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“Before leaving, I paid another visit to my parents’ grave. I have not seen it since. I don’t suppose I shall ever see it again” (143).

After being cheated by his uncle of his inheritance, sensei’s heart for his family is gone forever.

Mike Xiao (pd. 1)

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Leaving behind the dying farther for the dead sensei 

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Leaving behind the dying farther for the dead sensei 

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“In any case, I was to agitated to stay still. I jumped into rickshaw and urged the man to hurry to the station” (123).

What does the narrator’s action say about the spirit of Meiji Era?

Mike Xiao (pd. 1)

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"But while my father was quick to assume that only those with no ability at all would love in idleness, my brother seemed to think that men who refused to make use of their talents were worthless characters" (Page 115)
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: laziness; indolence.

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"Haven't you heard from him yet?" she would say reproachfully" (Page 114)
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: expressing disapproval or disappointment.

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"Wondering whether she thought her ideas to be logical irrefutable or statistically demonstrable, I listened to my mother's platitudes in silence" (Page 85)
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.

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"Wondering whether she thought her ideas to be logically irrefutable or statistically demontratable, I listened to my mother's platitudes in silence" (Page 85)
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: impossible to deny or disprove.

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"Perhaps he meant to say that he was too intensely conscious of right and wrong, or perhaps he meant that his fastidiousness amounted to something like a morbid love of cleanliness" (Page 70)
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness

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"With a nonchalant air, I began to walk more quickly, leaving Sensei behind" (Page 64)
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: (of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.

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"On my way to his house, I noticed the young buds on the twigs of there quince hedges bursting into leaf, and I saw too the shiny brown leaves of the pomegranate trees softly reflecting the sunlight" (Page 56)
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a hard, acid pear-shaped fruit used in preserves or as flavoring.

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"As someone in days gone by might have put it, it was like introducing the smell of a Christian into the home of a Confucianist" (Page 50)
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.

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"Finally, at the beginning of September, I decided to go to Tokyo" (Page 97)

Although the Narrator is slowly dying and may die when the Narrator is in Tokyo, the Narrator can care less. He cares more about Sensei and how he is doing.

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"At that moment I hated Sensei" (Page 64)

This was the one moment that the Narrator felt a different way about Sensei. He was always looking up at him, believing that he was above and beyond everyone else. However, in this one moment, he felt otherwise in which was an important part of the story.

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"But no matter how hard she tried, she could not find what this thing was that operated them" (Page 40)

This stuck out to me because it is ironic how a husband and a wife have a relationship like this. Normally a marriage is a happy moment in ones life that brings two people closer together. However, Sensei and Ojosan's marriage is the total opposite.

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"I could not think of anything to say" (Page 30)

Sensei, multiple times, makes the Narrator speechless. It is as if Sensei is telling him the reality of life, or showing him his future through his words.

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"I did not care what you did. It was not, to my way of thinking, worth all the fuss. I put your letter in the letter rack and continued to worry about my own problems". (Page 126)

It is ironic how Sensei seems to care less about the Narrator's well being, but the Narrator puts Sensei up on a pedestal. Their relationship is not mutual majority of the time.

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"My father's condition remained the same for a week or so. During that time, I wrote a long letter to my brother in Kyushu. I had my mom write to my sister" (Page 102)

It is kind of sad to know that the children don't really care about the father's situation. The narrator especially can care less about his dying father, he is more into knowing whether or not Sensei is going to respond to his letter and if he is well.

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"I had come home on the fifth or sixth of July, and it was about a week after that that my parents had started discussing plans for the dinner". (Page 91)

This stuck out to me because I feel like every parent does this for their child. If their child does something amazing then they want everyone around them to know what their child has done. It is kind of showing off but in a subtle way.

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"So long as my wife is alive, I want you to keep everything I have told you a secret-even after I myself am dead". (Page 248)

When I first started reading this book, I did not approve the "intimate" relationship between Sensei and the Narrator because now days that is not a thing. However after reading this sentence, it shows that the Narrator holds a strong place in Sensei's heart.

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"Did you just get back?" (Page 182)

Why is it that these are the words words that come out of K's mouth when the Sensei returns from school?

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"But every time I dropped my pen thinking I could not go on, I found that, before a full hour had passed, I was writing once more". (Page 127)

Is it possible that Sensei and the Narrator's relationship is stronger than the relationship between Sensei and his wife? The Narrator and his family? Why are they so attracted to each other?

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"It was, I think, two days before I was due to leave that my father fainted once more". (Page 100)

Do you think the Narrator was more devastated about his own father's death or Sensei's death?

