Falling Sakura : death and its seeds of wisdom in Yasunari Kawabata`s Selected Short Stories.

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Ratna Kurniasari, Tri. 2015. Falling Sakura: Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom in

Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories. Yogyakarta: Graduate Program on English Language Studies, Sanata Dharma University.

Borrowing the analogy ofsakura’s falling and blooming to represent the

entangled relationship between death and life that is inspired from Zen Buddhism teachings, this study aims to reveal the unique portraits of death in generating the seeds of wisdom in life as seen in Yasunari Kawabata’s selected short stories. Those short stories are“Canaries”, “Love Suicides”, “Mother”, “Makeup”, “Death Mask”, “Tabi” and “Immortality” which are taken from Kawabata’s Palm of the Hand Stories(1988). Further, those short stories are chosen based on the presence of death in the stories which later generates the seeds of wisdom in life.

The study focuses on two problems. The first is ‘How is death portrayed in Yasunari Kawabata’s selected short stories?’. The second is ‘How do those

portraits of death generate seeds of wisdom in life as seen in the works under

study?’

This study used literary hermeneutics due to its role as a facilitator in creating an equal dialogic interaction between the readers as the active producers of meaning and Kawabata’s selected writings that voice its meaning. Besides, its

aim in having the sense of openness ‘to experience’ the life experience through

the reflection of imaginative universe found inKawabata’s selected writingscould be used in gaining satori or enlightenment. In dealing with its use in this study, some background information related to Kawabata’s selected writings was discussed. They were the history of modern Japanese literature, Yasunari

Kawabata’s life and works, the development of Zen Buddhism and its influence

towards Japanese literature and also the Japanese notion about death wrapped in Zen Buddhism teachings. Later, it is hoped that the use of hermeneutics in this study will be beneficial in gainingsatori or spiritual enlightenment as it is aimed by Kawabata through his writings.

From the analysis, there are two things that can be drawn. First, death is

portrayed differently in Yasunari Kawabata’s writings. In this study, death is depicted positively due to the influence of Zen Buddhism teachings that regard death as another form of life. Hence, death is portrayed as life presentation, life preservation, final redemption and total liberation. Second, the positive portraits of death generate the seeds of wisdom in life which can make life becomes more meaningful and beautiful due to its brevity. Those seeds of wisdom are related to genuine acceptance, eternal peacefulness, self purification and personal wholeness.

Hence, it can be concluded that the presence of death in life should be seen positively since it ensures the presence of life itself. Through its presence, death generates the seeds of wisdom which can enrich life. Further, the presence of death has underlined the brevity of life itself which makes every second counted. It means that life has to be filled with good deeds and gratitude in order to make it beautiful and meaningful at the same time.

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Ratna Kurniasari, Tri. 2015. Falling Sakura: Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom in

Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories.Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Dengan meminjam analogi bunga sakura yang jatuh dan mekar untuk mewakili hubungan erat antara kematian dan kehidupan yang terinspirasi dari ajaran Zen Buddhisme, studi ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap gambaran unik kematian dalam memunculkan benih-benih kebijaksanaan seperti yang terlihat dalam cerita-cerita pendek Yasunari Kawabata. Cerita-cerita tersebut meliputi “Canaries”, “Love Suicides”, “Mother”, “Makeup”, “Death Mask”, “Tabi” and “Immortality”yang diambil dari karya Kawabata yang berjudul Palm of the Hand Stories (1988). Selanjutnya, cerita-cerita tersebut dipilih berdasarkan kehadiran kematian didalamnya yang kemudian memunculkan benih-benih kebijaksanaan dalam kehidupan.

Studi ini menitikberatkan pada dua permasalahan. Yang pertama adalah “Bagaimana kematian digambarkan dalam cerita-cerita pendek terpilih Yasunari Kawabata?’. Yang kedua adalah ‘Bagaimana gambaran-gambaran kematian itu memunculkan benih-benih kebijaksanaan seperti dalam karya-karya yang diteliti?’.

Studi ini menggunakan hermeneutika sastra terkait dengan peranannya sebagai fasilitator dalam menciptakan interaksi dialogis yang setara antara para pembaca sebagai produsen aktif makna dan karya-karya terpilih Kawabata yang menyuarakan maknanya. Selain itu, tujuan hermeneutika yang memiliki rasa keterbukaan 'untuk mengalami' pengalaman hidup melalui refleksi imajinatif alam semesta yang ditemukan dalam karya itu sendiri dapat digunakan dalam memperoleh satori atau pencerahan spiritual. Terkait dengan penggunaan hermeneutika dalam penelitian ini, beberapa latar belakang informasi mengenai karya-karya Kawabata perlu disertakan, diantaranya meliputi sejarah sastra Jepang modern, kehidupan Yasunari Kawabata dan karya-karyanya, perkembangan Zen Buddhisme dan pengaruhnya terhadap sastra Jepang dan juga gagasan Jepang tentang kematian yang dibungkus oleh ajaran Zen Buddhisme. Nantinya diharapkan bahwa penggunaan hermeneutika dalam penelitian ini akan bermanfaat dalam memperoleh satori atau pencerahan spiritual seperti yang ditujukan oleh Kawabata melalui tulisan-tulisannya.

Dari hasil analisis, ada dua hal yang dapat ditarik. Pertama, kematian digambarkan secara berbeda dalam tulisan-tulisan Yasunari Kawabata. Dalam penelitian ini, kematian digambarkan secara positif karena pengaruh dari ajaran Zen Buddhisme yang menganggap kematian sebagai bentuk lain dari kehidupan. Karenanya, kematian digambarkan sebagai penyajian hidup, pelestarian hidup, penebusan akhir dan pembebasan total. Kedua, gambaran-gambaran positif kematian mampu memunculkan benih-benih kebijaksanaan dalam hidup yang bisa membuat hidup menjadi lebih bermakna dan indah karena kesingkatannya. Benih-benih kebijaksanaan tersebut dikaitkan dengan penerimaan yang tulus, kedamaian abadi, pemurnian diri dan keutuhan pribadi.

Karenanya dapat disimpulkan bahwa kehadiran kematian dalam kehidupan harus dilihat secara positif karena menjamin adanya keberadaan kehidupan itu sendiri. Melalui kehadirannya, kematian mampu memunculkan benih-benih kebijaksanaan yang dapat memperkaya kehidupan. Selanjutnya, kehadiran kematian telah menekankan singkatnya kehidupan itu sendiri yang membuat setiap detiknya berarti. Artinya hidup harus diisi dengan perbuatan baik dan rasa syukur untuk membuatnya indah dan bermakna di saat yang sama.

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Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom

in Yasunari Kawabata’s

Selected Short Stories

A THESIS

Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theMagister Humaniora (M.Hum)Degree

in English Language Studies

Tri Ratna Kurniasari Student Number: 106332004

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

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Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom

in Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories

A THESIS

Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theMagister Humaniora (M.Hum)Degree

in English Language Studies

Tri Ratna Kurniasari Student Number: 106332004

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

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A THESIS

FALLING SAKURA:

DEATH AND ITS SEEDS OF WISDOM

IN YASUNARI KAWABATA’SSELECTED SHORT STORIES

TRI RATNA KURNIASARI Student Number: 106332004

Approved by

Prof. Dr. C. Soebakdi Soemanto, S.U. ____________________________

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A THESIS FALLING SAKURA:

DEATH AND ITS SEEDS OF WISDOM

IN YASUNARI KAWABATA’S SELECTEDSHORT STORIES by

TRI RATNA KURNIASARI Student Number: 106332004

Defended before the Thesis Committee and Declared Acceptable

THESIS COMMITTEE

Chairperson : Dr. Novita Dewi M.S., M.A. (Hons.). ______________

Secretary : Paulus Sarwoto S.S., M.A., Ph.D. ______________

Members : 1. Prof. Dr. C. Soebakdi Soemanto S.U. ______________

2.Dr. J. Bismoko ______________

Yogyakarta, February 27, 2015 The Graduate Program Director Sanata Dharma University

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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases, and sentences by the writer. The writer understands the full consequences including degree cancellation if she took somebody’s ideas, phrases

or sentences without a proper reference.

