The Symbol of Post-War Japan in 'The White Horse'
The symbol of post-war Japan in “the white horse”
In the story of “the white horse”, Kawabata creates a protagonist called Noguchi, which is a loneliness hopeless and aged person. In my point of view, Noguchi is a symbol for post-war Japan. Because after world war two, Japan is full of loneliness disappointed and preoccupation with death like Noguchi in the story. Author tries to portray a single character’s feeling as the shortcomings of post-war Japan. And use Noguchi’s view to see the change of Japan.
Noguchi is a loneliness person in this story. The interesting thing is Noguchi has married and lives with his son. Which I think the Noguchi’s loneliness is more likely mental side. The loneliness comes from the feeling of hopeless and useless when he compare with his own son. Although his son failed the university entrance test, Kawabata points out that “The son [have] next year, [have] hope, [do] not even [goes] to bed at night”(826). The son tries his hard to study, compare with the father, he just wake up from his son’s bed. In my opinion, the son implied meaning of the future of Japan, and the father Noguchi as a symbol of post-war Japan. Even Noguchi is worried about his son but he is tired and can do anything to his son. In other ward, Japan loss control of their future after the war. The only things Noguchi can do is recalling his childhood memory and try to get more sleep. At this moment, the loneliness surrounds him.
Sadly, the most pure memorial image of “Taeko’s picture on the white horse”(826) has changed. For a long time, Noguchi’s memory “the imaginary white horse was vivid and lively”(827) and helps him to avoid sleeplessness, but he suddenly realized that Taeko, who riding on the white hose, has become an aged and sickly woman as time went by. Not the beautiful girl who wear pink any more. In my opinion, the white horse represents as a pure future or hope. Taeko’s changes like the Japan during period of pre-war to post-war. Everything looks
In the story of “the white horse”, Kawabata creates a protagonist called Noguchi, which is a loneliness hopeless and aged person. In my point of view, Noguchi is a symbol for post-war Japan. Because after world war two, Japan is full of loneliness disappointed and preoccupation with death like Noguchi in the story. Author tries to portray a single character’s feeling as the shortcomings of post-war Japan. And use Noguchi’s view to see the change of Japan.
Noguchi is a loneliness person in this story. The interesting thing is Noguchi has married and lives with his son. Which I think the Noguchi’s loneliness is more likely mental side. The loneliness comes from the feeling of hopeless and useless when he compare with his own son. Although his son failed the university entrance test, Kawabata points out that “The son [have] next year, [have] hope, [do] not even [goes] to bed at night”(826). The son tries his hard to study, compare with the father, he just wake up from his son’s bed. In my opinion, the son implied meaning of the future of Japan, and the father Noguchi as a symbol of post-war Japan. Even Noguchi is worried about his son but he is tired and can do anything to his son. In other ward, Japan loss control of their future after the war. The only things Noguchi can do is recalling his childhood memory and try to get more sleep. At this moment, the loneliness surrounds him.
Sadly, the most pure memorial image of “Taeko’s picture on the white horse”(826) has changed. For a long time, Noguchi’s memory “the imaginary white horse was vivid and lively”(827) and helps him to avoid sleeplessness, but he suddenly realized that Taeko, who riding on the white hose, has become an aged and sickly woman as time went by. Not the beautiful girl who wear pink any more. In my opinion, the white horse represents as a pure future or hope. Taeko’s changes like the Japan during period of pre-war to post-war. Everything looks