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"It's rather embarrassing, you know, not to have an answer when I am asked, 'Now that your younger son has graduated, what is he going to do?". (Page 93)

Why is it that parents, in the book and also in real life, are so hard on their children when we are working so hard? When will parents become satisfied with their children's doings?

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"What surprised me when I got home was that my father's health seemed not to have changed much during the months I had been away". (Page 81)

How is the Narrator's life similar to the life he has in Tokyo with Sensei?

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"He seemed vexed as her turned his face towards the garden. Not long before, the garden had been full of camellias. But now, the flowers, which had brightened the scenery with their rich, red color, were all gone". (Page 29)

Every single time Sensei and the narrator go for walks, there is always a mention of nature. Does the nature reference have anything to do with Sensei? How are they related to each other?

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"You have never thought of the reality of death, have you?". (Page 10)

Is it because Sensei lives life is regrets that he thinks of death at such a young age, and constantly?

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"I grinned as I took off my cap. And looking at his face, I wondered how such a man could carry so much hatred in his heart". (Page 67)

How is it that Sensei gives off a negative vibe, somewhat unappealing to be around, but the narrator is so attracted to him?

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Shizu - Meaning of Shizu, What does Shizu mean?

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Meaning of Shizu - What does Shizu mean? Read the name meaning, origin, pronunciation, and popularity of the baby name Shizu for girls.

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"Kokoro is considered a novel of great psychological insight. Through various framing techniques, it accurately describes a suicidal man without ever providing a true reason behind his loneliness."

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"Kokoro is considered a novel of great psychological insight. Through various framing techniques, it accurately describes a suicidal man without ever providing a true reason behind his loneliness."

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https://frogkun.com/2015/02/01/natsume-soseki-and-the-cult-of-loneliness-or-my-kokoro-is-wrong-as-expected/

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READ! The event that changed Soseki's life

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READ! The event that changed Soseki's life

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Shuzenji, an onsen (hot-spring) town in the heart of the Izu Peninsula, is a little piece of heaven. Nestled in the densely wooded hills of Shizuoka Prefecture, its collection of baths, guesthouses and shops line up on either side of the rushing Katsura River, with historic temples, shrines and bamboo groves in the surrounding forests.

At the very center of town, almost in the river itself, is a tiny open-air foot bath called Dokko no yu. It is said to have been created by Buddhist priest Kukai (774-835) and is supposedly the oldest hot-spring bath on the peninsula. A few minutes walk away is the grave of the second shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, Minamoto no Yoriie, who was murdered while bathing in 1204 at the age of 19 on his uncle's orders. Also nearby are the graves of Yoriie's 13 loyal retainers who rose in rebellion shortly thereafter but were, unfortunately, executed for their troubles.

Shuzenji's splendid natural surroundings and distinguished history make it easy for visitors to miss the town's significance to Japanese literature. It was here, in 1910, that an event occurred that was a turning point in the life of Japan's greatest modern novelist, Natsume Soseki.

In June 1910, as Soseki was finishing his masterpiece, "The Gate," he began to suffer from serious stomach problems - a complaint that had afflicted him for many years. He was admitted for treatment at a specialist Tokyo hospital, but he left when a young haiku poet friend, Toyojo Matsune, suggested he travel with him to convalesce in the spa town of Shuzenji.

Soseki checked into what was -and still is - the swankiest address in town: the Kikuya ryokan (traditional inn). But rather than recuperating, his health steadily deteriorated, causing a series of doctors and family members to travel from Tokyo to look after him. Finally, after 18 days in Shuzenji, Soseki suffered a massive, near fatal stomach hemorrhage in the Kikuya, which caused him to vomit over half a kilo of blood. In the days that followed, he teetered on the brink of death - the event is referred to by scholars as "Shuzenji no taikan" (the "collapse at Shuzenji"). He survived, but passed away prematurely six years later at the age of 49. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his death.

Soseki's writing career spanned a mere 12 years, but he managed to produce the greatest collection of novels, short stories, essays and memoirs the Japanese language has ever seen, inspiring several hundred books of critical analysis and selling tens of millions of copies around the world.

The "collapse at Shuzenji' stands at the midway point of that astonishingly prolific period. Soseki's survival meant that this most precious of literary careers was pulled back from the point of oblivion and given a second act - one that was as equally productive as his first six years, and during which he wrote works such as "Higan Sugi Made" ("To The Spring Equinox and Beyond"), "Kojin" ("The Wayfarer") and "Kokoro." The key question is: how did the "collapse" affect the rest of Soseki's writing career?

