Essay #4 Rough Draft

Topic: Should Toshio and Kiyoshi be responsible for their family's debt

Toshio and Kiyoshi, both of Japanese decent come from a family that upholds their cultural values to the fullest. From their living environment on a plantation, the foods they eat, to the son values that one most uphold are from their culture. Due to Kiyoshi and Toshio’s grandparents and parents debt, they are expected to pay off this debt due to traditional values. I do not believe that anyone, including blood relatives should be responsible for paying for others debt. The person who made the debt is therefore responsible for this debt, regardless of culture values.

Toshio, unlike Kiyoshi has a more modernized view of his environment and culture. He respects his parents as the other men from his culture but does not agree with the rules of being a good son. He does not believe that in order to be a good son, he is entitled to pay his parents debt. Again, the emphasis is on his parents debt, not his own.

Fortunately, through luck and skill Kiyoshi was able to give his family the money to pay back their debt. He lived up to his family’s relentless culture value and joined the military, in hopes to earn back the money for his family. Kiyoshi is known as a filial, a good son who follows and lives by his parents values. Although Kiyoshi in no way should be responsible to pay his parents debt, but did not want to go against his tradition.