Christine-Danielle Leon Guerrero
Professor Sanchez
FY-101-07
December 2, 2022
Resiliency Essay
If there was ever a person who could live a resilient life, it is Ben Blaz. The way he
soared through life, whole holding those characteristics to keep him going, was one of the
reasons he is such an important person for us today. When we think of the lives that were lived
during his time, we could only imagine the pain, suffering, and difficulties faced. However, Ben
Blaz gives us a perspective that only he could show us - a story that only he could tell. We see
this young boy who once was ready to explore what life had to offer, yet, life took a different
turn and he had to accept whatever had come if he wanted to survive. At such a young age, he
learned to become strong in times of difficulty and suffering, and with that, he is now an
inspiration for others.
Blaz carries many resilience characteristics, but to narrow it down, there are three
important ones worth highlighting. One of those characteristics is Seek First to Understand, than
to be Understood. In Part II, there was a moment where Ben remembered a time when he first
saw the Japanese entering the land with their horses. He saw them cruising in with their horses
and later realized that they were eating the stalks that they saved up. Blaz states:
“I began to start forward to say something when I caught
sight of my father out of the corner of my eye. He had
come around the side of the house and was watching,
but when he saw me make my move, he motioned me
to be still and to be silent. He was right. There was
nothing I could do about the horse or the man astride
Him. Even if he could understand me, he would not stop
the horse from what it was doing. The best I could hope
for would be to make trouble - for us, not the rider. I held
my tongue and watched until the rider, grown bored with
waiting for the horse to engorge itself on our crop, reined it
back and trotted from our garden without a nod, a salute, or
a thank you” (pg. 66).
This shows just how strong Ben can be,especially in a situation where he witnesses something
bad that also affects him and his family. For him to be able to hold his tongue when his father
told him to, shows two things. It shows, 1) his resilience in holding back especially because he
really wanted to do something about the horse and rider, and 2) his obedience to his father and
the effect of the way his father had raised him. He really sought to understand why his father told
him not to do anything, without trying to be understood at that point. Afterward, he understood
that what his father told him to do was the right thing. Another example of this would be when
Blaz and his family took Ohara in and tutored him. It was the time when Ohara asked Blaz’s
father why they were in the situation they were in, and why they were at war. Blaz states that:
“For any other Japanese soldier at the time, I would have blurted,
‘Because you brought it on yourselves,’ or something like that.
But with Ohara, my enemy was my friend. I could not bring myself
to say anything” (pgs. 106-107).
This also serves as an example of the characteristic, Seek First to Understand than to be
Understood, because of the thought Blaz had before wanting to blurt out to Ohara. He stopped
because he had seen Ohara as a friend and how he wasn’t like the other soldiers. Exactly like
how he states in the passage, he would have for sure said something that wouldn’t have been
good to say, if it were any other person with them in that moment - but he didn’t. That is why I
also included this passage under this characteristic.
Another resilience characteristic that Ben Blaz portrays is Be Proactive. It was in the later
stages of the occupation and Blaz had mentioned food shortage. Due to the attention given to
projects for the Japanese, the families’ farms were slowly dying. He also brings up the fact that,
since they’ve been in the camps, finding food was difficult and they were taken away from
opportunities of that kind. To provide evidence of this, he states:
“One day, I saw a lone coconut up in a tree. How it got missed,
I don't know, because we were forever on the lookout for food.
But seeing it, I did not hesitate. I shimmied up the tree for what
the family would consider a prize. Normally, this would be a
two-person operation, one to go up the tree, the second to gather
the coconut when it was dropped down. But I didn't have time to
get help for fear someone else would spot it. Nor could I snap it
off and let it drop lest somebody heard it hit and made off with it.
Instead, I twirled the nut so it came off in my hand. My intention
was to climb down with it” (pg. 82-83).
Because he didn’t wait for anything or anyone to help him get that coconut, and went and got it
himself, shows how he was proactive in that situation. He had mentioned it was a two-person
job, but he wasn’t going to wait for anyone to be his second person. He knew what he had to do,
and so he did it. Just like he said, “I did not hesitate.” He thought fast and went in with an
intention to get that coconut down. This shows resilience, because in that moment, he was strong
enough to put aside the fact that he might not have been able to follow through with his plan all
by himself. This passage could also be used as an evidence piece for another resilience
characteristic: Begin With the End in Mind. It resonates also with this characteristic because,
Blaz had mentioned that they constantly seek food due to the shortage and denial of food toward
him and his family. He thought right away of his family and had no hesitation to climb up that
tree all by himself to grab that coconut. He thought of the outcome where they all gather around
to eat it together.
One last characteristic Ben Blaz showcased was, Synergize. It was the time when his
family and Juan had reunited, but without the sight of Antonio. Juan had pushed the Marines to
help him look for his brother but they couldn’t because the area he wanted to search still had
Japanese resistance. Blaz and Juan had discussed over a couple of days their plan but it was
never followed through, until one night. It was described that Juan was done waiting and said he
was going to look for his brother. Blaz told him he would go with him because he promised to
help. It reads:
“On the fourth day, Juan sought me out. He was carrying a
canteen, a carbine, and a pack on his back. ‘I’m going to get
Antonio,” he said. I knew he had waited as long as he could.
He was tearing himself apart with waiting. I told him I would
go with him. I had promised” (pg. 156).
This shows a little snippet of the synergy that is slightly happening between these two so far.
Another example of this would be when they actually set sail on their journey to find Antonio
and they worked together to do so. In another text, it reads:
“‘You stay there, Ben,’ Juan said over his shoulder, ‘I’ll be the
one to do this.’ I couldn’t let him do it alone. There was nothing
more to do. I got up and picked up a sack and followed him.
Antonio would have to be carried home” (pg. 160).
Now this text describes synergy between the two because of how Ben Blaz didn’t leave Juan to
do everything by himself. He took the initiative to go on and help him, even though Juan told
him not to worry about it. It shows resilience in Blaz’s character because of the way he doesn’t
leave anyone behind nor does he let anyone do anything alone.
To conclude this essay, I would like to add that Ben Blaz is one of the many reasons that
future generations will be grateful for. Not only did he write a book based on the events that
occurred before, during, and after the war, but he lived through those times and survived. In
many ways, Blaz can be looked at as a hero, or simply just another individual who has lived
through dark times, but to me, he is truly a soldier. Not like a military soldier or anything like
that, but I see him as a soldier who soared through life with honor. He makes me realize the
value of life and how easy it is to take it for granted. I truly am grateful for the story Ben Blaz
shared, and I only hope more people could hear it as well. For having to grow up at such a young
age, and having lived the kind of life he did, Ben Blaz is a champion.