The Sound of Waves Reflection
Joseph Paz
Dr. Scanlon
Ap English Lit
27 January 2013
The Sound of Waves: Personal Reflection In Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves the reader is immersed in a rich, traditional, spiritual form of Japanese culture. The island is not only an accurate portrayal of the traditional Japanese culture but also that of the western world which is making its way to the small Japanese island in which the books plot unfolds. Mishima manages to show the reader of the importance of keeping with tradition and the past through the older generation that lives on the island as well as the protagonist Shinji, however the other members of Shinji’s generation that have gotten a taste of the outside world have brought back their newly adopted westernized culture which in Mishima’s eyes are corrupting the Island from within. In my opinion, the importance of being able to reflect on the past is the only way to progress in the future, however not accepting the advances of the outside world merely slows or ceases the improvement of human life. The Island in which The sound of Waves takes place is one which is firmly rotted in the common beliefs and traditions of the Japanese religion know as Shintoism. Shintoism shows great importance on being able to reflect on and praise your ancestors because their souls or Kami continue to move through the world even though the person’s physical body has passed away. Shinji, his mother, and younger brother make a journey up 200 steps to the shrine “Yashiro” this shrine is used to explain the significance that culture has towards the natives of the island on a deeper level. Once the journey to the shrine is complete Shinji and his family partakes in a traditional ceremony where they give offerings to the shrine and mourn the death of Shinji’s father that was killed in WW2. However not all that takes place on the island is so deeply rooted in tradition, the younger generation has been able to travel outside the island and have been exposed
Dr. Scanlon
Ap English Lit
27 January 2013
The Sound of Waves: Personal Reflection In Yukio Mishima’s The Sound of Waves the reader is immersed in a rich, traditional, spiritual form of Japanese culture. The island is not only an accurate portrayal of the traditional Japanese culture but also that of the western world which is making its way to the small Japanese island in which the books plot unfolds. Mishima manages to show the reader of the importance of keeping with tradition and the past through the older generation that lives on the island as well as the protagonist Shinji, however the other members of Shinji’s generation that have gotten a taste of the outside world have brought back their newly adopted westernized culture which in Mishima’s eyes are corrupting the Island from within. In my opinion, the importance of being able to reflect on the past is the only way to progress in the future, however not accepting the advances of the outside world merely slows or ceases the improvement of human life. The Island in which The sound of Waves takes place is one which is firmly rotted in the common beliefs and traditions of the Japanese religion know as Shintoism. Shintoism shows great importance on being able to reflect on and praise your ancestors because their souls or Kami continue to move through the world even though the person’s physical body has passed away. Shinji, his mother, and younger brother make a journey up 200 steps to the shrine “Yashiro” this shrine is used to explain the significance that culture has towards the natives of the island on a deeper level. Once the journey to the shrine is complete Shinji and his family partakes in a traditional ceremony where they give offerings to the shrine and mourn the death of Shinji’s father that was killed in WW2. However not all that takes place on the island is so deeply rooted in tradition, the younger generation has been able to travel outside the island and have been exposed