Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson, is an emotional story about the life of a man who could not move on and a woman who could. The man, Ishmael, is hopelessly in love with the woman, Hatsue. Ishmael holds on to Hatsue even after he gains the knowledge that it is extremely improbable that he can ever be with her. Why can not they be together? It is racism and cultural differences which doom Ishmael and Hatsue's love.
             How can these two different people come together? Ishmael and Hatsue meet when they are children. They form the idea that they love each other through their limited knowledge and through their adolescent view of relationships. Hatsue and Ishmael share a very close friendship for many years, from the time of childhood to their teens when the two became extremely close. Their relationship doesn't beyond a pure friendship until one day Ishmael kisses Hatsue when they are fourteen. "I like you...I've always liked you,"(99) Ishmael says to Hatsue. However, in a time where inter racial marriages are considered heinous by both cultures, their love has already been determined futureless. Hatsue is aware of this much more earlier than Ishmael. The racial differences between them are the insurmountable barrier.
             For Ishmael, the love is real since the love comes from the pure friendship. After their first kiss, "He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass"(100). Ishmael looks forward to meeting her in the hollow cedar tree goes out of his way to see her, even if she does not see him. He thinks of her no matter what he is doing. He tells to himself that "it [their love] must go on forever." (100). It is
             because his cultural background encourages his romantic notion. He also believes that Hatsue feels the
             same. "He felt certain of this. He felt certain Hatsue felt the same way"(100). This is his view for their love. Fro...