Answer TWO of the
following:
Q1: In some ways, Kokoro
is a novel about the traditional Japanese way of life giving way to the modern,
Western world. How does the narrator and some of the other characters represent
this change? Where else does the novelist show us these changes?
Q2: Several times,
the narrator proclaims Sensei as a remarkable man and a philosopher. On one
occasion he even exclaims, “I genuinely regretted the way the world ignored
this admirable man” (Ch.11). How does the narrator communicate his greatness or
uniqueness to the reader? Why is he a “sensei,” which is a term of respect
which literally means “one who comes before,” but often connotes a teacher or
wise man?
Q3: Sensei tells the
narrator in Chapter 7 that “No time is as lonely as youth.” Why might youth
(the age many of you are now) be lonelier than adulthood or old age? What do we
lack in youth that we gain (or see) when we get older?
Q4: At one point,
Sensei tells the narrator that “You had the impulse to find someone of the same
sex as the first step toward embracing someone of the opposite sex...But I’m a
man, so I can’t really fill your need” (Ch.13). Does the narrator want
him to fulfill this need? Is he in love with the older man? Or is it, as Sensei
suggests, a way to ‘test’ his attachment to another human being?
Q3. I think youth feels so lonely because you don’t know who or what you want to be. It feels like everybody else around you has their life figured out, you might feel behind the pase of the people around you. It also might be lonely because you don’t have anything of value yet, like a house or car of your own. You don’t have anything to show for the progress you’ve made in life so far.
ReplyDeleteQ4. I think the narrator is just trying to find someone to attach himself to, like someone he would want to be, to maybe help himself figure out what he wants to do with his life. I think he is more looking for a romodel.
Q2: In the reading, the sense of greatness we perceive is rooted the sense of mystery and curiosity that the narrator feels upon meeting with "sensei." We first meet sensei on the beach discussing with a westerner who really stands out from the crowd. The sets sensei apart from everyone else and gives us this sense of wonder about this mans standing and who he really is. We establish the idea that this man becomes a sensei on a bit of a comical ground that we instinctively label him sensei. The narrator instills this idea in us and lets us know that he is a secretive and mystical person right off the bat with one of the opening sentences stating that we are keeping his idea a secret. This in turn alludes back to the idea of his greatness. We also get the sense that this man is a sensei because he has a lot of life experience and is just unwilling to teach his lessons of life to anyone. Thus, we somewhat establish the idea that this is a selfish wise man that doesn't make that great of a sensei at the time being.
ReplyDeleteQ3: The youth is the time of finding one's self. During this period of self discovery we are trying to surround ourselves with people that we aspire to be like and there is a lot of hit and miss during this period. We become so involved with trying to keep these people close that we become devastated to see people leaving our lives and that creates even more of the sense of loneliness. As we mature and get older, we develop an understanding that people come into our lives to serve their time and purpose so they can continue their own journey. Everyone serves a purpose in someone's life but we eventually see that they are called to another purpose when they get older as are we. With all of the coming and goings in our lives, we develop a sense of who we are and who we want to let into our lives and in that time we truly see that we aren't lonely anymore but rather content.
Jacob Moses
Q3: Well, when you're younger, you're trying to figure out who you are, who you wanna be, and sometimes who other people want you to be. Especially for people my age, you start losing and gaining friends as you go off to college, you learn which of your relationships is strongest. You learn how to be independent, but also how to work with others. It's just a strange time, and it can seem lonely even if you do have friends or family, because it's just such a solitary journey.
ReplyDeleteQ4: I don't know if the narrator is necessarily romantically in love with Sensei the way some might suggest, but he may love him in a completely different way. I kind of think Sensei is overthinking it just a little bit, and that the narrator just truly was drawn to him and wants to be his friend. It may be an odd place to search for friendship, but sometimes the best friendships come from the people we least expect them from.
Shaynee
ReplyDeleteQ3: I personally think that youth is way lonelier than adulthood or old age because at the youth age it's kind of like your first time to be off on your own and experience true loneliness like I did my first semester of college because when you're in school and younger you have your entire family and siblings to depend on or be around but when you move off to college it's just you all alone trying to figure everything out.
Q4: As I was reading this I already had come to conclusion that the narrator had emotions for the sensei by the way he was talking about him and saying he wanted to get closer to him, but yes I believe he is in love and has feelings for him.
Q3 - I think that we seek others as a way to define us when we are young, feeling that lack of self awareness very keenly. When we are older, we know ourselves, and become more aware of our own dimensions (for lack of a better word) so the need to find and connect with others is somewhat diminished. Perhaps not diminished - but at the very least, the urgentness of the need diminishes.
