Farewell
Basically, the study of history relies on both primary and secondary sources.
Both primary and secondary sources are valuable since they provide readers with
a very valuable information concerning the history and it is hardly possible
to estimate that either source is more valuable. Nevertheless, taking into consideration
the abilities and experience of a researcher or learner of history, it is possible
to distinguish primary sources as more valuable than secondary sources.
First of all, it should be said that primary sources are focused on the depiction
of events or historical facts that were witnessed by the author of the source.
Obviously, such historical evidences are very useful for learner because the
primary source helps to construct a vivid picture concerning the specific period
in history. For instance, it is possible to refer to “Farewell to Manzanar”
where the author depicts her personal experience of being a prisoner at the
Manzanar concentration camp in the USA during the government’s internment
of Japanese Americans during World War II. Due to the author’s witnesses
it is possible to learn in details the life of Japanese Americans in concentration
camps, uncover the violation of their civil rights and injustice of the official
policy of the US to Japanese Americans during World War II.
On the other hand, this source cannot be absolutely reliable because the author
provides her own, personal vision of her experience during World War II. What
is meant here is the fact that the major problem of primary sources, such as
“Farewell to Manzanar” is the high degree of subjectivity. It proves
beyond a doubt that authors of primary sources are affected by their environment.
For instance, they may sincerely support the dominant ideology, such as fascism,
and they will justify the policy conducted in terms of this ideology, though,
objectively speaking, such ideologies as fascism are characterized by the violation
of human rights and crimes against humanity. In such a situation, it is very
important for a learner or researcher to clearly distinguish the personal, subjective
view or opinion of the author of the primary source and the factual information
that is the most valuable in primary sources.
In this respect, secondary sources are quite different from primary sources.
For instance, “In the Strawberry Fields” is focused on the same
epoch and problem that “Farewell to Manzanar” but this work represents
the evaluation of historical events that took place in the past. It is important
to underline that authors of secondary sources provide learners and researchers
with processed information, which they have already analyzed and evaluated.
However, their interpretation is not always correct because the analyze history
in retrospection. Hence, their view of history may be affected by the contemporary
historical context, existing beliefs, stereotypes and biases. Consequently,
a learner cannot totally rely on secondary sources.
Thus, unlike primary sources, secondary sources provide learners with information
that has been interpreted and analyzed by the author and, therefore, it is more
difficult for a learner to make a definite conclusion concerning the extent
to which the information presented in the secondary source mirrors the actual
historical situation.
References:
In the Strawberry Field.
Wakatsuki, J. Farewell to Manzanar. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1972.
