Like walking through a barren street in a crumbling ghost town, isolation can feel melancholy and hopeless. Yet, all it takes is an ordinary flower bud amidst the desolation to show life really can exist anywhere. This is similar to Stephen’s journey in The Samurai’s Garden. This novel is about an ailing Chinese boy named Stephen who goes to a Japanese village during a time of war between Japan and China to recover from his disease. By forming bonds with several locals and listening to their stories, he quickly matures into a young adult. Throughout the novel, Gail Tsukiyama shows how disease forces Stephen into isolation; however, Matsu’s garden and Sachi lead him out of solitude.
When Stephen contracts tuberculosis and is sent to Tarumi to recuperate, he loses his carefree childhood and falls into isolation. Having quit school and staying home to recover from his disease, Stephen finds himself being sent to his grandfather’s summer house in Tarumi, Japan. Upon arriving in Tarumi, he says, “This early autumn there didn’t seem to be anyone else here, just me, Matsu, and a complete white silence…I was exhausted by the time Matsu stopped in front one of the many bamboo fenced houses and cleared his throat to get my attention. My lungs were burning and my legs were weak” (9). In this quote, Stephen clearly indicates he has tuberculosis because is physically weak, as shown by how his “lungs were burning” and his “legs were weak”. This is further developed by how “exhausted” he feels after the walk to the house. A lack of other people, which shows a sheltered atmosphere, is revealed by Stephen commenting “didn’t seem to be anyone else here, just me, Matsu”. This reclusive feeling is expanded even more by the “complete white silence” ...
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... through the refuge that both give him, they allow him to look beyond the disease and enjoy the new life he has found.
Though Stephen initially feels isolated both physically and psychologically due to his illness, through the calm beauty of Matsu’s garden and the comfort Sachi provides, Stephen finds his stay at Tarumi to be much less secluded. This proves that though one may feel alone at times, other people or things may help vanquish that feeling. In today’s world, isolation is everywhere – it is seen through due disease, intelligence, race, etc. Yet, people find that little things like human comfort, such as Sachi, or object reminiscent happiness, like Matsu’s garden, are enough help them realize they are not alone. This sense of aid shows that like the flower in the midst of the desolate landscape, something small is all it takes to erase negative feelings.
Isolation often creates dismay resulting in an individual facing internal conflicts with themselves. Ann experiences and endures unbearable loneliness to the point where she needs to do almost anything to
Despite his situation, Stephen is able to separate the good from the bad and his experiences benefit him greatly. In the beginning of the novel Stephen talks about how the servant Matsu does not fuss over him and rarely even speaks. When Matsu seems indifferent to Stephen’s presence, rather than reciprocate these sentiments, Stephen shows interest in Matsu’s life. Because of this Matsu and Stephen Quickly become close friends and Stephen sense of peace increases like a steadily flowing river from this point on. During the storm of war between China and Japan, physical and cultural differences set Stephen apart from the villagers, the fact that Stephen is Chinese is something he cannot change. Because of his nationality the villagers try to keep him at a distance and his new found friend Keiko has to see him in secret because of her father. The more Stephen and Keik...
Soon after Papa’s arrest, Mama relocated the family to the Japanese immigrant ghetto on Terminal Island. For Mama this was a comfort in the company of other Japanese but for Jeanne it was a frightening experience. It was the first time she had lived around other people of Japanese heritage and this fear was also reinforced by the threat that her father would sell her to the “Chinaman” if she behaved badly. In this ghetto Jeanne and he ten year old brother were teased and harassed by the other children in their classes because they could not speak Japanese and were already in the second grade. Jeanne and Kiyo had to avoid the other children’s jeers. After living there for two mo...
Throughout life many are faced with obstacles that are difficult to overcome. These obstacles can change a person and their life as shown in The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama. In the novel Matsu and Sachi go through life on a difficult path before finding happiness. When looking at Matsu’s and Sachi’s gardens, one can see that they are a representation of their lives, which is important because the gardens represent their personalities and struggles in their lives.
Isolation is similar to a puddle of water – it is seemingly dull and colorless, but all it takes is for one drop of paint to change the entire picture. The novel cc is about a ailing Chinese boy named Stephen who goes through the same cycle. Stephen moves to a Japanese village during a time of war between Japan and China to recover from his disease. By forming bonds with several locales and listening to their stories, he quickly matures into a young adult. Throughout the novel, Gail Tsukiyama shows how disease forces Stephen into isolation; however, his relationship with Sachi and his time spent in Matsu’s garden lead him out of solitude.
Sometimes people are judged by their looks, and preferences will be made towards the more beautiful people before the less beautiful people. What individuals don’t put into account is that the person’s personality is part of their beauty. In Gail Tsukiyama’s novel, The Samurai’s Garden, through the characterization of Sachi’s personality and adversities, Gail Tsukiyama conveys the message that beauty is deeper than just the outside and this message is important because one shouldn’t judge someone just by their looks.
