David Guterson's 1994 novel, Snow Falling on the Cedars, spans three days detailing the murder trial of the Japanese fisherman and family man- American Kabuo Miyamoto, all the while popping in and out of real time to discuss the events leading up to it. Perhaps one of the most exceptional features of the novel is its highly personal attention to each character; by recalling anecdotes from their pasts, Guterson offers implicit explanations for why these characters are the way they are and how they came to play their respective roles in the process. One such character, to whom Guterson pays particular attention, is Ishmael Chambers. The multiple facets of Ishmael's personality – including his occupation as a journalist, his veteran status, and his teenage romance with the defendant's wife – all contribute to a great deal of moral ambiguity. When ardent love and good ideals collide with resentment and prejudice, Ishmael's judgment is tested, but his final character arc clarifies an ultimate capacity for compassion and, moreover, the importance of such compassion in a world of injustice. plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The ambiguous nature of Ishmael's moral compass can first be seen in his childhood; while not an entirely bad person, he is undoubtedly naive, energetic, and sentimental to a fault. After first developing feelings for Hatsue at the age of fourteen, he begins an almost obsessive pursuit of her, deciding to "love her forever...of course she [feels] the same way" (100), despite the fact that she runs away after their kiss. This fantasy speaks to the degree of naivety and selfish forgetfulness that plagues Ishmael's character, but Guterson explains shortly after that the fourteen-year-old feels "troubled, even...worried that the kiss was wrong," thus establishing a more morally conscious side. in him. In later years, as both characters come of age, Ishmael continues to pine for her in a way that readers might find disturbing; it is also noted that he could be "labeled Peeping Tom" (104), which obviously doesn't help portray his moral compass. Even after Hatsue recovers, his advances are noticeably too forceful as he initiates sex and a marriage proposal and essentially a huge catharsis of his obsession all at once. And so, at the end of these adolescent flashbacks, Ishmael Chambers, in love, finds himself with an ambiguous reading. The strength of his love, some might argue, is beyond his control, thus making his actions permissible and even admirable. Others, however, might argue that he is immoral - or pitiful, at best - for surrendering his free will to an unhealthy infatuation. Entering his young adulthood after Hatsue's inevitable ending of their story, a change occurs in Ishmael. In powerful contrast to his overly sentimental past, he becomes cold and seemingly heartless, partly due to the war and partly due to the breakup. Despite his transformation, however, his moral compass hasn't improved at all. He simply exchanges his previous character flaws for new ones, exposing himself as a vindictive person prone to extremes and easily influenced by fatigue. This version of Ishmael becomes perhaps the most unlikely when, in seeking justification for hating Hatsue, he turns to prejudice. Immediately after his war injury, he remarks, “'that damned one..