Traditional Roles Of Women In The Pearl By Yukio Mishima

“For a long time these things have always been placed in front of us women…”(Rin 163). This excerpt gives us an example of how important traditional roles are in Japanese lifestyle. “The Pan, the Pot, the Burning Fire I Have in Front of Me,” written by Ishigaki Rin, acknowledges the traditional roles for women in Japan, and how long it has been a tradition. The short story, “The Pearl,” by Yukio Mishima, discusses about an event that took a turn due to a misunderstanding. This gives us an example of the different perspectives on Japanese traditional roles of women. The author proceeds to use imagery, motif, and tone to discuss the roles and the reactions.

The first literary device Ishigaki used was imagery. “Ah without those people
From the short story, “The Pearl,” chaos occurs due to a small argument. “Soon she has completely forgotten the small commotion on her birthday…”(Mishima 144). This was an example of tone because it was very surprising and unilikey for the adult women to fight over a pearl. Japanese women are known to be polite and conservative, so their compulsive outbreak was a change of atmosphere and tone in the story. Furthermore, the women in the poem set the story in a calm tone. The women are pleased to cook and do it without objection. “What measure of love and sincerity they must have poured into these utensils…”(Rin 164). Their attitude towards cooking for their family proves that they do not have a problem with preparing food for her family. Another example of tone would be that the women are lacking and falling behind in their education, but are still able to learn through cooking. “...let us also study government, economy, literature as sincerely as we cook potatoes and meat…”(Rin 164). This is an example of tone because it describes the uplifting mood that the women have. The women are sacrificing education and opportunities, but they are not aware because they are