Relationships In The Sound Of The Mountain

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In The Sound of the Mountain, relationships are presented in a much more realistic way. The flaws of each character are clearly displayed and the couples deal with many difficulties throughout the novel. Shuichi’s affair is a major problem that has to be overcome in order to mend the damaging effects it had on Shuichi and Kikuko’s marriage. Shuichi had to deal with the problem of keeping his affair a secret and also of trying to convince Kinu to have an abortion after he impregnates her. The novel describes the struggles that Kikuko faces as a result of her marriage with Shuichi and how she got an abortion because of his affair. In addition, Shingo’s thoughts about other women is a flaw in his and Yasuko’s marriage. Shingo’s infatuation with …show more content…

There are strong bonds between the godparents and their borrowed children. The godparents love Tristão and Fidelia dearly and the feeling is reciprocated. Despite not being Dona Carmo and Aguiar’s legitimate children, they consider Tristão and Fidelia to be their son and daughter. When both Tristão and Fidelia were home with them, Ayres notes that “the Aguiars’ joy is plain to see. Husband and wife are both hard at work thinking up occasions and ways to pass their time with the two young people” (Machado de Assis 88). They are overjoyed with having their two children with them and care very much for them. Both Tristão and Fidelia have a better relationship with Dona Carmo and Aguiar than with their true families. When Tristão was a child, “Dona Carmo seemed more truly the boy’s mother than his real mother did. He shared himself with both, though slightly preferring the foster mother” (28). In addition, Fidelia’s relationship with her family is absent. Her mother is not alive and her father no longer speaks to her because of her marriage with Noronha. She therefore accepts the Aguiar and Dona Carmo as foster parents. In one of Fidelia’s letters to Carmo, she signs the page “‘Your loving daughter Fidelia’” (68). This shows that she truly loves them and acknowledges them as her adopted …show more content…

Many times, Shingo says that he is ashamed of his children and had hoped that they would have turned out differently. This shows a weakness in his relationship with his family that sometimes occurs in real life. However, Shingo does have a very strong bond with his daughter-in-law, Kikuko. According to the novel, Shingo’s “blood kin were not as he would wish them to be… His daughter-in-law brought relief” (Kawabata 37). This shows that Shingo is ashamed of his own children and disappointed with the way they turned out. Since he is so fond of Kikuko, he fully accepts her into his family and treats her as his own daughter. When Shingo denies Yasuko’s claim that he only cares about Kikuko, Yasuko challenges him by saying “It is true. You never liked Fusako-Shuichi was always your favorite… Even now that he has another woman you can’t say anything to him. And you really show too much affection for Kikuko” (45). This shows that he does not care for his children nearly as much as Kikuko. In addition, Kikuko feels the same way for Shingo. Her love for Shingo is like he is her own father rather than her father-in-law. After Kikuko has her abortion, she decided to go home to her family. When Shingo calls her to see how she is doing, she is pleased to hear from him and tells Shingo “‘Father,’ … ‘I want to see you’” (187). This shows that even though she was pampering herself at her parents

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