The Kikuya in Shuzenji has by no means forgotten the most famous incident in its history. As Japan held its breath in 1910, wondering if its revered author would live or die in the hills of Shuzenji, a crowd of Soseki's devoted followers began to descend on the town - philosophers, writers and scientists, collectively known as "Soseki Sanmyaku" ("Soseki's Mountain Range"). Upon hearing their master was on the brink of death, these young men flocked to Shuzenji to attend to him.

The Kikuya is a traditional two-story timber construction that fans out with wings leading to various gardens, restaurants and open-air baths. On his first night at the inn, Soseki stayed in what was then the annex, in the luxurious Ume no Ma (Plum Room), which you can still stay in today. He then moved to a less salubrious room in the main building, with his attendants eventually taking over numerous rooms nearby. Today, the central lounge of the hotel is known as "Soseki no Iori" ("Soseki's Retreat") and is adorned with various period memorabilia. Throughout the hotel are displays recounting the details of the "collapse."

The hotel's account of how the illness affected Soseki's literary career is apocryphal. The romantic story offered is that his near-death experience led Soseki to a serene state of mind in his final year known as sokuten kyoshi (roughly, "follow heaven and leave the self"), a cryptic phrase that Soseki muttered to his disciples but never actually wrote down.

How the "Collapse at Shuzenji" actually affected Soseki is more subtle, but no less fascinating. A warm and inspirational teacher, Soseki was also notoriously high-strung and ferociously intellectual, with a punishing work schedule. His creative energy had long been fueled by the almost intolerable stresses placed upon him, first by scholarship and teaching, then by newspaper work, constantly pushing him toward a point of nervous breakdown.

Soseki's tour-de-force is the trilogy of novels he penned before arriving at Shuzenji in 1910: "Sanshiro," "Sorekara" ("And Then") and "Mon" ("The Gate"). "Sanshiro" probes the interconnection of literature and painting; "And Then" contemplates narcissistic consciousness; "The Gate" is an empathetic portrayal of character dovetailing with Nietzschean and Zen thought. In that final part of the trilogy, Soseki invokes the idea of an adventurer on the loose in Manchuria who terrorizes the thoughts of an old friend in Tokyo, forcing the latter to test himself with the great adventure of studying Zen.

The year before Soseki visited Shuzenji, 1909, he was at his most expansive, confident and physically capable, setting off on a grand tour of Manchuria, Japan's newly acquired colonial foothold after the nation's victory in the Russo-Japanese War. But in 1910, he was close to death in a tatami-mat room in the Kikuya. Two thoughts assailed him: first, in contrast to the agonies of the body, Soseki was struck by the surprising spiritual calm that illness and recuperation afforded him; second, he found himself deeply grateful for the outpouring of affection displayed by his family, friends and young disciples.

In October 1910, after more than two months in his sick room at the Kikuya, Soseki was finally able to return to a hospital in Tokyo: it would be another five months after that before he was able to return home. During this time he penned "Remembrances" ("Omoidasu Koto Nado") and described his near-death experience.

At the Kikuya, Soseki's world had suddenly shrunk to the barest essentials and it's significant that when he resumed his novel writing career with "Higan Sugi Made" ("To the Spring Equinox and Beyond") in 1912, he turned many of the ideas of "The Gate" on their head, satirically introducing an "adventurer" called Morimoto whom he quickly reveals to be a worthless charlatan and packs off to Manchuria. Instead of looking toward the grand stages of Manchuria and Zen temples, Soseki directed his vision inward, declaring the greatest adventure of all to be the exploration of the human heart.

He never stopped being a hard-boiled intellectual with a mercilessly ironic vision - and he never stayed still. As he had done since the beginning of his writing career, he constantly challenged the ideas expressed in each proceeding novel. His writing career evolved in an unremitting, dialectical fashion. The "collapse at Shuzenji" was a formative moment for Soseki; occurring at the very center of his career, it refocused his attention on the depths of the human psyche.

If you fancy a pleasant escape from Tokyo, with hot springs, rambling wooded hills and history, head to Shuzenji. But if you want to see something more, take along Soseki's "The Gate" and "To The Spring Equinox and Beyond" and, in their subtle shifts of focus, trace one of the great fault lines of modern Japanese literature.

