Snow Falling on Cedars: Foil 1 key example

Kabuo, by contrast, appears from the outside to be measured and disciplined. He also struggles with his past, but he fights against the things that burden him through both quiet endurance and an unshakable sense of obligation. His restraint does not come from passivity. Instead, it’s the result of Japanese cultural values he learned as a child, and from the damage done to him during his experiences in the war. Kabuo faces the court’s judgment without complaint, even though it often seems as though speaking up would have helped to speed up the proceedings.

Ishmael discovers evidence that could clear Kabuo’s name but delays sharing it. This decision places his internal conflict and his personal weakness at the center of the narrative. Kabuo, by contrast, keeps his thoughts private but continues to act according to what he sees as the correct moral path. Unlike Ishmael, he shows little interest in either manipulating his image or gaining sympathy from the people around him. This might in other circumstances seem like a naive choice, but Guterson does not portray him as a foolish character. Rather, Kabuo’s clarity is the opposite of Ishmael’s doubt and uncertainty. Ishmael lives inside his thoughts and is filled with regret and longing. His uncertainty touches nearly every choice he makes and contributes to his inability to let go of the past. Kabuo, while by no means free from pain and uncertainty, rarely shows it or acts on it. His outwardly calm and firm sense of identity make Ishmael’s unease even more visible for the reader. The contrast between them emphasizes the story’s focus on the power of perception to change both one's memories and one’s present moment.