Yogyakarta, February 27, 2015

TRI RATNA KURNIASARI 106332004

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Lembar Pernyataan Persetujuan Publikasi Karya Ilmiah untuk Kepentingan Akademis

Yang bertandatangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : Tri Ratna Kurniasari

Nomor Mahasiswa : 106332004

Demi perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

Falling Sakura: Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom in Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada).

Dengan demikian, saya memberikan hak kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikannya secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta.

Pada tanggal: 27 Februari 2015 Yang menyatakan,

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"Sakura" by Matsumura Goshun (1752–₁₈₁₁₎

Every story has an end, but in LIFE every ENDING is just A

NEW BEGINNING...

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my gratefulness to those who have given great contribution in helping me to finish this thesis. First, I would like to thank the

God Almighty for giving me a very caring family, many beloved friends and helpful lecturers who are always by my side during this wonderful process of writing. Their love, prayers and support are very meaningful for me in completing this thesis. I would not be able to finish this without their presence. Moreover, I would also thank Him for always guiding my steps and holding my hands during this precious journey. He has given me a good opportunity to be grateful for the priceless lessons that I have learned in this wonderful time.

Next, I am deeply indebted to my thesis advisor Prof. Dr. C. Soebakdi Soemanto, S.U. who has been so patient in guiding me during the writing process. His wise words have illuminated my mind and encouraged my spirit in finishing this thesis. The quality time that I have shared with him and his wife,

Ibu Nin B.S.has enriched my literary knowledge and enhanced my horizon about life itself.

In addition, I am so thankful to Dr. Novita Dewi M.S. M.A. (Hons) for always being so open and generous in sharing her knowledge to me. Besides, her patient guidance and unlimited support have helped me a lot in completing this thesis. Without her extraordinary suggestions and unique perspective, I would not be able to explore and improve my thesis well.

My greatest thanks also go to my beloved lecturers in the graduate school,

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Francis Borgias Alip, M.Pd., M.A., Dr. J. Bismoko and Paulus Sarwoto S.S., M.A., Ph.D. for sharing their beneficial knowledge and critical thoughts in my study time. Besides, I also like to express my gratefulness to Barli Bram, Ph.D

and Dr. Yoseph Yapi Taum, M.Hum. for their encouragement and supports in finishing my study.

Moreover, I am deeply grateful to Sanata Dharma Universitywhich has opened its door for me to continue my study and satisfy my thirst of knowledge, especially in English Language Studies. Further, I would like to extend my gratitude to Sanata Dharma University staffswho have helped me a lot during my study time. My sincere thanks are given to Mbak Lelly, Pak Mul, Mbak WindyaandMbak Ernafor their full assistance and kind attention to me.

Next, I would like to thank my classmates and other friends in English Language Studies: Arina, Siska, Septa, Pipin, Mbak Anjar, Kak Orpa, Mbak Wenny, Mbak Atik, Bu Irna, Bu Erna, Mbak Suzan, Mia, Mbak Deta, Uci

and Mawarwho have offered me their sincere friendship. We have shared many bitter sweet memories and wonderful things through our marvelous time of study and fun discussions. I wish to thank my BFF, Prita Putri Prima Pertiwi for the priceless friendship and her genuine concern through the ups and downs of my life. Besides, I would like to thank Raniand Putrafor lending me tons of books for my references. They have been very helpful and generous in sparing their time to find me many books that I needed. I do feel thankful to have them as my bestfriends. In addition I would also like to thank Myulanders: Chelsie, Dian, Astri, Lita and Kiki for their prayers, support and sincere attention which encouraged me a lot in finishing this thesis.

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My sincere thanks go to my beloved family members; my one and only super mom Sri Suyanti, my greatest father M. Soebagiyo, my lovely and wise sisters Siska Lidya Revianti andDwi Riana Oktavia, my little niece Sheva and my brother-in-law Adipermono. Their caring, endless love, prayer and supports always give me extra strength and spirit to finish my thesis. In addition, I would also thank my uncleSoemardiyonoand his family for their genuine attention and encouragement in finishing this thesis. I also feel thankful for the blessing that is sent from Heaven by my late grandparentsSanadi Sastro HutomoandSardinem

which also contributes a lot in finishing my thesis.

Words cannot fulfill my gratefulness to the presence of my loyal spring breeze-Ridwan Bayuadiwho has given his extraordinary love and patience in my life. His sincere attention, unstoppable prayers and unlimited support have encouraged me in finishing my study well.

Last but not least, I would like to express my greatest and sincerest thanks to everyone who has helped me in finishing my study and writing my thesis. I can only wish that God will multiply His blessing for their kindness. Amen.

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TITLE PAGE ………. i

APPROVAL PAGE ………... ii

DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE ………...………. iii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ………. iv

LEMBAR PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ………v

MOTTO PAGE ……….. vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……….. vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……….. x

ABSTRACT ……… xii

ABSTRAK ……….. xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION………1

A. The Beginning ...………..1

B. The Spotlight ...………....6

C. The Expectations………...13

D. The Riddles... ..………15

E. The Intentions ...15

F. The Stepping Stones ...16

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW……...………... 20

A. Review of Related Studies………...………... 20

B. Theoretical Concepts ... 31

1. The History of Modern Japanese Literature .………... 31

2. Yasunari Kawabata’s Life and Works (1899-1972)………... 34

3. The Development of Zen Buddhism and Its Influence towards Japanese Literature ...…..………. 40

4. The Japanese View on Death……….….... 47

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CHAPTER III: THE SOLEMN PARADE OF DEATH ...………_..….₅₄

A. Life Representation ... 57

B. Life Preservation ...………... 63

C. Final Redemption………...………... 71

D. Total Liberation ... 76

E. Concluding Remarks ...84

CHAPTER IV: THE SEEDS OF WISDOM .………_{... 87}

A. Genuine Acceptance ...………... 91

B. Eternal Peacefulness ... 92

C. Self Purification ... 96

D. Personal Wholeness ... 99

E. Concluding Remarks………...………... 102

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...……….…_{... 103}

BIBLIOGRAPHY………. 107

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Ratna Kurniasari, Tri. 2015. Falling Sakura: Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom in

Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories. Yogyakarta: Graduate Program on English Language Studies, Sanata Dharma University.

Borrowing the analogy ofsakura’s falling and blooming to represent the

The study focuses on two problems. The first is ‘How is death portrayed in Yasunari Kawabata’s selected short stories?’. The second is ‘How do those

portraits of death generate seeds of wisdom in life as seen in the works under

study?’

aim in having the sense of openness ‘to experience’ the life experience through

Kawabata’s life and works, the development of Zen Buddhism and its influence

From the analysis, there are two things that can be drawn. First, death is

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Ratna Kurniasari, Tri. 2015. Falling Sakura: Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom in

Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories.Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. The Beginning

Sakurais widely known as a Japanese iconic flower that is usually used to represent Japan and its unique culture. The lovely presence of this flower draws people’s attention just like a drop of honey that draws a flock of bees. As small buds of sakura bloom, an unforgettable pink nuance of spring appears for those who see them. Yet, this beautiful scenery has to end in a blink when the spring breeze blows and makes the withered sakurapetals fall to the ground. Hence, the Japanese often consider sakura as the perfect representation of an endless life cycle through its blooming buds and falling petals. It is because the innocent figure ofsakurahas reminded them not only about the final destination of life that leads to death, but also the presence of death that leads back to the starting point of life. Though many only regard sakura as a Japanese iconic flower, it will always be in every Japanese’shearts due to its presence in reminding them about eternal cycle of death and life in this transient world. Even, the Japanese have an old tradition of viewing sakura three-days-of-glory that is called hanami. This tradition is held to appreciate and honor the sakura brief beauty and its representation of the transience of life through its innocent figure.

Further, this old tradition ofhanamihas shown Japanese fondness towards nature that is influenced by their Eastern perspective. The Japanese, as parts of the Orient, regard nature as a constant friend and loyal companion in running this

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life.1By having a close relationship with nature, the Japanese believe that they will be united with the universe and share the same fate with other mortal creatures in this temporal world. As a consequence, they have to undergo the samenatural process of undeniable “bloom, wither and fall”just likesakuraitself in its brief life span.