Shuzenji is roughly a 100-minute train ride from Tokyo. Soseki's original sick room from the Kikuya is preserved at the Natsume Soseki Museum in Niji no Sato Park, a 20-minute bus ride from Shuzenji Station. For more information about the Kikuya, visit www.hotespa.net/hotels/kikuya. Damian Flanagan is the author of "The Natsume Soseki the Japanese Don't Know" and "Natsume Soseki: Superstar of World Literature," both in Japanese.

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The 'onsen' retreat that transformed Natsume Soseki | The Japan Times

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Shuzenji, an onsen (hot-spring) town in the heart of the Izu Peninsula, is a little piece of heaven. Nestled in the densely wooded hills of Shizuoka Prefecture, its collection of baths, guesthouses and shops line up on either side of the rushing Katsura River, with historic temples, shrines and bamboo groves in the surrounding forests.

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(Refer to Part 3)

In this part, we see that Sensei and K fail to follow their moral guidelines (e.g. Sensei's distrust and assurance in others, and K's inconsistency between his ideal and love for Ojosan).

To what extent are Sensei and K hypocrites?

Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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"But if I die first," he continued, "what will you do?"          p. 75

Understatement is a figure of speech in which something is expressed less strongly than would be expected, or in which something is presented as being smaller, worse, or lesser than it really is.

Sensei speaks often of death and guilt, at one point distressing his wife by asking her what she would do after he died. Not until later in "Sensei's Testament," we know that Sensei has been deeply troubled by his friend K's death, whose cause isn't know to Sensei's wife. Thus, Sensei always speaks about death and guilt, which culminates in his own demise.

Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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"Then she said a curious thing, albeit in jest: "Well then, junshi is the solution to your problem."
p. 245

Junshi means "following one's lord to the grave." After Emperor Meiji had died, General Nogi and his wife committed suicide in order to not outlive their master.

Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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''My conscience pricked me each time I was asked the question.''
-- p. 235
verb
Make a small hole in (something) with a sharp point; pierce slightly.

Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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"Aren't you cold?" "Yes I am. But I don't need a fire."
-- Ojosan and K, p. 179
In this poignant scene, Ojosan asks K whether he needs something to comfort him. As K's confession of his love for Ojosan will later show, he does not find love a comfort but rather, as an rigid ascetic, a temptation which torments him by pointing out his inability to hold to his idealistic principles.

Mike Xiao (Pd. 1)

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Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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Marley Miyamoto (period 7

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Here is a picture I took on my trip to Japan at The Meiji Shrine.

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Here is a picture I took on my trip to Japan at The Meiji Shrine.

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Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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"Eccenctric, isn't he?" (Soseki 179)

adjective

1. (of a person or their behavior) unconventional and slightly strange.

Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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"... find themselves in a state of disillusionment". (Soseki 173)

noun

1. a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.

Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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"My own friends who came to the house were none of them rowdy fellows, but they were not so demure as to start whispering for the sake of other people's comfort."
(Soseki 158)

adjective

1. (of a woman or her behavior) reserved, modest, and shy.

Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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“Reminded of it by my wife’s jest, I replied that if I were to die a loyal follower’s death, the lord I was following to the grave would be the spirit of the Meiji era itself” (Soseki 232).

Sensei compares himself, and uses himself as an example of, to the Meiji era. This is because it was a time in which modernity was desired, yet traditional values were somewhat restored.

Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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It’s a presumptuous thing to say, but His Majesty’s illness is a little like my own” (Soseki 86).

The father is clearly symbolizing the Meiji Emperor; the passage above shows the similarities between their deaths. Since the narrator’s father is a clear representation of traditional and old Japan, this quote shows that tradition is vanishing in Japan and modernization is taking effect.

Marley Miyamoto (period 7)

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Noun. a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.
"From then on, like a gust of wind, the premonition that I was treading the same path as K had done would rush at me” pg 240

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Tony Umemoto
“I thought that it would be an unforgivable crime to let fall even the tiniest drop of ink on a pure, spotless thing.” Pg 237
"It lay like a dark streak across my wife’s happiness.” Pg 243
The first quote provides evidence of how women were viewed in Japanese culture.  They were seen as something to keep clean and pure of heart.  However, while this serves a narrative purpose to communicate the irony of Sensei’s actions, it would also spark the idea that perhaps by trying to keep women pure by keeping them ignorant, it is inadvertently doing the opposite.

