--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would be autumn, and our fathers would…" description: "\"“It would be autumn, and our fathers would be out threshing in the fields. We would walk through the mulberry groves, past the big loquat tree and the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/julie-otsuka-13846_autumn_it-would-be-autumn-and-our-fathers-would_1091289.jpg" --- # It would be autumn, and our fathers would be out threshing… ![“It would be autumn, and our fathers would be out threshing in the fields. We would walk through the mulberry groves, past the big loquat tree and the old lotus pond, where we used to catch tadpoles in the spring. Our dogs would come running up to us. Our neighbours would wave. Our mothers would be…” quote by Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/julie-otsuka-13846_autumn_it-would-be-autumn-and-our-fathers-would_1091289.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/julie-otsuka-13846_autumn_it-would-be-autumn-and-our-fathers-would_1091289.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80c/julie-otsuka-13846_autumn_it-would-be-autumn-and-our-fathers-would_1091289.jpg) > ““It would be autumn, and our fathers would be out threshing in the fields. We would walk through the mulberry groves, past the big loquat tree and the old lotus pond, where we used to catch tadpoles in the spring. Our dogs would come running up to us. Our neighbours would wave. Our mothers would be sitting by the well with their sleeves tied up, washing the evening's rice. And when they saw us they would just stand up and stare. "Little girl," they would say to us, "where in the world have you been?”” [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child recalls nostalgic rural scenes, contrasting past simplicity with present dislocation, highlighting memory and cultural change. **In simple terms:** Remembering childhood scenes that feel far away now. Key Takeaway Cherish and share your roots. Themes memory nostalgia identity migration family Mood reflective melancholy Type narrative evocative When to use this quote - family gatherings - immigrant reflections - teaching history - preserving language Key Concepts cultural memory place attachment generational gap Questions to Reflect On - How do these memories shape your sense of belonging? - What parts of the past are you missing? A Different Perspective The recollection may idealize the past, overlooking hardships of that era. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autumn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autumn/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Little girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-girl/) [Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mothers/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ## Related quotes > [“Once on yellow sheet of paper with green lines, he wrote a poem and he called it “Spot” because that was the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-reum/once-on-yellow-sheet-of-paper-with-green-lines-he-wrote-a-poem-and-he/) Earl Reum > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [“Autumn eats its leaf out of my hand: we are friends. From the nuts we shell time and we teach it to walk: then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/autumn-eats-its-leaf-out-of-my-hand-we-are-friends-from-the-nuts-we/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) > [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) > [The lush green of the fields became a rich gold that swayed sturdily under the wind and fell at last before the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/the-lush-green-of-the-fields-became-a-rich-gold-that-swayed-sturdily/) [Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/) > [“Easter blessings All life’s sacrifices like autumn leaves awaken our senses and power to love and be whole Our Mother Earth, Our Father Sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/easter-blessings-all-life-s-sacrifices-like-autumn-leaves-awaken-our/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-found-himself-wondering-at-times-especially-in-the-autumn-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-crickets-felt-it-was-their-duty-to-warn-everybody-that-summertime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [The measured blood beats out the year's delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/the-measured-blood-beats-out-the-year-s-delay/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [The trees change their voices in autumn as well as their shapes. No longer do they whisper to one another in muffled tones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-strong/the-trees-change-their-voices-in-autumn-as-well-as-their-shapes-no/) [Patience Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-strong/) > [“FALL I've never liked orange not even a hint of yellow though that doesn't mean I'm derange, you know. but it's still a riddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kynna-claire/fall-i-ve-never-liked-orange-not-even-a-hint-of-yellow-though-that/) Kynna Claire > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [The American spring is by no means so agreeable as the American autumn; both move with faltering step, and slow; but this lingering pace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-trollope/the-american-spring-is-by-no-means-so-agreeable-as-the-american/) [Frances Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-trollope/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) ## More by Julie Otsuka > [“In early autumn the farm recruiters arrived to sign up new workers, and the War Relocation Authority allowed many of the young men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/in-early-autumn-the-farm-recruiters-arrived-to-sign-up-new-workers/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [And if anyone asks, you're Chinese. The boy had nodded. "Chinese," he whispered. "I'm Chinese." "And I," said the girl, "am the Queen of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/and-if-anyone-asks-you-re-chinese-the-boy-had-nodded-chinese-he/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“We praised them when they were kind to others but told them not to expect to be rewarded for their good deeds. We scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/we-praised-them-when-they-were-kind-to-others-but-told-them-not-to/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“SOME SAID that the men had been put on trains and sent far away, over the mountains, to the coldest part of the country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/some-said-that-the-men-had-been-put-on-trains-and-sent-far-away-over/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“They learned that some people are born luckier than others and that things in this world do not always go as you plan. STILL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/they-learned-that-some-people-are-born-luckier-than-others-and-that/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“Don't touch me," said the girl. "I want to be sick by myself." "That's impossible," said her mother. She continued to rub her back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/don-t-touch-me-said-the-girl-i-want-to-be-sick-by-myself-that-s/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“A Japanese can live on a teaspoonful of rice a day. We were the best breed of worker they had ever hired in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/a-japanese-can-live-on-a-teaspoonful-of-rice-a-day-we-were-the-best/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“They learned that they should always call the restaurant first. Do you serve Japanese?