In addition, this scene does not only awake the melancholy feeling of the unstoppable life cycle, but also leads one to a meditative mood in worshipping nature and life themselves. Related to that, some Western scholars even have called Japanese mysticism as a natural mysticism rather than a spiritual mysticism. It is due to the nature’s significant role in the Japanese’s way of life which can bring ones back to their own true nature. As it is stated by Hoffman:

Indeed, even today the Japanese share a deep identification with nature. This is not nature as understood by Western religions, the work of a creator who stands apart from his work, but nature bursting with vitality, appearing and disappearing in cycles life and death, of summer and winter, spring and fall. The Japanese aspire to clarity of awareness, as of a mirror reflecting natural phenomena in its many forms. And anyone who has seen a Japanese stand silently for a good hour to view the blossoming cherries in spring and the reddening maples in fall, or to gaze at the full moon in the autumn sky, knows that this is no mere gesture of aesthetic appreciation, but an act of worship.2

This close relationship between the Japanese and nature is influenced by the presence of Zen Buddhism teachings. This Buddhism school and its teachings penetrate deeply in Japanese culture and give a great impact on every Japanese life aspect. It is even said that Zen Buddhism is considered as a great power which penetrates delicately in the artistic, intellectual and even the political life of the Far East.3Due to its great influence in Japanese life, Zen Buddhism even becomes

Daisetz T. Suzuki, Zen and Japanese Culture, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973) 334.

Yoel Hoffmann, Japanese Death Poems, (Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 1986) 39. 3

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the core of the Japanese finest culture which later affects its art convention.4As a consequence, the presence of Zen Buddhism teachings has both molded the Japanese’scharacter and become the expression of the character itself in every life aspect. This statement has made Zen as a kind of Buddhism school that is often

described as “thoroughly Japanese” since it becomes the essence of the Japanese soul that penetrates deeply in their heart and influences their perspective in seeing the life itself.5

Basically, the teachings of Zen Buddhism emphasize on nothingness that is taken from the notion ofmuor emptiness. However, it is not defined as nihilism since nihilism is regarded as self-destructive which leads to nowhere.6This notion of mu relates to a famous recitation that is commonly recited in many Zen monasteries which says “form is nothing but emptiness, emptiness is nothing but

form”. Particularly, it can be said that Zen Buddhism teachings do not regard nothingness in a term of non-existence. Yet, it is defined as the existence of the unseen behind the empty space which makes everything exists in the presence of emptiness.7Hence, this definition supports the notion that “Sunyata or emptiness is formless, but it is the fountainhead of all possibilities”.8Further, this notion also has become the core of Zen Buddhism teachings which believe in the concept of

George Sansom, Japan: A Short Cultural History, (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1978) 336.

ibid., p.336. 6

Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, (New York: Grove Press, Inc., 1977) 39. 7

Roger J. Davies and Osamu Ikeno, The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture, (Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2002) 225.

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oneness since the term of logical dualism is not acknowledged, including the dualism terms of death and life. Those terms are used in order to facilitate people in grasping the unity of death and life in the Realm of Emptiness.

The interrelationship between death and life can be seen clearly by borrowing the analogy of sakura.As a beautiful creature,sakurais awaited for its pretty blooming buds which later will turn into nothing when they wither and fall. Hence, it can be said that everything which represents life also represents death at the same time based on the belief of Zen Buddhism teachings. Later, this notion is perfectly described in thishaikubelow:

year upon year—

fertilizing thesakuratrees: blossom dust

toshidoshi ya / sakura o koyasu / hana no chiri9

Through the spectacles of Zen Buddhism teachings which adopt the concept of oneness, the presence of fallingsakurahas created a strong impression for the Japanese. Death and life, which can be seen through the representation of falling sakura, are regarded as an inseparable unity that complement each other and merged beautifully in their own existence. Further, seeing this scenery is like seeing an intimate dance of death and life in an elegant harmony. It is beautiful indeed, but somehow creates a strange cold feeling. It feels like the hands of death themselves which try to reach and bring anything into its embrace, including an innocent creature like sakura. Later, the unity of death and life as being inseparable parts is also mentioned by Kigen, the founder of the Sōtō School of Zen Buddhism:

Matsuo Bashō, Bashō’s Haiku: Selected Poems by Matsuo Bashō, trans. David Landis Barnhill. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004) 121.

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There is life in death, and there is death in life...This is not contrived by man willfully, but acted by Dharma (cosmic law) naturally...Although we have not left life, we already see death. Although we have not yet discarded death, we already meet life. Life does not

obstruct death, death does not obstruct life.’10

Related to the statement above, it is believed that the presence of death and life needs to be explored in order to emphasize the mortality of living beings in this temporal world. It means that human beings need to be aware that death is an undeniable part of their destiny as living entities. As it can be seen through the representation ofsakurasmall buds and falling petals, the eternal life cycle in this temporal world is described perfectly since everything is an object of death that is destined to die.

In its later development, Zen Buddhism teachings which give a unique color in the life of Japanese society also give a natural streak on the canvas of Japanese literature. Since it is believed that literary works do not stand in isolation, many Japanese writers who are also parts of Japanese society also take Zen Buddhism teachings as their source of inspiration in writing their works.11One of those writers is Yasunari Kawabata.

Yasunari Kawabata is known as the first Japanese writer who won the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1968 for his deep concern with the beautiful Japan or the Japanese elegant beauty as it is suggested by the title of his Nobel Prize acceptance speech Utsukushii Nihon no watakushi or Japan, the Beautiful and Myself.12Further, his international achievement in 1968 has made him as the

Kim Hin-Jee, Dōgen Kigen—Mystical Realist, (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1975) 226.

Janet Wolff, The Social Production of Art, (New York: New York University Press, 1993) 49.

Nina Cornyetz, The Ethics of Aesthetics in Japanese Cinema and Literature: Poligraphic Desire, (New York: Routledge, 2007) 13.

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second Asian writer who got the award after Rabindranath Tagore from India in 1913. His achievement in winning the Nobel Prize has brought equality to Asian literary works on the stage of World Literature.

Later, Kawabata’s triumph in winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968 is related to his good writing skill in the three novels namely Snow Country

or Yukiguni (1937), Old Capital or Koto (1962) and Thousand Cranes or

Senbazuru (1952). Kawabata’s international reputation itself is well established since his writings are translated by Edward G. Seidensticker, althoughKawabata’s

first writing entitled The Izu Dancer has already been published into German version in 1942 by Oscar Benl.13As stated in the New York Times that

Seidensticker’s English translations of The Old Capital (1956) and Thousand Cranes (1958) are acknowledged in helping Kawabata to be the first Japanese writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968.14Further, it can be said

that Seidensticker’s English translations have brought Kawabata’s writings into a

wider literary universe called the World of English Literature and later are published in many different languages around the world.

B. The Spotlight

It is undeniable that Kawabata’s victory brings a huge impact in Asian Literature, especially Japanese Literature. However, his brilliant achievement in winning the Nobel Prize is quite controversial. Previously, it was Yukio Mishima that was nominated for the Nobel Prize winner. Later, it was cancelled by the

Donald Keene, Five Modern Japanese Novelist, (New York: Columbia University Press, 2003) 24.

Margalit Fox, "Edward Seidensticker, Translator, Is Dead at 86," New York Times 31 August 2007, 19 May 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com>.

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Nobel Committee due to Mishima’s radical political view as a leftist. Since there was a thick influence of Western thoughts in the Nobel Prize Award, the

Committee was quite concerned that Mishima’s political view might be able to create future conflicts. Therefore, the Nobel Committee recommended Kawabata as the winner who was considered more mature and safer than Mishima.15

Despite Kawabata’s controversial victory, his writings have drawn international attention because of his unique quality in writing his works. As stated by Anders Ӧ sterling in his Nobel Prize of Literature ceremonial speech in 1968 as the representation of the Swedish Academy, Kawabata’s writings were voted due to Kawabata’s magnificent talent in making stunning wistful melancholy lyrical writings which were able to express the essence of the Japanese soul and attract the readers’ attention to the universality of human

experience.16As a further impact of Kawabata’s victory in 1968, it is undeniable that his writings have created a literary phenomenon around the world since 1968 due to the poetic quality of his writings. This quality refers to the use of poetic symbols which then evokes the presence ofpoetryin Kawabata’s writings. In this context, the term poetryor what is calledmousikè by Plato is simply defined as a

‘mysterious’ essence that can be found in all art works.17Further, poetry can be described as the result of an intense mixing process between the free creativity of the human beings’ soul and their emotional intuitive knowledge which later is

Keene, Five Modern Japanese Novelist 25. 16

"Nobelprize.org". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 29 Aug 2013. Available: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1968/press.html

Jacques Maritain, Creative Intuition in Art and Poetry, (Washington: Princeton University Press, 1981) 3.

