Stephen In Gail Tsukiyama´s The Samurai's Garden
The samurai represent strength. While recovering from a very challenging illness, Stephen in Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden leaves Hong Kong and travels to the small beach town of Tarumi to recuperate. Here, he befriends the home’s servant and many other members of the area as well. After many months of living in the town, Stephen experiences many situations in which Matsu remains strong in the face of adversity. However, upon discovering his best friend’s dead body, Matsu begins deteriorating. “Since I’d arrived in Tarumi, Matsu had been the anchor and I was the one afloat. I wasn’t ready to switch places,” (Tsukiyama 102). Through his recovery in Tarumi, Stephen has constantly relied on Matsu’s strength to heal and learn. Without Matsu’s
consistent assistance and reliability, Stephen would never heal. After the discovery of Kenzo’s body, however, Matsu remains silent. This separation between the two frightens Stephen because, throughout his entire life, he always had someone to rely on. Matsu, the samurai, resembled Stephen’s anchor in the frightening waters throughout his time in Japan, and this metaphor emphasizes the necessity of Matsu’s strength, because Matsu must hold the strength for each of them.
consistent assistance and reliability, Stephen would never heal. After the discovery of Kenzo’s body, however, Matsu remains silent. This separation between the two frightens Stephen because, throughout his entire life, he always had someone to rely on. Matsu, the samurai, resembled Stephen’s anchor in the frightening waters throughout his time in Japan, and this metaphor emphasizes the necessity of Matsu’s strength, because Matsu must hold the strength for each of them.