One of them is by helping people from Yamaguchi, those who are feared, shunned, and punished by the society because of their illnesses. When the village of Yamaguchi catches on fire, Matsu’s first instinct was to help all of those who lost their homes. Along with Stephen, they both spent several weeks rebuilding houses. Sachi was very upset, even mad because the people had already lost so much and now they were losing their homes too. Matsu made her realize that they lost things that can be replaced. “As long as they are alive to do so, that’s what is important” (123), he is telling Sachi that they should appreciate that they are alive because for all they know, it could have been worse. Matsu sacrificed himself to Yamaguchi, he gave up opportunities of living somewhere else. Another characteristic that Matsu embodies is his internal strength. The strength that he possesses is shown during Kenzo’s burial, “Matsu was silent throughout the entire procession, simply bowing his head to those who showed their sympathy at the loss of his good friend” (109). His internal strength comes from within, which allows him to remain calm and to prevent emotional pain. After his best friend committed suicide, Matsu turned to his garden, a place of peace. Stephen recognizes that it is there that Matsu turns for refuge and for
Like walking through a barren street in a crumbling ghost town, isolation can feel melancholy and hopeless. Yet, all it takes is something like one flower bud to show life really can exist anywhere. This is similar to Stephen’s journey in The Samurai’s Garden. This novel is about an ailing Chinese boy named Stephen who goes moves to a Japanese village during a time of war between Japan and China to recover from his disease. By forming bonds with several locals and listening to their stories, he quickly matures into a young adult. Throughout the novel, Gail Tsukiyama shows how disease forces Stephen into isolation; however, his relationship with Sachi and his time spent in Matsu’s garden lead him out of solitude.
The character, Miss Sasaki, who was left trapped, disabled and severely injured, by the dropping of the bomb suffered more in the long haul, from the emotional impact than just the physical destruction alone. Not only was she physically disabled, but also emotionally disabled, as the overwhelming feeling of being hopeless is a permanent psychological scar on the brain. Being unable to walk properly for the remainder of her life, Miss Sasaki, knew that she would no longer be able to provide for her family anymore; in Japanese cultural the honor of their family is of utmost importance, similar in nature to radical religious groups. Also of Japanese cultural priorities, were that of marriage. In Japan, women who were married were looked upon with higher statue and class. Miss Sasaki knew that her chances of getting married now had been reduced and for a woman of this time, that realization, also leaves damaged emotional baggage within herself. All of the aforementioned, left Miss Sasaki depressed for years to come and ultimately left her a permanent emotional scar affecting the rest of her life. By including the accounts of Miss Sasaki, in this book, John Hersey, exposes to the readers, that atomic warfare not only affects the human body physically for years to come but also
We may believe were not in no form of isolation from a single thing but we are all in isolation without notice. In the book “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar wao” by Junot Diaz, he shows isolation in every character in a very distinct way but still not noticeable. Throughout the Brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao, Diaz conveys that there is isolation in every person through his characters that are all different in personalization but are still isolated from something.
The pain that confronts characters in Cloudstreet is neither smoothly overrun or ceased, the . The presence of The impact of this anguish proves to be neither manageable or momentary, with various factors ensuring that the characters take a while to overcome or accept their grief. These factors include the complex nature of disputes and the lack of right and wrong. The unwillingness to tolerate or empathise with others, maximising the hatred that inspires misery. The consequence of grief can dislodge someone’s identity and it takes time for them to readjust and find their sense of meaning
During, McCandless scavenger for sense of peace within himself, a chance to calm the violent emotions from the complicated relationship with his parents with his father disloyalty. However through, the mental isolation and solitary experience during the deep forest for several weeks, McCandless began to contemplate not human relationship is not a necessity. His exper...
This extract emphasises the lonely, outworld feeling that would have been felt living in such settings. This puts into perspective the feeling that will be felt during the coarse of the plot development.
Some people in this world feel like they are outsiders in society. Also, there are many examples of stories, in which people and the main characters face the feeling of being neglected from society and others. The authors use figurative language, word choice and death as a way to show the narrator’s sense from being disconnected from society and the pain it causes them.
Societies vary greatly throughout the world, as do human experiences. What it means to be a social being in Japan, may not equate with what it means to be a social being in Central Africa. Throughout this essay I will argue that, while society may vary, the desire to be social exists in all cultures throughout history. The world may have always had its recluses, those who attempt to live a solitary life, but even these people can be seen as a reflection of their previous culture and society, fulfilling a role and remaining tied to their pre-existing relationships, using and being used by society like any other social being (Stone 2010: 6). Throughout this essay I will use the example of the Japanese and Central African social being to show how experiences of society change and are shaped by one's location. Further I will explain what it is to be a social being, and how society shapes our experiences, whether we remain within it or not, through the experiences of various hermits and recluses throughout history.