lynchers to a man, not even formal expulsion from the school could budge me from my resolution. ... Soseki,2002: 414
The quotation above gives more evidence about Coldmoons resolution. As explained before that where Coldmoon lives is a rural area which still holds traditional idea of
simplicity and seems has not completely touched by the influence of the west unlike the main capital or the other big cities. Because of the strong tradition, it seems the
people around his neighborhood does not like the idea of being westernized and even Coldmoon realizes what will happen to him if he buy a violin. Coldmoon who is
conscious about the consequences still following his own choice which means that he is independent to choose.
Coldmoons way of thinking also gives an idea that he accept the changes that is caused by westernization. In this case, it is closely related to women in that era. It
can be seen from the quotation below. ...Such changes are bound to follow from the introduction and dissemination of
modern ideas of the individual independence. The older generation get unnecessarily worked up and moan and groan as though the world were coming
to its end, but thats the trend of modern civilization and I, for one, welcome and encourage these changes. For instance, theres no need nowadays for
anyone to go tapping poor tots on the skull to see if theyre good enough to buy. In any case, no one ever gets anywhere in this hard world by being unduly
choosey. That way, one can easily end up husbandless and, after fifty or sixty years of assiduous search, still not be a bride. Soseki,2002: 211
From the quotation above, it can be observed how Coldmoons opinion about women that days give an idea that he has accepted the western idea. He explains that there is
no need to tap on the skull of a little girl if they are good enough to buy or not because this unnecessary any longer. Before the restoration, there is a kind of people called
maiden-mongers that sells little girls. They usually can be bought as a housemaid to do house chores. After the restoration, this kind of trade is being abolished by the
Emperor. This is one of the examples that Coldmoon gives to explain the idea of modern civilization. He later explains that women that day also can end up being
single or unmarried. In which explains that women also have their independence unlike the ancient custom that tells women should get married and mostly it is an arranged
married. Arranged married means that the women have to marry someone whether they love the person that their parents chose for them or not. It means women before
restoration era has no independence. This is one of the reason why Coldmoon welcomes and encorages the western
idea of individual independence where women now can become what they want and choose whether to marry or not. He understands that the older generation might not
easily accept the change brought by Western because they seems to complaining the Western idea that is spread during that era. It is not for the later generation who has
learn many things from Western idea. It is explain how Coldmoons open-mindedness allowing him to accept the Western independence ideals. When it is closely observed,
it can be seen that Coldmoon is smart enough to give this kind of opinion to his fellow scholar and it is interrelated to he is being an open-minded.
2. Intellectuals in Meiji Era and Their Status in the Society
According to Tadashi Fukutake in The Japanese Social Structure, the society of Japan in Meiji era can be divided into three main categories.
...the upper ruling class with the capitalists at its core and the large landlords, politicians, and higher civil servants as their allies; the intermediate class,
divided into the middle old class made up of small businessmen and retailers and factory owners as well as small landlords; and the new middle class of
officials and teachers and white-collar workers in the large enterprises; and the lower, dominated class of farmers, petty traders, self employed workers, and
manual employees. Fukutake,1989: 58-59
From the explanation above, it is clearly seen that the politicians are part of upper strata along with capitalists that becomes the core of upper strata. The capitalist mostly
consist of large merchant house that later some of them developed as zaibatsu. The capitalists itself mostly from the family of commoners. As the zaibatsus in Meiji era
holds the most significant economic contribution to the country, business later makes the close connection with political world in Japan. From the observation at the
quotation above, it also clearly seen that intellectuals are part of intermediate or middle strata. Yet landlords and capitalist actually can be seen as a part of middle strata also,
since the member of ruling class in this era is the imperial families because the ruler of Japan is the Emperor. The intellectuals, capitalist, landlords, and the other educated
members can be seen as upper middle class. The lower class in this case are consists of uneducated people and low workers. The quotation below gives an explanation to this
fact.