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able to surpass and penetrate in all arts.18 Further, this essence can thrill those hearts who enjoy the art works with its moving power of flash spiritual enlightenment or what is called satori in Japanese. In its correlation to Kawabata’s writings, this essence is able to raise the readers’ curiosity about the uniqueness of Japanese literary pieces and its literary convention that are influenced by Zen Buddhism teachings. As a result, the uniqueness raises a sensational literary phenomenon in the World of Literature about the exotic flavor of Japanese literature itself. Consequently, this literary phenomenon has encouraged people to publish various translations of Kawabata’s writings in 22 different languages, including in Bahasa Indonesia.

Later, the publication of Kawabata’s writings in Bahasa Indonesia is initiated by Anas Ma’ruf entitled Negeri Salju or Yukiguni (1972).19 Then, it is followed by other BahasaIndonesia versions of Kawabata’s works such asRumah Perawan or Nemureru Bijo (1977) by Asrul Sani20,Penari-Penari Jepang or Izu no Odoriko(1985)21andDaerah SaljuorYukiguni(1987)22by Ajib Rosidi.

Further, many of Kawabata’s writings are also adapted into movies. They are Snow Country in 1967, 1969 and 2008; House of Sleeping Beauties in 1997, 2008 and 2011;Beauty and Sadnessin 1965 and 1985;Through Days and Months

in 1969; The Lake in 1970; Thousand Cranes in 1969; Two Sisters of Kyoto in

ibid., p. 393. 19

Yasunari Kawabata, Negeri Salju, trans.Anas Ma’ruf(Jakarta: Pustaka Jaya, 1972) 20

Kawabata, Rumah Perawan, trans. Asrul Sani (Jakarta: Pustaka Jaya, 1977) 21

Kawabata, Penari-Penari Jepang, trans. Ajib Rosidi (Jakarta: Djambatan, 1985) 22

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1962, Page of Madness in 1926 and 1973; The Izu Dancer in 1933, 1954, 1960, 1963, 1966 and 1974; and the last is Palm of the Hand Stories in 2009. Most of those movies are adapted into Japanese, but there are also some which are adapted into foreign languages such as: Snow Country that is adapted into English in the same title in 2008; Beauty and Sadness that is adapted into French entitled

Tristesse et Beauté in 1985 and the last is House of Sleeping Beauties that also adapted into German and English in 2008 and 2011 in two different titles Das Haus der Schlaferden SchӧnenandSleeping Beauty. Though some of Kawabata’s

writings gain international attention and are adapted into some foreign language movies, some of those movies unfortunately attract plenty of critics. The German adaptation of House of the Sleeping Beauties entitled Das Haus der Schlaferden Schӧnen is not received well by the audiences due to their ignorance of Japanese art convention which is inspired from Zen Buddhism teachings.23Its rating was only at 28% which made it called as “one of the worst releases of the year” in 2008.24

Before knowing Kawabata’s writings, many of Indonesian authors are quite familiar with haiku which is known as a form of seventeen-syllabled Japanese poem that often found decorating the Japanese literary pieces.25 This kind of poem is known as the modern development of the thirty one-syllabled

"rottentomatoes.com".rottentomatoes.com.Das Haus der Schlaferden Schӧnen (House of the Sleeping Beauties). Web. 29 Aug 2013. <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009828-house_of_sleeping_beauties/

24_{Vadim Rizov, "Vadim Glowna’s Laborious House of Sleeping Beauties," 12 November.} 2008, Village Voice, 29 August 2013. <http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-11-12/film/vadim-glowna-s-laborious-house-of-the-sleeping-beauties/full>.

Haikuandtankaare forms of Japanese short poems. The difference lies on the amount of lines.Tankaconsists of five lines, whilehaikuconsists of three lines.

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poem called tanka which existed around the end of the Heian period. Both forms of these poems are connected to the original form of rengaor linked poem. After having several developments, this tanka form turns into a shortened one called

haikaior haikuwhich is firstly adopted by one of the greatest haiku poets named Matsuo Bashō(1644-1694). In its later development,haikustill uses the particular conventions of tanka by the means of natural images, associations or plays on seasonal words. However, haiku is often expressed humorously through the simple use of everyday life images.26It is believed that through the use of those images in haiku, one will be able to experience the presence ofpoetry which will lead to the sudden flash of satori or spiritual enlightenment. Further, it is hoped that a free, genuine and sincere appreciation of life will be achieved since things are reflected naturally as the way they are inhaiku.27

Sincehaikuis part of the Japanese literary tradition and its art convention, people later see the quality of haiku through the lyrical and melancholy writings of Kawabata. Even Kawabata’s short stories have inspired many Indonesian poets

in writing their works, including Sapardi Joko Damono. As mentioned by Damono in his book that Kawabata’s writings have inspired him in writing his

segenggam cerita due to the form of Kawabata’s writings that is very short and

haiku-like.28In addition, Damono states that the brevity of those stories has made

Hoffmann 16. 27

Suzuki, Zen and Japanese Culture 375-376. 28

Sapardi Djoko Damono, Pengarang Telah Mati: Segenggam Cerita, (Magelang: Japan Indonesia Tera, 2001) vii-viii.

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them look alike ‘mini’ stories rather than short stories. In its development, it is believed that the short form of those stories is able to represent not only the brevity of life itself, but also the intensity of focus that becomes the essence of

Kawabata’shaikuwriting style. Besides, their brevity has made them to be called palm-of-the-hand-stories since virtually they fit into the palm of one’s hand.

Further, these short stories can be regarded as the miniature form of Kawabata’s

longer writings since all aspects that can be found in Kawabata’s longer writings such as Snow Country or Yukiguni (1937), Old Capital or Koto (1962) and

Thousand CranesorSenbazuru(1952) are expressed in“miniature ways”without reducing their best qualities.Hence, this unique form of Kawabata’s stories is able

to captivate many readers by the depth and the “subtle touch” of Japanese art convention in writing his works.29.

Though there is a tendency among the readers to regardKawabata’s palm-of-the-hand-stories as his ‘minor’ writings, those stories are able to express and represent the richness of his ability in interweaving the imageries and the powerful expression of deep emotion in a lyrical narrative way in which he is known for. Even, his compilation of short stories entitled Palm of the Hand Stories (1988) has created a special meaning in the universe of World Literature. It is due to the readers’ curiosity about the genre ambiguity of Kawabata’s

writings. Those readers are not aware that the presence of the clouds of ambiguity in Kawabata’s writings is part of Japanese art convention that is influenced by

Roy Starrs, Soundings in Time: The Fictive Art of Kawabata Yasunari, (Surrey: Japan Library, 1998) 1.

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Zen Buddhism notion of emptiness. In Zen Buddhism, logical dualism is not acknowledged since everything is part of each other and so do poem and prose. Besides, the use of poetics symbols has raised the poetic level that evokes the presence ofpoetryin his writings. As a result, most of Kawabata’s readers regard

that his writings look like short stories and poems at the same time. In addition,

the existence of Kawabata’s writings in the universe of World Literature has

created an amusement toward Japan and its culture. It is due toKawabata’sability in writing which touches the most basic sense of humanity through the exploration of everyday life-issues that do not only happen around him as Japanese, but also happen to others in different parts of the world.30

Related to those reasons, this study is trying to appreciate the brilliant achievement of Kawabata’s writings academically. In particular, this study is going to focus on his mini-short stories that can be found in his compilation of short stories entitled Palm of the Hand Stories (1988). Among seventy short stories that are published in English version, there are only seven short stories that are going to be analyzed in this study. They are “Canaries”, “Love Suicides”,

“Mother”, “Makeup”, “Death Mask”, “Tabi” and “Immortality”. Those short stories are parts ofKawabata’s short stories that can be found in the book written over almost fifty years period from 1923 until 1972. The main reason in choosing those short stories is related to the presence of different portraits of death that can be found in the stories which are influenced by Zen Buddhism teachings. Since

“Nobelprize.org". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 29 Aug 2013. Available: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1968/press.html

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Zen Buddhism teachings are based on the notion of emptiness which means seen beyond the unseen, it is believed that those portraits of death are able to reveal the hidden treasure of life. The treasure which can be found in the seeds of wisdom that generate in life from the presence of death itself.