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“I thought that it would be an unforgivable crime to let fall even the tiniest drop of ink on a pure, spotless thing.” Pg 237
"It lay like a dark streak across my wife’s happiness.” Pg 243
Imagery is utilized to represent the Sensei’s perception of Ojosan.  He sees her as a pure being that has been untouched by the world.  He feels that if he were to tell her the truth her purity would be ruined which he values so much.  The irony is that be keeping the truth from her, he has unintentionally soiled her by causing a “dark streak” to mark her.
Tony Umemoto Prd 7

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"The men of the past that he was referring to were not, of course, heroic figures in the conventional sense, but ascetics who had tyrannized over their flesh for the freedom of their souls, who had lashed their bodies so that they might find the way."

(n) a person who practices severe self-discipline

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"Often, in exasperation, I would feel like hammering a hole somewhere in his head, so that a gentle, warm breeze might blow into it." Pg. 188
- Madison Campos Pd. 1

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"And suddenly, I began to think that my dead father and mother lifted the veil from my eyes so that I could see the world clearly for what it really was." pg. 139
- Madison Campos Pd. 1

This is what I pictured when I saw this quote:

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"There's been a rearrangement of the boroughs too."
(noun) a town or district which is an administrative unit.
- Madison Campos Pd. 1

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(adj) giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
"Ask your mother to choose a propitious day for your departure, then," said my father."
- Madison Campos Pd. 1

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"In loquacity, however, she was more than a match for my father and me even when we sided together against her".
(n) the quality of talking a great deal; talkativeness
- Madison Campos Pd. 1

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“They were not, as it were, like the skeleton of a stone house which has been gutted by fire.” (Soseki 31).

Annika Alcon (pd.1)

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Brazier- “Into this sunny room, Sensei had brought a large brazier.” (Soseki 45). -a portable heater consisting of a pan or stand for holding lighted coals.

Annika Alcon (pd.1)

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Ingratiating (35) - disliking humankind and avoiding human society. - adjective

Annika Alcon (pd.1)

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“Sensei would be far more unhappy without me. Why, he might not even want to go on living, without me. It may seem very conceited of me, but I do really believe that I am able to make him as happy as is humanly possible. I believe that no on else would be able to make him as happy as I can. Without this belief, I would not be as contented as I am.” (Soseki 37). This struck me because just like the narrator, the readers got to learn more about Sensei’s wife as well, and it also opened my eyes to how Sensei’s wife deals with her marriage and with Sensei.

Annika Alcon (pd.1)

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(pgs. 30-78)

In this reading, we see that the narrator spends a lot more time with Sensei and Sensei’s wife rather than his own parents. Why is this? Especially since his father is sick.

Annika Alcon (Pd. 1)

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Tony Umemoto
“I felt as though I had swallowed lead.” Pg. 149
Although this is a very common simile, it’s very effective at communicating the feeling of heaviness in your chest.

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"I was saddened by the thought that she, whom I loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world, could not understand me. And the thought that I had not the courage to explain myself to her made me sadder still." (Soseki 240)

Here, Sensei assumes that his wife wouldn't understand him, thus he lacks the courage to tell her anything. His inability to confide in others is his downfall because if he were to give his wife a chance, then he could have possibly recovered from his depression. However, being that he refuses to do this action, he is the cause to his own lonely state.

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"We were, I assure you, quite a happy couple. But there was always this shadow which separated us. I could never push it away, and it lay like a dark streak across my wife's happiness. As I think about it now, I cannot but feel terribly sorry for her." (Soseki 243)
This quote has the potential to make the reader strongly dislike Sensei. He is obliviously contradicting his own words, saying that him and his wife were happy, all the while his wife's happiness was tainted the whole time she was with him. It's is vexing how Sensei continuously complains about his life and doesn't fully acknowledge how he ruined his wife's life by dragging her down the path of his own sorrows.

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adverb
apart; divided; into pieces

"Also, having read stories of great priests and Christian saints who were long since dead, he was won't to regard the body and the soul as entities which had to be forced asunder." (Soseki 176)

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"Okusan," I blurted out, "I want to marry Ojosan...Please, let me marry her." ... "All right," she said finally. "You may have her." (Soseki 222)
Here, the narrator is asking Ojosan's mother if he may have her daughter's hand in marriage. Okusan's action of giving away her daughter gives insight into Japanese culture as in this situation, Okusan decided Ojosan's fate. She did not ask Ojosan if she even wanted to marry the narrator, so this goes to show that in Japanese culture during that time, many daughter's would not have a say in who they would marry if their family decided to give them away.

