Life experiences play a major role in the way that people view everyday activities and the world around them. The Japanese culture places an emphasis on respect and peace, but it also strongly encourages valuing nature. In the novel, The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama, the gardens of Sachi and Matsu are similar in the way that they represent their gardener’s lives by exposing their creator’s personality through its ambience and past experiences through its design. Matsu’s garden was a living reflection of himself and his life. Matsu was a quiet person, full of mystery and hidden beauty, and he created his garden with a similar ambience. For example, one day, Stephen was walking through the garden and couldn’t help but notice the special qualities of …show more content…
There [was] a quiet beauty here...”(31)The garden also uncovers the fact that he enjoys finding solace and peace. For example, Stephen observed how Matsu loved to find refuge in his garden because of its peaceful ambiance. Stephen tells about, “the garden, [which had] once again become his(Matsu’s) refuge, the only place he seems to feel any comfort. It’s there that Matsu [becomes] the artist; adding and mixing colors (p.73) His garden not only provides a mysterious and alluring view; it uncovers some of Matsu’s past experiences. One can see the way that he has risen above the pain and found beauty in hope for the future when looking at the design of his garden. He views life as a road of challenges that ends in peace and joy, and his garden reveals this in the way that it was created with a bridge that represents life. In one instance, he metaphorically describes a bridge as life’s struggles. He explains to Stephen that, “the bridge represented the samurai’s difficult path from this world to the afterlife. When you reach the top of the bridge, you see your way to paradise.” (58) The bridge
There were many similarities and differences between Samurai and Knights, but I believe that the differences are greater than the similarities, in other other words I believe that there are more similarities than differences. The Samurai were honorable warriors in Japan that were loyal to his Daimyos. The Knights were honorable warriors in Europe who were loyal to his lord. I’m going to analyze documents related to social position, training and armor, and their beliefs. To better determine if the differences are greater than the similarities.
this makes sea young scared of the world. she also has been in her apartment for a few months. but when she becomes a part of the garden it helps her overcome her fear of being scared of the world. because of the incidents that have occurred. the garden also helps her meet new people , make new friends ,she also buys a funnel for rainwater so people from the garden could use this to water the plants,plants peppers and she gets happy when people start using her funnel she even says “that day i see man use my funnel then many people feel very glad inside feel part of the garden almost like family “ - Sea
Throughout Europe and Japan during the middle ages both adopted the governmental system of feudalism. Europe adopted the feudal system when Rome fell, and Japan adopted the feudal system when the Han dynasty fell. They both adopted the feudal system to fill the need for a governmental system when both previous empire fell. Though Japan and Europe both adopted the feudal system they both had their own versions of the feudal system. Feudal Europe and Japan had contrasting hierarchy structures, army types (builds, training, and roles), and their armies belief systems or codes were different.
Were Samurais and Knights More Similar Than Different? Let’s go back to the late 400’s and look at the European and Japanese life. Samurais and Knights fought for land and devoted themselves to their master and lord. There are many similarities and differences between a Samurai and a Knight. But, are they more similar than we thought?
Plenty of authors, when writing literary novels, have a tendency to write on topics that have a similar or direct correlation to their own life. This is also the case with The Samurai’s Garden. In the book, The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama, Stephen, the narrator of the story, has a Chinese mother and a father who lives most of his life in Japan. This situation is similar to Tsukiyama who has a Chinese mother and a Japanese father. Stephen, having suffered from tuberculosis, travels from China to Tarumi, Japan to take rest and heal from the disease.
Throughout the course of The Samurai’s Garden, Gail Tsukiyama uses Stephen’s experiences with two types of gardens, as well as {insert} to illustrate the idea that beauty can be symbolized by Matsu’s garden is one full of colorful flowers and lush bushes, and it is not surprising that Stephen admires it. However, when Stephen is first introduced to Sachi’s garden, he is taken aback by how “there were no trees, flowers, or water, only a landscape made of sand, stones, rocks, and some pale green moss… Sachi had created mountains from arranged rocks… stones flowing down like a rocky stream… the flat surface of water was formed by smooth round pebbles, raked in straight and encircling lines to suggest whirlpools and waves” (40). When gardens
These qualities are what tempts the narrator as he watches over a hedge bordering Sheila’s
From the Kamakura Period of the late twelfth century to the Meiji Restoration in the nineteenth century, the samurai have held prominent positions as noble warriors in Japanese society. They have come to be famous in modern, Western pop culture as the fierce, stoic guards of feudal Japan, but their practices and rituals extended beyond wielding katanas and donning impressive armor. Samurai practices were rich and complex, with strict codes, ritual suicide, and a history of influencing culture and politics (“Samurai”). Samurai code was influenced by traditional Japanese culture, Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism. Bushido, or “Way of the Warrior,” was the code of conduct the samurai class were expected to uphold.
Here in Yamaguchi I learned that beauty exists where you least expect to find it.’” (148). At this moment, Sachi learns that “humility” is a virtue and those who are blessed with it have the ability to learn and give up their prized possessions gratefully. Sachi is able to
When it is mentioned that “on the other side of the river was a tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruits every month,” we get the idea that there is a new, prosperous life awaiting him. (Bradbury 158)
The story “The flowere” by Alice Walker is about a young girl named Mayop who sudden fall from innocence. Myop is happy and carefree as she skips around her family playing with the animals. She does not look beyond her free comfortable childhood. She decides to explore the woods as she had done many times with her mother in late autumn while gathering nuts. The setting of the story is in natural, outdoor surroundings, where most of the event occur.
Alice Walker uses imagery and diction throughout her short story to tell the reader the meaning of “The Flowers”. The meaning of innocence lost and people growing up being changed by the harshness of reality. The author is able to use the imagery to show the difference between innocence and the loss of it. The setting is also used to show this as well.
intentions were to grab the characters of the key figures from that time period. So, going off of what the director says about the movie just proves the historical inaccuracy of the movie. Ever since the days of the Samurai there has been this sense of honor and virtue that you correlate with the Japanese people. No matter what they do it constantly sticks with them. Professor Bolitho says, “It’s an idealized image that’s been pushed onto the entire Japanese people.
Dana Gioia’s poem, “Planting a Sequoia” is grievous yet beautiful, sombre story of a man planting a sequoia tree in the commemoration of his perished son. Sequoia trees have always been a symbol of wellness and safety due to their natural ability to withstand decay, the sturdy tree shows its significance to the speaker throughout the poem as a way to encapsulate and continue the short life of his infant. Gioia utilizes the elements of imagery and diction to portray an elegiac tone for the tragic death, yet also a sense of hope for the future of the tree. The poet also uses the theme of life through the unification of man and nature to show the speaker 's emotional state and eventual hopes for the newly planted tree. Lastly, the tree itself becomes a symbol for the deceased son as planting the Sequoia is a way to cope with the loss, showing the juxtaposition between life and death.
He forgets all his inevitable and depressing and sorrowful conditions in the delightful company of nature. It also developed man’s sense of beauty. It fills man’s heart with heavenly pleasure with he can’t get anywhere under the sun. In the presence of nature a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows. Every bit of alternation in the atmosphere in nature gives man happiness.