Through his writings, Kawabata wants to convey an important message to his readers. He wants to remind people that nothing to be worried about death because it is a natural process that needs to be happened in order to preserve the life itself. Later, he also wants to invite people to be grateful for the significant presence of death in creating a beautiful life at the same time.

C. The Expectations

This research is conducted to enrich the studies done in the English Language Graduate Program Sanata Dharma University, especially in the field of World English Literature. As it is realized that the presence of World English Literature has widened the readers’ opportunity to access other literary works that

come from different countries and continents. Besides, English has played an important role as a golden bridge in creating equality in the World of English Literature that previously was limited by language, geographical location or race and most of the time was dominated by classical European canonical works. Further, these literary pieces will provide the readers with new understanding of

different cultures and enrich the readers’ knowledge of variousaspects that can be found in literary pieces. As a result, the readers will be able to learn about different themes, issues, tone or even the art conventions that can be found in

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literary pieces that make them unique. In the end, it is hoped that they will be able to bring freshness and new flavor in the World of Literature.

Moreover, the Japanese literature itself is particularly chosen related to its rapid growth as another branch of World Literature which preserves Japanese tradition and its art convention. Consequently, this special quality of Japanese literature has splashed another color on the canvas of World Literature and captivated many readers around the world31Besides, it is also believed that the analysis of the presence of death and its seeds of wisdom which generate in life will be beneficial for the readers in creating a meaningful life. The presence of death has underlined the brevity of life itself which makes every second counted. It means that life has to be filled with good deeds and gratitude in order to make the life itself beautiful.

Additionally, this research is conducted in response to the lack of today’s

people humanity. Hence, Kawabata wants to remind people through his writings that most of the time they tend to feel that their properties reflect who they are. They are inclined to measure that their perfect life is measured based on what they have and further they try to preserve those things in any way they know by neglecting their own conscience. Besides, people tend to forget their nature as mortal beings who are also destined to die just like others. Therefore, life needs to be appreciated through the presence of undeniable death. Hopefully, people will be able to find the seeds of wisdom which generate in life through the presence of death that are presented by Kawabata through his writings used in this study.

Keene, Modern Japanese Novels and the West, (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 1961) 32-33.

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D. The Riddles

Considering the background, the focus of the study and the urgency that are mentioned above, this study will discuss some problems. Those problems can be formulated as follows:

1. How is death portrayed in YasunariKawabata’s selected short stories?

2. How do those portraits of death generate seeds of wisdom in life as seen in the works under study?

E. The Intentions

This study is conducted to reveal the different portraits of death and the seeds of wisdom which generate in life found in Yasunari Kawabata’s short

stories. These various portraits of death can be regarded as Nō masks that can bring different impressions for those who see them in the drama performance.32

Yet, this drama is quite desolate just like Kawabata’s writings that are known for the presence ofpoetrythat can be felt through the power and beauty of their quiet, meditative and poetic language which speak clearly of a spiritful victory and a joyful life than any explicitly louder statement could do.33For Kawabata’s readers,

the quality of his writings brings a mysterious nuance which creates a deep impression. In addition to it, reading his writings is just like spreading some bread crumbs into a quiet peaceful pond and suddenly a school of Koi appears and replaces the nature’s tranquility with the splashing sound of water. It offers the

Nō drama is a Japanese folk entertainment in which the performers wear decorated costumes and masks that symbolize their emotions. In doing the performance, the lines of prose and poetry are chanted rather than spoken. The performers dance in a slow highly ritual steps on a small square stage.

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impression of natural freshness which creates a long lasting effect in mind just like Kawabata’s writings. Through his writings, Kawabata wants to awake the

readers’ awareness that everything does not always look as it seemed. Even death which is often regarded as a dreadful ugly thing has many different faces which cause different impressions for those who see them.

Yet, people usually relate the existence of death with sorrow, grief and misery. It is because death is interrelated with unbearable loss. Getting in touch with the cold hands of death even can freeze tears with its coldness which can be the ultimate pain that people hardly bear. Yet, knowing the different portraits of

death may alter people’s perception in seeing the death itself. The portraits of death that are wrapped by Zen Buddhism teachings may offer a consolation since death is regarded as a natural process that has to be happened in order to create a beautiful life. As a result, the presence of death can be seen as a beautiful thing rather than a dreadful one. However, it depends on the spectacles that are used and the angles that are taken in seeing the death itself. Hopefully, the result of this study will bring a positive impact to increase people’s awareness in finding the seeds of wisdom which generate from the presence of death. It is hoped that those seeds of wisdom will be able to help people in creating a beautiful life for themselves and others.

F. The Stepping Stones

In order to answer the research questions, there are two things that need to be discussed. They are the subjects of the study and the approach that is used in the study.

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As the subjects of the study, the mini-short stories written by Yasunari Kawabata are chosen. These short stories are taken from Kawabata’s compilation

of short stories entitled Palm of the Hand Stories, published in English by Lane Dunlop and J. Martin Holman in 1988. This book consists of seventy mini-short stories written by Kawabata from 1922 until 1972. Further, there are only seven stories chosen as the subjects of the study. They are “Canaries”,“Love Suicide”,

“Mother”, “Makeup”, “Death Mask”, “Tabi” and “Immortality”. These short

stories are chosen based on the presence of death which then draws the writer’s

attention to reveal different portraits of death which later generate the seeds of wisdom in life.Through Kawabata’s stories,the presence of death is seen more as the eternal celebration of the transience of life itself which then invites the readers to realize and appreciate life as something that is beautiful due to its brevity. Related to that, the analysis will focus on revealing different portraits of death and the seeds of wisdom which generate in life found in Kawabata’s selected short stories used in this study.

In answering the research questions, the study involves the exploration of

Yasunari Kawabata’s selected literary works found in his Palm of the Hand Stories(1988). Some data that are needed for the study are taken from the printed books, e-books and other related data which deal with Yasunari Kawabata’s

writings and background as Japanese writer, the Japanese literature, Zen Buddhism teachings and the Japanese view on death. Further, the following procedure is taken in order to conduct the study systematically. The first step is finding the subjects of study and the issues that can be taken as topic of the study. The next step is determining the scope of the study in order to give limitation of

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the study. This limitation deals with methodology and the theories that need to be applied in the study. Then, answering the problem formulation by applying the methodology and the theories in analyzing Kawabata’s selectedshort stories. This step is very crucial in finding the answers of the problems in this study. Last step is drawing conclusions related to the findings of the study that deal with Yasunari

Kawabata’sselected writings used in this study.

In order to answer the research questions, this study uses hermeneutics criticism. Generally, hermeneutics can be defined as the art or theory of interpretation.34However, in this study, it is connected to literary field under the

term of “literary hermeneutics”. It is a particular kind of hermeneutics which can be simply defined as the interpretation theory of literary texts.35 The aim of hermeneutics itself is about having experience rather than gaining a definite knowledge. Hence, the readers need to equip themselves with relevant information to form the horizon of expectation which will evoke their sense of openness in having particular experience of new things.36

Related to its definition, hermeneutics has become a particular research method which facilitates an intense interaction between the readers as the active producers of meaning in literary texts and the text that voices its meaning.37It means that in applying this research method, hermeneutical practice involves the

Robert Audi, ed. The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999) 377.

Ming Dong Gu, Chinese Theories of Reading and Writing: A Route to Hermeneutics and Open Poetics. (Albany: New York Press, 2005) 1.

Chris Lawn and Niall Keane, The Gadamer Dictionary (New York: Continuum, 2011) 51.

Michael Marra, Essays on Japan: Between Aesthetics and Literature, (Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers, 2010) 277.

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equal use of the readers’particular experience based on the horizon of expectation that is formed by relevant background information in order to make the text

‘voices’ its own meaning.38 Since each reader has different past and present experience, the result of interpretation of each reader would be different and it cannot be denied that the result of interpretation would be very subjective and personal between one and another.