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"Nevertheless, when we were in our little six-mat room, we would talk contemptuously of the whole world." (Soseki 165)
-Chloe Kim (period 7)

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"We were like wild beasts captured in the mountains, that hug each other and stare angrily from their cage at the world outside." (Soseki 165)
By comparing Sensei and K to "wild beasts," the author indicates that they are very close friends and share a lot. Also, it hints that both of them fear the world and the people in it.
-Chloe Kim (period 7)

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Why the characters in the text are called by a different name? (Soseki 1, 164
-Chloe Kim (period 7)

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adjective. characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice.

"His father, incidentally, was a Yokohama merchant whose tastes were rather ostentatious." (Soseki 160)
-Chloe Kim (period 7)

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“I was like a wolf crouching before a lamb” (216)- this simile is a bit of a cliche, with the wolf and the sheep. However, the use of the lamb instead of a fully grown sheep adds a factor of innocence and fragility, which fully illustrates what Sensei is doing.

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“It was as though his heart was encrusted with a layer of black lacquer, so thick no warm blood could penetrate i”t (188) - the use of this simile creates a visual of a cold and hard heart, and using the word “encrusted” makes the heart sound completely impassible, and the use of “warm blood” makes it sound as though the heart is cold in comparison. This creates an overall image of a hard and cold hearted person, without using the same phrasing, therefore making it much more shown, not told and being far more visual.

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“The tragic news touched us like the bitter wind awakens the trees and the grass sleeping in the remote corners of the countryside” (109)- the simile used here of a wind awakening trees and grass is an interesting one, because it gives the reader an image of a cold wind going from person to person, through words and whispers, spreading rapidly but still coming from one source.

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"To ask him to leave would have been an unprincipled thing to do, and humiliating (196)- this emphasizes the divide between American culture and Japanese culture, where in America people often partake in an unprincipled or humiliating experience to counteract having to go through anything that creates discomfort for them, whereas in Japan the comfort of others appears to be above one's own, which is illustrated through this quote.

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“I looked at the stains again, this time in daylight, and I marveled the power of human blood” (233) - this is not necessarily a cultural aspect, but more so a time period aspect and perhaps a bit of a cultural aspect, but within the book people face death in a much more straightforward manner, there is less fear of death and of dead bodies, rather there is grief. This could have to do with the time period as much as the culture, as during the modern age people have grown afraid of and detached from death, preferring to experience grief without ever interacting with death itself.

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“You have two sons with university degrees… my wife is dead and I have no children, I am leading a meaningless existence.” (111) This illustrates the collectivism versus individualism mindset that this book heavily touched upon. The childhood friend of the narrator's father feels that he leads a meaningless existence due to not having had children and not having a wife, therefore not having an impact upon others. He feels meaningless because he has become an individual.

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(knowing the efficacy of this treatment when applied to myself… (176) “the ability to produce a desired or intended result - noun”

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(but he was a stouthearted fellow, and took no notice of my anxious warnings (170) “courageous or determined, adjective”

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(they are brazen enough to think they have the right to live idly (115) “bold and without shame- adjective”

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(and there it seemed to linger awhile (112) “to stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave - verb”

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(we decided on a propitious day for my departure (100) “giving or indicating a good chance of success, favorable- adjective”

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On this occasion, Ojosan began to laugh when she saw me… I should have asked her then what it was she found so amusing (183) - Sensei constantly feels irritation and annoyance with Ojosan laughing. As laughing is often associated with feeling joy (though it can also express discomfort), it shows that he cares little about her joy or anyone else’s happiness, just about his own. It also emphasizes his abject disinterest in Ojosan until someone else becomes interested in her.

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The development - or destruction- of a man’s body and mind depends on external stimuli (177) - While Sensei is referring to K in this statement, it can be assumed that he also speaks about himself. Based on the ending of the book, just as the external stimuli of K’s life and work overwhelmed him and lead him to suicide, Sensei’s own life and the external stimuli of all that he did to K destroy Sensei physically as well.

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I do believe that for love to grow there first must be the impact of novelty. (137)- this quote feel profound and characterizes Sensei as someone who feels trapped and finds that only new things and change to actually bring about any type of emotion. While Sensei’s words have truth within them, based on his previous statements and interactions, this statement further leads the reader to believe that Sensei is restless and feels trapped without novelty within his life.

