"They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei is a graphic memoir that recounts the author's experiences as a child during World War II, specifically focusing on the internment of Japanese Americans. The setting is primarily during the early 1940s in the United States, particularly in internment camps such as the Santa Anita Assembly Center in California.
One passage that reflects the setting is:
- "We were taken from our homes and put into horse stalls at the Santa Anita racetrack." (p. 22)
This quote illustrates the dehumanizing conditions that Japanese Americans faced when they were forcibly relocated and interned, highlighting the initial setting of the makeshift internment camps.
Another quote that emphasizes the context of the era is:
- "It was a time of fear and suspicion, a time when our own government turned against us." (p. 25)
This passage underscores the broader atmosphere of mistrust and prejudice that characterized the period during World War II, providing a stark view of the societal tensions that contributed to the internment experience.
These passages together capture both the physical and emotional landscape of the setting during this tumultuous time in American history.