Statement of Intent: Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata entails a story of two characters who struggle to escape the influence of their deceased parents. As Kikuji and Fumiko attempt to dictate their own lives, they quickly “sink into the meshes of the curse” (145) left by their parents. With a reputation that becomes stained by her mother’s disgraceful actions, Fumiko falls as a victim of the Japanese shame culture. My World Literature 2 assignment consists of a series of diary entries written by Kikuji during a span of two years. In these diary entries, I will assess the strength of Kikuji and Fumiko as they face a future that is predetermined by their parents’ actions. Through Kikuji’s diary, I will attempt to demonstrate the influence of the shame culture on Fumiko’s death. The Japanese shame culture is defined as a device used to maintain control over its citizens by creating and reinforcing the feeling of guilt for certain condemned behaviors. Whether or not a person is guilty of a crime, in a shame society, she is dishonored if others believe that she has committed the crime. Japan’s social structure contributes to Fumiko’s eventual death, as she is unable to accept the shame that her mother, Mrs. Ota, has placed on her by making love with Kikuji. My knowledge of the shame culture greatly enhanced my grasp of the conflicts in Thousand Cranes. Because of the culture differences, I had difficulty understanding Mrs. Ota’s impact on Fumiko. In my writing, I will try to compare the differences between Kikuji and Fumiko in facing their parent’s fate. Kikuji and Fumiko play opposing views as they

descriptions of Kikuji’s feelings towards the Fumiko based on his surrounding influences. Though Fumiko does not have the artificial requirements necessary to be considered as a future spouse like the Inumara girl, a key element in the Japanese culture, Kikuji is engrossed and fascinated by her, despite the reluctance of Chikako. Speaking through Kikuji, I explored Fumiko’s true nature and fears that Kawabata implies in the text. My diary entry of Kikuji reveals Kikuji’s reactions to how Fumiko is affected by the Japanese shame culture. The audience that I have directed my diary entry to is those who have already read Thousand Cranes, and are looking for a deeper explanation of the Japanese culture. In my assignment, I wished to explain the reason for why Fumiko had been shameful. Overall, my diary entry explains Fumiko’s reason for taking her life, and how Kikuji is impacted by her actions.

Diary Entry: On my way to Chikako’s tea ceremony, I encountered a beautiful girl who was carrying a bundle wrapped in a thousand crane-patterned handkerchief. As I spoke with her about directions to the tea ceremony, I became distracted by her distinguished beauty and poise. I soon learned that my encounter with this girl was not of luck, but set up as a miai by Chikako. As sheChikako excitedly explained the process, without failing to dismiss my ideas. Though several years have passed since I had last spoken with Chikako, I quickly remembered her sexless character as she shamelessly pushed towards me towards the girl.

Chikako failed to acknowledge my annoyance as she introduced me to the other guests at the ceremony. To her regret, Mrs. Ota, father’s retired mistress, was present. Her bickering comments about Mrs. Ota droned out as I noticed her Accompanying Mrs. Ota, was her daughter. I was intensely intrigued by the new face. She had inherited her mother’s long neck and full shoulders, but had a large and tightly closed mouth.

My interest in Mrs. Ota’s daughter had been unusual but refreshing, different than my interest for the Imamura girl. Her eyes seemed to have been clouded by sadness as if she was filled with shame and despair…

[TWO YEARS LATER]

Recalling on the past years, I relive the love that I had for her. There could be no one with whom to compare her. Her cleanliness had saved me from sinking into the endless curse and paralysis. My time spent with Fumiko had been ephemeral, but during this period, I realized that her life had been taken over by society’s culture. Fumiko had blamed herself entirely for her mother’s relationship with my father and me. She had drenched herself into a pit of a never-ending cycle of shame and regret. The few times I have spent with her, she had been obsessed with pleading with me for forgiveness, flushing constantly, for her mother’s actions. She had once told me that “regrets and second thoughts only make the burden heavier for the one who has died.” However, Fumiko refused to learn from her own wisdom, as her mother’s suicide made her suffer with shame. I have been taught by Fumiko, to ignore the influence of the dead, such as my father and Mrs. Ota, for I cannot forever follow the path of my father.

Fumiko too, had tried all everything to forget her mother. To Fumiko, her mother had been the source of shame. Her last attempt had been breaking the Shino. However, she lost in her struggle against the curse and in the end, gave up her life.

I realize that Fumiko’s life had deeply been impacted by the nature of society. She had been weak and helpless, and in the end, followed her mother in her footsteps. She had no reason to die, for she had brought me back to life. Through Fumiko’s tragic ending, I learned that I shall not be controlled and manipulated by those who no longer exist.

Critical Commentary:

In my diary entry, I covered many issues that had been brought up the novel. The first paragraph of Kikuji’s entry clarifies the Japanese idea of arranged marriages. The Imamura girl is portrayed as one who represents all the shallow, materialistic characteristics looked for in arranged marriages. In the novel, Kikuji comments that she is the “pretty one” (11), and also incredibly beautiful. Kikuji shows up at the tea ceremony only to realize that he had invited to have a miai of the girl. He reluctantly faces the pressures made by his elders to marry the Imamura girl, one who obtains a worthy social status. Skipping a few years forward, Kikuji describes Fumiko’s unhappy and shameful life. Kawabata illustrates her as nervous, always with “her head bowed and… her lips firmly closed” (35). Fumiko restricts herself from engaging herself into a relationship with Kikuji, for her mother has shamed her too much, as she will never be able to live her life happily and at ease. Though Fumiko is continually haunted by her mother, she continually pleads to Kikuji with a “desperate petition” (37) to forget about her mother. She attempts to convince him by explaining that her mother “is no good” (37) and that he must “have nothing more to do with her” (37). Even though Fumiko begs for Kikuji to let go of her mother’s influence, she, herself, is unable to escape the curse of the deceased. Fumiko tries to escape from her mother forever as she attempts to break the Shino, a symbol of her mother, who she believed was the reason for her shame. Fumiko realizes that she “can’t be forever held by [her] mother’s death” (141) and that she must forget about her. In Fumiko‘s attempt to free herself from her mother, smashes the Shino, yet she is still unable to let her mother go and fails. Kikuji however, does not wish to let go of Mrs. Ota yet, for he [picks] up the pieces again” (144) and stores them in a drawer.

The end of the novel suggests that Fumiko had saved Kikuji from the same fate that she had. Kikuji is finally able to leave the influence of his dead father and Mrs. Ota, yet without Fumiko he is still lost.

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