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In class we learn that Kokoro roughly translates to heart, and when we think of heart I think of love- good mind and soul, but in the novel we are introduced to Sensi, who brings a dark side to the entirety of the book by everyone who is embraced by his presence. So in the end, Kokoro in one word should be described as broken, and in every way

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"Won't you be a good son, and try to make him happy before he gets any worse". pg. 107

**although not in the quotation this is a word in Japanese that means filial piety, which means great respect for superior

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Anyone who has no spiritual aspirations is an idiot." (Soseki 124)
I included this quote, because it was a pivotal moment that was skipped upon (in my opinion). Sensi's comment was meant to hurt K, and sensi does know that he is a man of great aspirations. In this quote, it was as if Sensi didn't understand the impact of his words .

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"By the time this letter reaches you, I shall probably have left this world  I shall in all likelihood be dead." (Soseki 120)
All sensi confides to anyone has a dark conotation, which provides the reader with insight into how the Sensi perceives the wo

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which are the voices in the history and tradition presented in the work? What does that mean to the reader. I don't have a specific page number but, this was very interesting as I explored cultural norms in the work

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Why do you thin Sensei's friend died

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What do you think caused Sensei's friend K to commit suicide? (240).

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"Looking forward to seeing as good a fire in my own brazier..." (196). A brazier is a portable heater consisting of a pan or stand for holding lighted coals.

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"Feeling the cold sweat seeping through my clothes. In his usual ponderous manner, K continued his confession. The pain within me was almost unbearable."

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"Feeling the cold sweat seeping through my clothes. In his usual ponderous manner, K continued his confession. The pain within me was almost unbearable."

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This quote struck me because both K and the narrator had the same feelings for Ojosan. However, the narrator's feelings for Ojosan was so powerful, he started sweating when he saw K talking to her.
JJ

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"I could not help thinking that his heart, like a piece of iron, had gone rusty from disuse" (pg 178)
The quote explains about Sensei complaining that K was not acting like a regular human by not interacting others and building relationships. By comparing iron and rust, his physical and mental health are declining showing without the social skills, he fades away slowly as the story progresses. What interest me was this connected to his death because K's only trust was Ojosan. Therefore because the narrator married her, he felt he lost everything including his only relationship and he committed suicide.
JJ

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(pg 92)"I received a letter from a friend of mines, asking me if I would be interested in a post in a certain provincial, secondary school"
The motif of letters is very important I have noticed through the book as I was reading. It appears that information that was not physically communicated is shown in letters and shows information we didn't know about the narrator or others.
JJ

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"There was but one light shining, and that came from Sensei's house. I could not know then that this light too would be swallowed up by the silent whirlpool."
The quote can foreshadow the darkness the narrator can face when Sensei dies. When light goes away, darkness shines and no light can symbol no hope and happiness.
JJ

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In those days vendors would come to your house to sell their wares (see pag 183

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pg 177 "...that it might eventually destroy him never entered his head"

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"Having grown up under the influence of Buddhist doctrines, he seemed to regard respect for material comfort as some kind of immorality" (176

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Buddhist attitude to Wealth | Buddhistdoor

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Editor's note: This article was first published in the now-retired Bodhi Journal, Issue 7, March 2008. Introduction Buddhist economics is an important issue for the lay person as it is a daily concern

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"but I believe that in his unbending regard for honor, he was perhaps more like a samurai than a priest" (171) - Sensei describing K's father

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On page 167 Sensei mentions K's "rosary" (which is a Catholic thing)...but BUddhists use similar beads

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(K mentions this a lot...pg 166)

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Buddhism originated in India, based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, later known as Gautama Buddha. A Buddha is one who is said to be awake to the truth of life. Buddha is a Pali word which means "the awakened one." According to Buddhism, there were countless Buddhas before Gautama Buddha, and there will be many Buddhas after him.

Over the centuries, Gautama Buddha's teachings spread from Nepal to Central Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Europe, North, and South America. Theravada Buddhism is most common in South Asia; Mahayana is most common further north. Buddhism exists in many different strands today, but all versions share basic ideas. About seven percent of the people of the world are Buddhist.

While many people see Buddhism as a religion, others see it as a philosophy, and others as a way of finding reality.

Background and Buddhist concepts

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BC) began life as the infant prince of a small kingdom in what is now the southern part of Nepal. As an adult, he left wealth and status behind to search for truth. The Buddha spent the next 45 years of his life traveling and teaching in the northern part of India. He died at the age of 80.

The Buddha focused much of his teaching on how to overcome suffering. He saw that all living things suffer. He taught that by overcoming suffering, a person will be truly happy.

He began teaching holy men or monks the Four Noble Truths of Life and the Eightfold Noble Path (see below). These teachings identify the causes of suffering and their cure. The Buddha taught that there are three marks of existence: He said life is best understood as being impermanent (everything changes), unsatisfactory (left on our own we are never truly happy), and interdependent (all things are linked).