Based on the previous discussion, some information which deals with

Yasunari Kawabata’s writings and background as Japanese writer, the Japanese

literature, Zen Buddhism teachings and the Japanese view on death needs to be inserted in this process of interpretation. They are needed to form the horizon of expectation which will be useful in creating the readers’ particular experience in dealing with Kawabata’s writings wrapped in Zen Buddhism teachings. Hence, some writings about Zen Buddhism teachings and Japanese literature are needed in order to explore the different portraits of death and their seeds of wisdom in life found in Kawabata’s selected short stories used in this study. Those writings which written by Daisetz T. Suzuki, Donald Keene and Michael Marra are used as the ‘main’ references since those people are considered as the ‘experts’ in the related fields. Their competency in understanding the development of Japanese literature including the influence of Zen Buddhism teachings in the notion of death preferred by the Japanese can be used to deepen the analysis of this study. Finally, those background information will be useful in revealing different portraits of death and the seeds of wisdom that generate in life found in

Kawabata’s selected short stories taken fromPalm of the Hand Stories(1988).

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

As mentioned in the previous chapter, this study is conducted to reveal the different portraits of death and the seeds of wisdom which generate in life found in Yasunari Kawabata’s selected English version mini-short stories taken from his writings compilation entitled Palm of the Hand Stories (1988). Since his great

achievement in 1968, Kawabata’s writings are known world widely. Asan impact, a wave of curiosity raises among the scholars to do some studies on his writings. Some of those studies deal with his famous novels that won the Nobel Prize award, such as Snow Country (1937), Old Capital (1962) and Thousand Cranes (1952). As one of Japanese writers who follow the Japanese literary tradition and its art

convention, Kawabata’s works later remind people of tanka and haiku not only due to the decorative use of natural images, associations and play of seasonal words, but also the presence of gaps and the use of haiku form in his writings. Moreover, contrasts which also become significant aspects in haiku can also be

found in Kawabata’s writings.39The contrasts in his writings can be seen through the portraits of youth in the agony of old age, virginity that is engraved on the body of prostitutes, glorious life that can be felt through the dense atmosphere of death or even eternity that can be grasped through the fragility of mortal life. Consequently, reading Kawabata’s writingsneeds an exploration of a wide space of imagination in order to get their genuine essence which will generate the seeds of wisdom in life.

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Related to Kawabata’s poetic lyrical quality in his writings, many scholars

view it as a uniqueness which makes his writings as great as classical Japanese

literary works. One of the studies mentions that Kawabata’sSnow Country(1937) is comparable with a classical Japanese narrative entitledThe Tale of Genji(1021) written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu. It is related to Kawabata’s ability in creating

unforgettable impressions in his writings through “the emphasis on decorative details, such as the scent of perfectly brewed tea or the crane pattern adorning a

kimono” whichare the characteristic of the classic Heian-period monogatari(tale fiction).40 Further, those impressions are able to make Kawabata’s readers

experience the similar effect that is provided by tanka and haiku in the classical Japanese literary works. As mentioned in the following:

By nature,Snow Countryis a kind of ‘lyrical novel’ or ‘prose poem’ in step with classical Japanese narratives, such as The Tale of Genji. The work lacks a well-defined plot structure. Flashbacks are suddenly mixed in, while relevant information is often left out. The unresolved ending does not give the reader a firm sense of fulfillment or closure. The story is mainly narrated, but not exclusively, from Shimamura’s perspective, although he is not the narrator. In this mode of perception, the narrative viewpoint solely focuses on the items that Shimamura finds worth noticing, either for an aesthetic value or for mere interest. ...

The reader is therefore expected to appreciate not a series of actions, which would keep him or her suspended in eager anticipation of the story’s unfolding, but rather beauty observed in human affairs as well as in seasonal changes of the mountain environment. ... Such an aesthetically charged moment is comparable to what tanka and haiku poems provide in classical Japanese narratives.41

In addition, another study mentions about Kawabata’s ability in using a

loose-fragmented structure of linked verse and a sharp sudden flash of satori in catching natural scenes through hishaiku-style lyrical novel has made his writings so rich of classical taste of Japanese literary works. As it is written in the following quotation:

David Pollack, Reading Against Culture: Ideology and Narrative in the Japanese Novel, (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1992) 116.

41_{Masaki Mori, “Kawabata’s Mirrored Poetics}

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The slight story of a Tokyo Dilettante named Shimamura and his affair with a hot spring

geisha called Komako on his periodic visits to the “snow country,” the novel displays those features for which Kawabata is renowned: a loose, fragmented structure traceable

rengaor linked verse; sharp, fleeting and often startlingly modernistic images taken from reminiscent ofhaikupoetry; a dominance of sensual impressions, especially the sense of touch; and a sad poignant lyricism recalling such Japanese classics asThe Tale of Genji

(from the eleventh century).42

Further, the use of a loose-fragmented structure in Kawabata’s writings is

related to renga as the heritage of Japanese literary tradition.43 This literary tradition regards plot of the story or suji as a decorative thin thread that sews up every part of the story such as: themes, characters, settings and narrative art in a loose knot. As mentioned by Kenkichi Yamamoto in his postscript of 1957 edition of The Sound of the Mountain found in Starrs’ book, this particular fragmented structure of renga-like found in Kawabata’s writings is adopted from the ancient tradition of renga poets who also wrote their works in verse-by-verse style or

ichiku ichiku. In the same sectionof Starrs’ book, Mitsuo Nakamura adds that the structure found in Kawabata’s writings is later called as earthworm-like structure due to the ability of “Kawabata’s writings that can be cut up into any number of parts and still each part can survive on its own”.44As an impact, the readers are still able to understand the grand design of Kawabata’s writings from any parts that they read by using their flowing imagination in completing the missing parts of those writings. Since Kawabata’s writings are parts of the Japanese art convention which influenced by Zen Buddhism teachings, reading his writings is like viewing the Sino-Japanese ink painting called sumi-esince Kawabata acts as

42_{Iwamoto Yoshio, “The Nobel Prize in Literature,}

1967-1987: A Japanese View.” World Literature Today 62.2 (1988): 217-221.

Starrs, Soundings in Time: The Fictive Art of Kawabata Yasunari 174. 44

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the painter who uses the blank spaces of his painting to arise the viewers’

imagination in completing the whole image pictured on the painting. Hence, it can be said that Kawabata does not only regard Zen Buddhism as his source of inspiration in writing, but also as part of his character as Japanese writer.45

Another important aspect found is the use of natural elements in

Kawabata’s writings. According to Kawabata, daily events such as chirping birds, falling leaves or even breezing wind can be used as suitable media to express the unexpressed feeling and also as the source of inspiration in writing.46Yet, the use

of natural elements and seasonal words in Kawabata’s writings are not only able

to create aesthetical moments, but also raise the complexity level of his writings especially for his foreign readers who read his writings in non-Japanese translations.47 In addition, it is mentioned that the complexity is related to the traditional view of Japanese literary style that regards silence as the mark of sincerity since sometimes words that are used as the medium in expressing feelings are inadequate to express the real depth of feeling. This statement is aligned with the notions that are mentioned by Kenneth Yasuda and John Gould

Fletcher in Yasuda’s book entitled The Japanese Haiku (2001) which can be found in the quotation below:

When one happens to see a beautiful sunset or lovely flowers, for instance, he is often so delighted that he merely stands still. This state of mind might be called “ahh-ness” for the beholder can only give one breath-long exclamation of delight: “Ah!” The object has seized him and he is aware only of the shapes, the colors, the shadow, the blendings...

Sansom 336.

Starrs, Soundings in Time: The Fictive Art of Kawabata Yasunari 187. 47 _{Gwenn Boardman Petersen,“Kawabata Yasunari: Snow in the Mirror,”}

Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction 9.2 (1969): 5-15.

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There is here no time or place explicitly for reflection, for judgments, or for the observer feelings. There is only the speaking, impassioned object, withits “extraordinary powers to set up echoes in the reader’s mind.”48

Further, Kawabata as a Japanese writer who adopts Japanese literary heritage and its art convention also uses natural elements and seasonal words in his writings as the medium to express the unexpressed feeling.49Moreover, Kinya also mentions in Starrs’ book that the natural elements and seasonal words are also used to emphasize the depth of the feeling that Kawabata wants to convey to his readers.