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/they-learned-that-they-should-always-call-the-restaurant-first-do-you/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“And if they ask you someday what it was I most wanted to say, please tell them, if you would, it was this: I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/and-if-they-ask-you-someday-what-it-was-i-most-wanted-to-say-please/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“Many of us had lost everything and left saying nothing at all. All of us left wearing white numbered identification tags tied to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/many-of-us-had-lost-everything-and-left-saying-nothing-at-all-all-of/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“Because the man who stood there before us was not our father. He was somebody else, a stranger who had been sent back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/because-the-man-who-stood-there-before-us-was-not-our-father-he-was/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“ladies began boycotting our fruit stands because they were afraid our produce might be tainted with arsenic. Insurance companies canceled our insurance. Banks froze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/ladies-began-boycotting-our-fruit-stands-because-they-were-afraid-our/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“Their old life seemed far away and remote to him now, like a dream he could not quite remember. The bright green grass, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/their-old-life-seemed-far-away-and-remote-to-him-now-like-a-dream-he/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“The ads in the papers all said 'help wanted, will train,' but wherever she went she was turned down. "The position's just been filled,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/the-ads-in-the-papers-all-said-help-wanted-will-train-but-wherever/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) > [“Or was their guilt written plainly, and for all the world to see, across their face? Was it their face, in fact, for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/or-was-their-guilt-written-plainly-and-for-all-the-world-to-see/) [Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) [Explore all 48 Julie Otsuka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/) ## More Autumn quotes > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [The American spring is by no means so agreeable as the American autumn; both move with faltering step, and slow; but this lingering pace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-trollope/the-american-spring-is-by-no-means-so-agreeable-as-the-american/) [Frances Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-trollope/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“FALL I've never liked orange not even a hint of yellow though that doesn't mean I'm derange, you know. but it's still a riddle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kynna-claire/fall-i-ve-never-liked-orange-not-even-a-hint-of-yellow-though-that/) Kynna Claire > [The trees change their voices in autumn as well as their shapes. No longer do they whisper to one another in muffled tones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-strong/the-trees-change-their-voices-in-autumn-as-well-as-their-shapes-no/) [Patience Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-strong/) > [The measured blood beats out the year's delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/the-measured-blood-beats-out-the-year-s-delay/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-crickets-felt-it-was-their-duty-to-warn-everybody-that-summertime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-found-himself-wondering-at-times-especially-in-the-autumn-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Easter blessings All life’s sacrifices like autumn leaves awaken our senses and power to love and be whole Our Mother Earth, Our Father Sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/easter-blessings-all-life-s-sacrifices-like-autumn-leaves-awaken-our/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [The lush green of the fields became a rich gold that swayed sturdily under the wind and fell at last before the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/the-lush-green-of-the-fields-became-a-rich-gold-that-swayed-sturdily/) [Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/) > [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) > [“Autumn eats its leaf out of my hand: we are friends. From the nuts we shell time and we teach it to walk: then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-celan/autumn-eats-its-leaf-out-of-my-hand-we-are-friends-from-the-nuts-we/) [Paul Celan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-celan/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [We must learn to do economic work from all who know how, no matter who they are. We must esteem them as teachers, learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/we-must-learn-to-do-economic-work-from-all-who-know-how-no-matter-who/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) [Browse all 1,210 Autumn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autumn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It would be autumn, and our fathers would be out threshing in the fields. We would walk through the mulberry groves, past the big loquat tree and the old lotus pond, where we used to catch tadpoles in the spring. Our dogs would come running up to us. Our neighbours would wave. Our mothers would be sitting by the well with their sleeves tied up, washing the evening's rice. 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