Nisei Daughter follows the life of the author, Monica Sone, so it is a safe assumption that she wished her story to be told, a story told from the perspective of an immigrant family, particularly a Japanese immigrant family during the second world war. During its initial release it wasn’t popular, though in the latest years it has grown as it is one of the only books that focuses on this specific theme of the time, which is why it has been used as a historical reference.
"A lesson learned is a lesson that should be shared” is something Sone lives by, through writing her books. Because she didn't only include her life story, but her thoughts and reflections on the themes as well. Thus, by reading the book, she gives her readers an insight to how she learnt becoming happy within herself, without focusing on the ever-changing outside circumstances that are both distracting and intimidating.
Identity is always in the center, the red lining throughout the book. This is because she is searching for where she belongs. The opening scene is when Sone realizes that she isn't "fully American» and is different from her friends. She then finds out that she doesn’t fit in in Japan either, as she is is viewed as American. The book ends when she enters an international college where she feels both Japanese, American at the same time. Yet most importantly, she feels content and happy.
