Essay --

Surviving the drop of an atomic bomb and trying to live a normal life after such a tragic event, is the most difficult goal anyone can achieve. Hiroshima, by John Hershey takes us into the memories of six survivors that made it through the attack and how they managed to get their life back together. Forty years after the bombing many survivors were still haunted by the horrifying event, but as time went on they were willing to share their experiences and let the world know that they made were alive and survived. On August 6, 1945 the first atomic bomb to be dropped on a city destroyed Hiroshima, Japan and its people. Mr. Tanimoto, the pastor of the Hiroshima Methodist Church, was uninjured and with the help of Father Kleinsorge, a Jesuit priest, they managed to get people to safety at Asano Park a private estate on the outskirts of town. They consoled the wounded and also brought water for those who needed it from the river. Among those that were ill from the radiation of the bomb in Asano Park was Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura, a tailor’s widow, and her children. Miss Toshinki Sasaki, a young clerk, is suffering from a leg fracture and won’t be treated until weeks after the explosion. Dr. Masakazu Fuji, a physician, is unable to aid anyone else after the bombing due to his minor injuries when he fell into the river and was squeezed between two large timbers. On the other hand, Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, a young surgeon, remains the only uninjured doctor in the Red Cross Hospital and tend s to the wounded, unable to leave his spot and or get rest for months after the explosion. Weeks after the bombing Japan begin to rebuild its city, but a new terror strikes: radiation sickness. The victims of the radiation sickness, such as Mrs. Nakamura us... ...ever receive help from my people as well if I was ever in a situation similar to what happened to Hiroshima. In my opinion, I think that the book was intended for teens and adults because of the author’s great use of imagery and detail. Also I believe that to have a better understanding of why Hiroshima was bombed, we would need to have background knowledge of WWII and what Japan did to the United States to make us use the atomic bomb on their city. I think that the major theme in this book is the people of Hiroshima’s will to survive. This book shows how people react in a crisis and what they chose to do to rebuild their lives. It also demonstrates the human spirit and our will to live on even after we face so much death and disaster. Survival is a key that will help us get return to our normal lives, so that we will be able to achieve greater goals in the future.