Higher education had thus become an important condition for membership in the ruling political and business elites, but higher education was by and large
available only to the children of upper strata of the old society. Fukutake,1989: 60
From the quotation above, it can be seen that in the old society only upper strata receive high education. It is also clearly explained that those with higher education can
become a member of business and political elites. In the new society this is then no longer available, since the members of upper strata which consist of ruling class is not
as many as the middle and low strata. Later in the new society, the middle strata also have a chance to become the member of business and political elite which means that
politicians and businessmen also consist of intellectuals. In this novel Coldmoon is seen as a representation this member of middle strata. From the earlier analysis it can
be seen clearly that Coldmoon is not from a family of high social status. Despite this fact, Coldmoon is quite famous in the society because that he is a very smart person.
In a
website that
tells about
Meiji Modernization
www.funfront.nethistjapanmeiji2.htm, it gives a clear explanation about the social status in Japan. On the other hand, greater social mobility was achieved. More
people could move from low social positions to high social positions, or vice versa. From the quotation above, it can be seen that during the Meiji Era, there is a
free social mobility in which it cannot be achieved during the era before Meiji Restoration. This social mobility exists because of the abolishment of samurai class
and daimyo that rules the government during the era before Meiji by the Emperor himself. People in this era, especially the intellectuals have a more political
consciousness that can drive them to works and study hard in order to have a more successful life.
The governments established universities in this era, means someone can have a higher education than during before the restoration. Those who graduates from the
universities has greater chance to be employed by the state in a various departments in government, which includes the fact that the political leaders are also university
graduates. It is because universities in this era also serve as training ground for governments official. Not only that, the higher education also gives birth to many
skilled workers and also technicians to carry out the industrialization in Japan. This is the era where Japan thinks that modernization is the way to save the country from
foreign imperialism. That is why the intellectuals who have study many things from the Wests has great importance to help modernize Japan. In which it can be conclude
that intellectuals gives a great contribution to the modernization. Because of the contributions that intellectuals given for the government and society the intellectuals
are respected in this era despite of their family background and status. Since it is said in the quotation above that the social mobility can change, it also means that there is
also a chance for an intellectual to step down to a lower class. This can happen if the
particular intellectual does not contribute much for the society and has no determination to change for the better at all.
By having a higher education, someone can achieve a higher status. Higher in status means they will have power. In this era, business has a close relation with
politics, which means being a businessman can have an influence in a political world also. The businessmen during this era become the core of political contributions. Most
of political leaders and business leader during this era was university graduate. In this era also, the ones who can receives a high education are not only children from upper
strata. The middle stratum society also can receive high education. The higher education they had, they have a bigger chance to raise their status in the society. It is
not all of the intellectuals can easily raise their status unless they have the will and ambition to gain it. This can be seen from Coldmoons effort to gain his doctorate title.
The narrator in this novel agree with this idea, since the narrator himself also mentions his opinion about the scholars during his observation on the characters.
The urge to compete and their anxiety to win are revealed flickeringly in their everyday conversation, and only a hairs breadth separates them from the
Philistines whom they spend their idle days denouncing. They are all animals from the same den. Soseki,2002: 66
In the quotation above, it can be seen how the narrator sees the scholars in this era. The narrator has been watching every conversation that they always make during their visit
to Mr. Sneaze. Mr. Sneaze, Waverhouse, and Coldmoon who are fellow scholars often
shows off their knowledge rather it is in literature, science, or art. Even though most of them did not master the subject on what they are talking about. Coldmoon is a different
case than the other two. Coldmoon knows very well about the subject that the other two mostly talk about. Since it is only Coldmoon who has mastery in science, he has
an upper hand when he is talks about his particular subject of science. The narrator himself emphasizing this greedy trait by saying how anxious they are to win against
each other. In which implies that they are boasting their knowledge in order to show that they are superior to the others. From his observation, it can be seen that Coldmoon
also shares the same greed and it can be seen that they also desire for power even though they seems to be ignorant to the world around them. Unlike the other two
scholars who do not have any determination to become successful, Coldmoon is shown to have his own determination to achieve something more.
From the analysis in this novel, the writer observed that Coldmoon is a Bachelor of Physics who graduated from Imperial University and considered the top
graduate in his generation. From the analysis before, it can be observed that Coldmoon already has already known in the society even though he is only a fresh graduate. It
means he is respected by the society. Not to mention that his presence also attracts the people of higher status because of his intelligent nature. One of those people is the
family of Goldfields. Goldfields is a family of businessman that has a great influence in government. Coldmoon who know each other actually wants to marry the only