Even though Kawabata’s writings are complicated ones to be understood,

it is mentioned that a careful reading of his writings may offer the readers a unique experience which cannot be found in the West.50It is believed that the particular experience offered by the Japanese literary pieces, especially

Kawabata’s writings, is related to its literary tradition and its art convention that are influenced by Zen Buddhism teachings.51 Since plot and characters in the stories are only regarded as complements due to the use of loose-fragmented structure, Kawabata emphasizes more efforts on the use of lyrical-delicate-language style in writing his stories. The use of lyrical-delicate-lyrical-delicate-language style in

Kawabata’s writings has underlined his special quality as a Japanese writer who preserves the Japanese literary tradition of renga.52Further, it is even said that Kawabata is considered as a truly poet since he has a particular ability to observe

Kenneth Yasuda, The Japanese Haiku. (New York: Tuttle Publishing, 2001) 38-39.

Starrs, Soundings in Time: The Fictive Art of Kawabata Yasunari 64. 50

Petersen, Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction 15. 51

Sansom 336.

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human life through Japanese traditional spectacles which later offered the readers with the beautiful scenes of ancient Japan that are essential in Japanese literary heritage.53 In addition, his role as a haiku-poet always puts him in deep communion with all living things including the humblest life forms of natural world. The seasonal words which can be found in his writings such as the moon cycle, changing season, scattering of the autumn leaves are used to reflect the passing time and the brevity of human existence in this transient world.54Through the precise detailed depictions of the characters in his stories, Kawabata wants to convey his idea to his readers that the characters in his writings represent ordinary people who only become small parts of a vast natural design of this universe. This idea is emphasized by Kawabata by using anonymous characters in most of his writings which are simply called ‘the woman’, ‘the man’, ‘the husband’, ‘the wife’, ‘the mother’, ‘the father’, ‘the girl’, the boy, the daughter or the son’

without mentioning any particular names. Through the use of those anonymous characters, Kawabata wants to make the readers realize that the things happened in the stories are ordinary things that can also happen to everyone in ordinary life since everything is part of others.55Besides, Kawabata wants to emphasize that those characters represent all human beings who play the same role like other living beings in order to create a good harmony in this transient life. Moreover, they also share the same fate with other living beings as mortal beings which are

Petersen, The Moon in the Water: Understanding Tanizaki, Kawabata, and Mishima, (Hawaii: The University Press f Hawaii, 1979) 128.

Ivan Morris, rev. of The Sound of the Mountain, by Yasunari Kawabata, The New York Times Book Review 14 June.1970: 5, 27.

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destined to die.56As aconsequence of Kawabata’s careful observation towards his

surroundings, the characters in his stories leave unforgettable impressions in his

readers’ mindwhich later create a particular experience for his readers as if they were the characters themselves. Later, Kawabata’s writings become so real and

natural since they are so rich with the true colors of human life that are not only filled with joy and laugh, but also with sorrow and tears.

As mentioned that Zen Buddhism has become the essence of the Japanese soul that influences their perspective in seeing the life itself, Zen Buddhism has molded not onlyKawabata’s character as Japanese, but also the way he expresses his perspective in seeing the life itself through his writings.57It can be seen in the way he adopts haikuwhich is part of Japanese art convention in his writings. It is due to the belief that haiku is an expression of enlightenment in which both the writer and the reader see into the life of things naturally.58This notion is aligned with the idea mentioned earlier thathaiku has helped in gainingsatorior spiritual enlightenment.59Further, this notion is related to the belief that the presence of

haikuis able to utter the unspoken Dharma Law which said that everything is part of each other in the Realm of Emptiness. In other word, haiku has become an alternative way of returning people to nature as its natural entities. It means that

haiku has the ability in returning people to their moon nature, to their sakura

nature or in brief, to return them to their Buddha nature due to its role in evoking

Suzuki, Zen and Japanese Culture 353.

Sansom 336. 58

R. H. Blyth, Haiku, Vol. 1: Eastern Culture, (Tokyo: The Hokuseido Press, 1950) 270. 59

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APPENDIX

The Summary of “Canaries”

Yasunari Kawabata wrote “Canaries” in 1924 as it can be found in his

Palm of the Hand Stories. Since virtually the short stories that are compiled in Kawabata’s Palm of the Hand Stories fitted on one’s palm, “Canaries” is also found as a very short story which consists not more than two pages only. This story is being told in a form of letter-like that tells about an affair of two people who already got married to others. The woman who is also known as the Madam realizes that their love is forbidden one, so she has decided to end their forbidden affair. In order to maintain the memories of her presence and their beautiful moments, the woman gives the man a pair of canaries. She wants him to nurture them well in order to keep their memories alive as the living souvenirs from the past. Ironically, these birds are nurtured by the man’s wife. When the wife died, the man finally realizes that keeping his past memories with another woman is an unforgivable thing. He cannot keep their forbidden story longer due to his homage towards the memories of his wife’s loyal devotion in serving him as a husband. Finally, the man decides to kill the canaries and bury them in his wife’s grave as his final redemption toward his forbidden affair. Though the ending is always unclear just like other Kawabata’s writings, many consider this letter asthe man’s farewell letter to his own life with all the mistakes that he has made, including his forbidden affair with the Madam that can only be redeemed by stepping on the path of death.

The Summary of“Love Suicides”

“Love Suicides” is a short story that Yasunari Kawabata wrote in 1926. Just like“Canaries”, it also consists of two pages only. “Love Suicides”is a story of a family that consists of three people. They are a father, a mother and a little daughter. In the story, it is mentioned that they live separately because of the man’s ‘hatred’ towards his family, especially his wife. He tries to ‘ignore’ them and never contact them. In fact, the husband cannot really ignore them. After two years, the wife received a letter from his dearly husband. Yet, the letter contains of many prohibitions rather than good news. He says that his wife must tell the child not to do this and that since whatever the child does has disturbed the husband and has broken his heart. The wife follows her husband’s order in order to make him happy. But it seems that it cannot satisfy him. One day, he asks his wife and his daughter ‘to be stay still’, not making a single movement and sound or even for breathing. The wife feels devastated of her husband’s order. Finally, she realizes

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that his husband really hates them and wants to get rid of them. Slowly but sure, both the mother and the daughter died. Strangely, knowing their death, the woman’s husband died too considering that he has no one left in running his life. Through the story, the presence of the beloved ones in a form of family is emphasized through their solid absence which later may make the life itself meaningless yet precious. In this story, death is seen as the final redemption of each other mistakes to start an eternal reunion in the Realm of Emptiness.

The Summary of “Death Mask”

“Death Mask” is a short story that Yasunari Kawabata wrote in 1932. Though it is also considered as Kawabata’s mini short stories, “Death Mask” is actually a bit longer than the other two short stories that are mentioned previously since it consists of three pages. Actually, this short storyis only about the man’s jealousy towards his woman’s past love stories. The story is started with the woman’s dying moment which is described through the man’s point of view as the woman is dying on his lap. Though the story is told smoothly through Kawabata’s flawless narration, it cannot be denied that the dense atmosphere of jealousy wrapped the story tightly. The man’s selfishness and attachments toward worldly desires are underlined through his longing feelings of the woman’s eternal love. Before her last breath, the woman warns the man about his dark jealousy towards her love that will not fade away even after her death. Surprisingly, things happened as the woman has said before her death. The man feels his jealousy arose once as a particular actor of the new theater comes to pay his respect to the dead woman and then applies some makeup on her death face which makes her gained her fresh vital beauty. Then, another artist also comes, spreads some plaster on the woman’s facein order to make a death mask that can ‘resurrect’ her beauty forever. Hence, the visit of these men has made the man’s jealousy got worse considering to never ending love battle that surrounds the woman even after her death. Due to his worse jealousy, the man has decided to go to the artist’s place to take the woman’s death mask. Ironically, he does not recognize the mask anymore since the mask represents something else but the woman herself. It looks like a woman and also a man. Further, it also looks like a young girl and an old woman. Somehow, this scene has struck the man’s consciousness that nothing can deny the presence of death due to its role in vanishing the attachments and selfishness toward worldly desires. The man realizes that nothing remains forever, including his love for the woman or vice versa. At the end, death is seen as something that can give total liberation from the attachments of worldly desires itself.