In discussing suffering, the Buddha identified the "three poisons" of desire, anger, and stupidity, and he showed that we could end our suffering by letting go of desires and overcoming anger and stupidity.

The complete letting go of negative influences is called Nirvana, meaning "to extinguish," like putting out the flame of a candle. This end of suffering is also called Enlightenment. In Buddhism, Enlightenment and Nirvana often mean the same thing.

The Buddha taught that living in balance is the best way to live. He called this "the middle way." He also recommended meditation as a way to train the mind to see the world as it is.

The Buddha taught that actions have consequences for good or bad. People who make good decisions will be happier and have more peace of mind. This is called karma.

Another teaching of Buddhism is reincarnation - the idea that when people die, they will be reborn as someone or something else. They live their life the best they can in hopes of reincarnating as something better until they eventually reach enlightenment.

Buddhists would not say whether or not there is a God or gods. Buddhists do not believe that people should look to gods to save them or bring them enlightenment. Instead, they believe individuals should work out their own path the best they can. Many of the Buddha's ideas are found in other Indian religions, especially Hinduism.

Beliefs of Buddhism

The three jewels

Buddhists respect and treasure the Three Jewels, which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

The Buddha refers to the awakened one, the Dharma to the Buddha's teachings, and the Sangha to the people who follow the Buddha and his teachings.

Buddhists say "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." They find comfort in these jewels or treasures.

Four Noble Truths

The Buddha's first and most important teachings are the Four Noble Truths.

1. Life is suffering.

2. The reason for this suffering is that we want things to be a certain way.

3. The way to cure suffering is to rise above this desire.

4. The way to rise above desire is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path, practices which help us change our minds and understanding.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddha told people to follow a special way of life called the Noble Eightfold Path if they want to understand the Four Noble Truths. These are:

1. Appropriate views. Know and understand the Four Noble Truths.

2. Appropriate thought. Turn your mind away from the world and toward the Dharma.

3. Appropriate speech. Tell the truth, don't gossip, and don't talk badly about others.

4. Appropriate conduct. Don't commit evil acts, like killing, stealing, or living an unclean life.

5. Appropriate livelihood. Earn your money in a way that doesn't harm anyone.

6. Appropriate effort. Work to make your mind more good and less evil.

7. Appropriate mindfulness. Remember the Dharma and apply it all the time.

8. Appropriate meditation. Practice meditation as a way of understanding reality.

Five precepts

Buddhists are encouraged to follow five precepts, or guidelines:

1. I will not hurt a person or animal that is alive.

2. I will not take something if it was not given to me.

3. I will not engage in sexual misconduct.

4. I will not lie or say things that hurt people.

5. I will not take intoxicants causing heedlessness.

If a person wants to be a monk or nun, he or she will follow other precepts as well.

Interesting facts about Buddhism

The term "Buddhism" was invented by Western scholars in the 1830s. Buddhists don't refer to their religion as "Buddhism."

The Buddha founded an order of monks and nuns known as the Sangha who have preserved his teachings.

Because of its emphasis on meditation and mindfulness, Buddhism is often considered to be a form of psychology rather than a religion.

In Buddhism, there is no single holy book.

Buddhists do not believe in a supreme being or creator God.

A Buddha is a person who has reached enlightenment.

Buddhist monks and nuns shave their hair.

In Buddhism, each person must work their way to enlightenment.

Related pages

Images for kids

An aniconic depiction of the Buddha's spiritual liberation ( moksha) or awakening ( bodhi), at Sanchi. The Buddha is not depicted, only symbolized by the Bodhi tree and the empty seat.

Living at the root of a tree ( trukkhamulik'anga) is one of the dhutaṅgas, a series of optional ascetic practices for Buddhist monastics.

A section of the Northern wall mural at the Lukhang Temple depicting tummo, the three channels ( nadis) and phowa

A Buddhist triad depicting, left to right, a Kushan, the future buddha Maitreya, Gautama Buddha, the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and a monk. Second-third century. Guimet Museum

Frontispiece of the Chinese Diamond Sūtra, the oldest known dated printed book in the world

In Spanish: Budismo para niños

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"We were like wild beasts captured in the mountains, that hug each other and stare angrily from their cage at the world outside" (165)

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Sensei mentions that "K" is the son of a wealthy Shinsu sect priest and compares that to other sects

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(浄土真宗 Jōdo Shinshū "The True Essence of the Pure Land Teaching"), also known as Shin Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.