Sisters Under the Rising Sun

Norah Chambers serves as a central protagonist whose journey through captivity is defined by her devotion to family and her profound connection to music. A round and dynamic character, her development is marked by a deepening resilience rooted in artistic expression and communal bonds. Initially, her primary motivation is survival for the sake of reuniting with her husband, John, and her daughter, Sally; her promise to return to the latter both haunts her and fuels her endurance. Her agonizing decision to send Sally away, her grief when separated from John, and her subsequent sale of her wedding ring to feed her sister, Ena, are all testaments to a character whose identity is intrinsically linked to her familial relationships.

However, Norah also has a background as a classically trained musician, having studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and this becomes a crucial tool for the entire camp’s spiritual survival. In the absence of instruments, she conceives of the voice orchestra, creating beauty and order from extreme deprivation and thus allowing the women to transcend their existence as internees. Norah’s leadership hinges on her ability to inspire, and her quiet defiance is crystallized when she refuses to have the orchestra perform for the Japanese, stating, “I will not have my orchestra or the choir perform it.