigrated from Japan to the States. Hatsue learned in her childhood to take care of her four other sisters and to run for house duties. She was born in the States but raised by her traditional Japanese mother and introduced by Ms Shigemura to Japanese culture and mentality.
But during the court trial memories of Hatsue’s past come up. Her feelings are mixed: her teenage love Ishmael, her guilty conscience when she betrayed her family by going out with a white man and the right feeling she had when she chose Kabuo.
Ishmael Chambers is the local reporter of San Piedro. He owns the San Piedro Review, which he inherited from his father Arthur Chambers. Ishmael is supposed to document the whole trial process. During these three days during which the witnesses are called Ishmael is reminded of his teenage love Hatsue who is now married to Kabuo Miyamoto, the accused man.
Kabuo Miyamoto is a Japanese American citizen. He is married to Hatsue Imada and, they have three children. He earns his income as a fisherman although he dreams of managing his own strawberry farm. Kabuo also is the oldest son of the Miyamoto family. He has two sisters and two brothers.
When war between the States and Japan broke out, he went to the army to fight for America. This experience completely changed his life. Kabuo becomes, according to his wife, like one of the Tojo soldiers. Because he is not able to express his feelings and emotions. That is also one important reason why people think that he could have committed the murder. Because Kabuo does not show any reactions during the whole process. It seems like he would not have any fear to commit the crime.
List of other important characters
| Arthur Chambers, Ishmael's father | Llewellyn Fielding, judge |
| Helen Chambers, Ishmael's mother | Alvin Hooks, prosecutor |
| Fujiko Imada, Hatsue's mother | Art Moran, sheriff |
| Hisao Imada, Hatsue's father | Abel Martinson, deputy |
| Sumiko Imada, Hatsue's sister | Horace Whaley, coroner |
| Ms Shigemura, Hatsue's teacher | Dr. Sterling Whiteman, who does the blood tests |
| Carl Heine jun., victim | Nels Gudmundson, the counsel for the defence |
| Carl Heine sen., Carl Heine jn.'s father | Eleane Dokes, stenographer |
| Etta Heine, Carl Heine jn.'s mother | Sgt. VictorMaples, Kabuo's drill sergeant |
| Susan Marie Heine, Carl Heine’s wife | Josiah Gillianders, president of the gillnetters association |
| Kenji Miyamoto, Kabuo’s brother | Dale Middleton, fisherman |
| Zenichi Miyamoto, Kabuo’s father | Leonard George, fisherman |
| Ole Jurgenson, Etta Heine’s neighbour | Vance Cope, fisherman |
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