A social injustice, as understood in our society, is any action against an individual or group, which would deny them of their basic human rights. At the turn of the century, many immigrants fled their country as a consequence of government oppression, religious persecution, famine and poverty. A substantial number of immigrants believed they could live in a prosperous world, free of intolerance and discrimination in North America. Sadly, in Joy Kogawa's Obasan and E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime , this dream is not true." The scum of creation has been
            
             dumped on us. The most dangerous and corrupting hordes of the world have
            
             invaded us. The vice and crime which have planted in our midst are sickening and
            
             terrifying" ( This Fabulous Century, 1975, 72 ) . The speaker, Thomas Watson, is
            
             implying that the United States is suspicious about these new arrivals and does not
            
             welcome them with open arms through the " golden door of opportunity. " Similar
            
             feelings in Canada were directed towards the Japanese Canadians when World War
            
             II started. In other words, both countries felt that the segregated ethnic cultures were
            
             a threat to their socities. In Joy Kogawa's Obasan and E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime
            
             both authors illustrate the dark side of the " North American Dream " because
            
             segregated ethnic cultures had to endure humiliation, denial of their rights and lack
            
             squalid living conditions.
            
            
             In both novels, Obasan's family and different characters in Ragtime had
            
             many of their rights taken away. Prior to the out break of World War II, many
            
             Japanese Canadians were living comfortably in Vancouver. As soon as the war broke
             out, this immediately changed. The Canadian Government passed a bill called the
            
             War Measures Act against all Japanese Canadians, even the Issei and their children
            
             ( Nisei) who came from Japan before 1942. The bill withheld m...