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The Summary of “Mother”

Yasunari Kawabata wrote “Mother” in 1926. It is quite a long short story since it consists of four pages. This story is started and ended in a unique way by using the same poem which tells about the correlation of wife and mother in the male character’s life. Interestingly, the poem creates different effect to the readers once they read the story as they put as the beginning and ending of the story in two different sections. This story is later divided into two other sections namely the husband’s illness and the wife’s illness. In the first section, the story of a sick husband who is afraid of infecting his healthywife and son with lung’s disease is told. The persistent efforts of the husband to stay away from the family are told in an intense narration. The husband even regards that he is the one who brings the curse of lung’s disease towards his family. On the other hand, the next section tells about the wife’s efforts in convincing her husband to get rid of his own negative thought of bringing the bad luck to the family. Even, she wants to break that thought by forcing his husband to infect her purposely. Finally, she is infected and must be put in the same room with her husband. In the story, Kawabata provides two different points of views in seeing the presence of death itself through the husband’s and wife’s intense dialogues in those two sections. Though the husband regards that death is the end of everything since it will take everything from him, the wife regards that death is part of natural process that has to be grateful for. Even, the wife regards that death has made her life meaningful since it can liberate her husband from the heavy burden of bringing curse to the family. Further, death itself is able to gather the complete presence of the wife and the missing presence of mother in the husband’s life which actually always be in his life. Besides, his wife’s death has awakened his consciousness about the natural exception of death itself in life. In the end, death itself is considered as something that can bring a relieve feeling that comes from the total liberation of worldly desires of possessing life eternally.

The Summary of “Makeup”

“Makeup” is another short story used in this study that consists of three pages only. Yasunari Kawabata wrote it only in three pages in 1930. This story itself is told in the first point of view in which a man talks about his daily view of a funeral home called Yanaka Funeral Hall which is located next to his house. At first, the story tells about the solemn atmosphere that is wrapped the surrounding of the funeral home and its graveyard. The presences of death in life and vice versa are emphasized by using other natural elements that are found around the funeral hall. Insects, birds, flowers and even the wreaths are used to juxtapose life

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and death in life, especially in human life. Through smooth beautiful narration, Kawabata is able to draw the attention to the rest room of the funeral hall. In there, the different portraits of women who attend the funeral are depicted through the male character’s spectacles. Kawabata then narrates the unusual depiction through the contrast transformation of women as beautiful creatures into ugly wicked sinful witches who are greedy enough to take what are left from the dead one. This depiction is tightly attached into the male character’s mind that regards all of those women as greedy heartless beasts. Then, a pretty young girl comes to the rest room and shows her ‘sincere’ feeling of loss through her overflowed crying. Her cry touches the male character’s heart and somehow offers him with a new hope that there is someone who is actually ‘honest’ about her loss. Unexpectedly, the girl takes out a small mirror, gives a puzzling smile and leaves the rest room. This moment has struck the man’s heart since the girl has proven that death can present people’sreal nature in life as selfish predators who want to posses the dead person heritage greedily. In the story, the title‘makeup’ is used to reveal human’sugliness rather than to conceal their evil deed in deceiving others. Hence, death is seen as the representation of life since it can represent the nature of human beings in life.

The Summary of “Tabi”

“Tabi” is another three pages short story that Yasunari Kawabata wrote in 1948.Actually ‘tabi’ means socks whichcan be related to the presence of warmth of wearing them in winter. Hence, in this story, tabi is used to represent the warmth of the heart since tabi can bring back the old memories of the beloved ones. Further, tabi is used to emphasize the presence of death in preserving the life itself through its presence. This story is told in a delicate innocent narration through a little girl’s point of view who talks about the deaths of her late sister and her former platonic love who happens to be her own teacher. In the story, death is able to create a carving of unforgettable memories in the girls’ heart due to the deaths of her beloved sisters and teacher. In the beginning of the story, Kawabata presents the dense flavor of death through the vivid depiction of the sister’s dying moments. Kawabata is able to create a real experience of being the witness when the cold grip of death claimed the sister’s life. Later, death is smoothly transformed its ugly face into the pretty seed of life as a white intestinal roundworm appears from the dead sister’s mouth. Further, the presence of the white roundworm is able to draw the girl’s memories of her dead sister’s kindness to her in the past. Her sister has done a good deed in the past by giving her money to buy tabi in order to see a movie that is sponsored by a particular tabi company.

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Since then, the girl always associates the sister with tabidue to her clean and pure heart just like the tabi itself. The story is then continued with the girl’s past memories of her former forbidden love with her former teacher, Mr. Mitsuhashi which makes her relationship with her sister strained. When she buys a get well present for Mr. Mitsuhashi, her sister forbids her to give it to him and to stay away from him. Not long after, the sister tells the girl that Mr. Mitsuhashi has died. She attends his funeral on the girl’s behalf and offers the present that the girl has bought in Mr. Mitsuhashi’s memory. This event has emphasized her sister’s past deed to her as she showers love and care to Mr. Mitsuhashi who has died in agony. For the girl, death is able to preserve the life of her sister in her memories. It is death that can bring the warmth into her heart due to the relieve feeling that death has freed her sister from the agony of life itself, just like tabi that always cover feet with warmth in winter.

The Summary of “Immortality”

Yasunari wrote “Immortality” in 1963. Unlike his other writings that are used in this story, “Immortality” is considered as a quite long short story since it consists of four pages. In this short story, Kawabata talks about the love story between an old man named Shintaro and a young girl named Misako. It is interesting that through a flawless beautiful narration, Kawabata is able to depict a dream-like magical situation in the story as the notions of logical dualism merged beautifully in the story. In this story, it is mentioned that Shintaro and Misako are a couple of lovers who are separated and gathered by death. An old Shintaro meets again with his former liver, Misako who happens to drown herself in the ocean when she was eighteen and leaves Shintaro in loneliness. However, Kawabata does not state their unusual love story in a blunt statement but through glimpse of hints that decorate the story beautifully. Those hints are presented through random memories that appear between them. Through those memories, Shintaro’s and Misako’s point of views in seeing death are juxtaposed. Shintaro sees death as something that has separated him with Misako. Yet, Misako sees death as something that can preserve her life in Shintaro’s memory. She believes that death is a life preserver that can preserve her youth and also the freshness of her love in Shintaro’s memory. Even, when Shintaro wants to commit suicide together with her, Misako refuses it. It is because she wants to live forever in Shintaro’s heart and mind. Misako then tugs at Shintaro’s hand, they totter together toward great trees and surprisingly as Misako passes the trees easily, Shintaro also does the same as if he becomes a ghost already just like Misako. Yet, the identity of Shintaro as a ghost or common human being is not revealed

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until the end. Kawabata as the writer provides a wide space of imagination for the readers to develop by themselves. Through this story, Kawabata tries to present another face of death as the life preserver and let the readers to draw their own strands of wisdom from his stories, as he always does with his other writings.

Falling Sakura : death and its seeds of wisdom in Yasunari Kawabata`s Selected Short Stories.

Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom

in Yasunari Kawabata’s

Selected Short Stories

A THESIS

Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom

in Yasunari Kawabata’s Selected Short Stories

A THESIS

Every story has an end, but in LIFE every ENDING is just A

NEW BEGINNING...

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

APPENDIX

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Dukungan

Links

Falling Sakura : death and its seeds of wisdom in Yasunari Kawabata`s Selected Short Stories.

Death and Its Seeds of Wisdom

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

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LITERATURE REVIEW

APPENDIX

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Falling Sakura death and its seeds of wisdom in Yasunari Kawabata`s Selected Short Stories

WOMEN’S PARALYSIS AND POWER OF MOTHERHOOD IN THREE SELECTED SHORT STORIES IN DUBLINERS’S JAMES JOYCE - Repositori Universitas Andalas

WOMEN’S PARALYSIS AND POWER OF MOTHERHOOD IN THREE SELECTED SHORT STORIES IN DUBLINERS’S JAMES JOYCE - Repositori Universitas Andalas

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