Heart of a Samurai

Captain Whitfield occupies the mentor and father figure role in the novel. He is the most important secondary character and Manjiro’s first example of Western kindness, enabling Manjiro to develop a wide, accepting view of others. He stays consistently kind and wise throughout the novel, serving as a stable support for Manjiro. He represents the ideal of connection between cultures as he sees Manjiro as an equal from the start, eventually coming to love and protect him as his son even though he is from an unfamiliar culture.

Captain Whitfield’s appearance contrasts with his character. He is described as having a piercing, one-eyed gaze and being “tall, hairy-faced, with a nose like an albatross’s beak” (30). While his appearance is threatening, he is quickly demonstrated to be very caring. He takes diligent care of the Japanese fishermen. He occasionally speaks harshly, but his intentions are always good. After snapping at Manjiro, he says, “Ask all the questions you like whenever you like to whomever you like” (40), something Manjiro has never heard.

He proves to be a good leader, equally as adventurous as Manjiro. He returns to sea halfway through the novel to help his family financially, but Manjiro notes that “he loved the sea” (165), a feeling they share. Captain Whitfield is also characterized as able to make tough decisions to improve others’ lives. He marries his second wife to give Manjiro a mother; although it improves his life as well, he is primarily motivated by the needs of others. He is determined to protect and care for his new family. Thus, when William Henry dies, the loss ages him: “flecks of white shimmered in his hair, and his forehead was creased with lines” (232). His commitment to being a good father figure and protector of his crew and family makes this tragedy even more painful.

Jolly and Tom never interact, but they stand for discrimination and racism in the novel, serving as the primary antagonists. Jolly exerts his cruelty on the ocean while Tom torments Manjiro on land. Their racism and prejudice endanger Manjiro physically at points. Neither character views Manjiro as human at first, yet Manjiro consistently views them as human in return, proving his goodness of character through contrast.

Jolly’s appearance and name are at odds with his characterization. He has “coinlike curls” (93), almost characterizing him as childish or cherubic, and a name that implies he is happy, yet he is cruel and hostile towards Manjiro. Jolly develops throughout the novel, however; by his second reappearance, he has aged and matured both physically and emotionally. While he is not friendly to Manjiro, he is no longer antagonistic and even shows support for him when they vote to make him a harpooner after the mutiny.

Tom is younger, but his treatment of Manjiro is no less unkind. Although he never apologizes or makes up with Manjiro for his racism, Manjiro still chooses to view him sympathetically after realizing that Tom’s father is abusive to him. He extends a hand to Tom after he falls into a ditch, even though he does not have to. The novel does not clarify whether Tom accepts his gesture of kindness, however, leaving his ultimate character development unclear.

The fishermen, all friends of Manjiro’s but older, represent Japanese culture and tradition, albeit from the perspective of lower-class people. Although the fishermen have slightly different personalities, all of them are stubborn, reserved, and dutiful. They are foils to Manjiro; they represent what he must leave behind to grow. As a group, they are committed to returning home and rejecting Western culture, and they regularly take Manjiro to task for refusing to do the same.

The fishermen criticize the American sailors during their stay on the John Howland. They learn minimal English and do not enjoy the American lifestyle, constantly comparing it to Japan. They believe the American crew to be uncouth and violent and regularly expect torture or abuse at their hands. This behavior is contrasted with Manjiro, who adopts both lifestyles and criticizes his friends internally for not doing the same. The fishermen stand for the same inflexible mindset that many of the American crew have towards the Japanese fishermen. While maintaining their traditions is valuable, their refusal to engage with the Americans limits their growth. By the end of the novel, the surviving fishermen return home, but they do not achieve the reputation Manjiro does, in part because of their refusal to change.