ReplyDeleteQ4 - As I said in class, this aspect of the book put me in mind of the novel Gertrude by Hermann Hesse. I don't remember the details exactly, but I seem to recall there being a romance that wasn't exactly a romance. (Now I'm going to have to find it and read it again just to figure this out!). I'm not sure, on the face of the reading, that I'd describe his feelings for Sensei as sexual, but there is certainly an element of romance. Perhaps it is platonic romantic love, and perhaps not; but either way, Sensei seems to be reacting to his own history more than to the narrator's behavior.
Q3. Coming from personal experience, though I’m sure every young adult can attest to this, many kids my age and younger feel as though no one has ever felt or gone through what we are going through. Youth seems lonely because we are more subjective than we would be as established adults. In youth, we view the world from an “I” stand point, as if the world revolves around us. This creates loneliness when we feel targeted or overwhelmed with life. As an adult, I’m sure you look at the bigger picture and acknowledge that you’re never really alone. You’ve accomplished things in life. As a kid or young adult, it’s harder to see this, so youth feels lonelier.
ReplyDeleteQ4. Going with the theme of youth, I feel as though the narrator is searching for someone to look up to. I got the vibe that the narrator loves Sensei in a way a young child might love their teacher or babysitter or even mother. As a young adult, you always want someone “adultier” to help you find your way in life and to set examples for you. I think this is crucial for people my age. I was taken off guard by how sexual the way the narrator seems to speak about Sensei, but I’m not sure he means it in a sexual way. He does speak multiple times on how he enjoyed the intimacy of their relationship, but I think it is more of an appreciation of companionship rather than a true romance.
Q3: A lot of youth feel lonely even if they may not be. For instance, they may have lots of friends and family but sometimes without a boyfriend/girlfriend some youth feel like they are alone even if it is not the case. As people get older they become less alone because they begin to realize that even without a significant other they are not alone.
ReplyDeleteQ4. I don't feel that the narrator is necessarily in love with sensei, but maybe finds him easy to communicate with. Sometimes it is easier to talk to someone of the same sex than someone of the opposite. This person can become, in your eyes, your best friend. In this way you may love them but not in a way where you would want them to fulfill your needs.
Q3. The youth years may be lonelier than adulthood years because those are the years of growing and wanting to be independent, but when adulthood strikes you just want to be a child again with no responsibilities. We gain independence when we are older and no longer rely on our parents, but that is what makes us lonely as a youth by relying on them so heavily to make decisions for us.
ReplyDeleteQ4. The narrator isn't necessarily "in love" with the sensei anymore than a student is with their favorite teacher or coach. Or even a worker with a boss or co-worker the enjoy working with and respect. It's a way to test his attachment because he is in need of a role model.
Tanner Lyon
Q3: Some people sometimes think that childhood youth is the best time which is but I agree it could be the loneliest with even realizing. When we are young we are still trying to find out who we are, what we want to do with our life, where we want to live and finding that person we want to share it all with. At a young age we change all the time some people move around and people come in and out your life so even though we are young and free it could come across as lonely. I can only imagine looking back when I'm older with a family until I realize that, that was the lonely time.
ReplyDeleteQ4: I don't really think that the narrator is in love with Sensei in a romantic way. I think he more so looks up to him more and wants someone to figure out life with, kind of like a bestfriend
Chloe
Q2- Maybe the narrator sees the older man as a Sensei because he doesn't seem to care about what others think of him. That is not what torments him, but his own internal guilt and self loathing is the root of his unhappiness. Maybe the narrator sees this as a man who has a better grasp on what is important. I think the narrator also for some reason feels that the mystery of the man is what truly makes in "wise". I don't understand why exactly except that maybe since Japanese tradition tends to hold those who keep emotions under the surface higher than those who show that they feel. Maybe he wants to be able to not feel quite as much more like the Sensei.
ReplyDeleteQ3- I think the loneliness of youth is not a real thing. I think it is all in our heads and that we have this idea that no one else "understands" us or knows what we are going through. This is something as I have matured some that I realize is completely false. There are so many around us who struggle with the exact same demons and some who struggle with even more. We are not so special that only we have problems or triumphs. These things are part of life for everyone. For me it took going through a very personal deep struggle, coming out of the other side, and being honest with others about my experience in order for me to realize that I was not alone. I was just one of many who had experienced this type of heartbreak and many of my close friends and family even have had these same trials. So I think that the idea that many young adults have of being alone is really just a sign that they are more self absorbed and their eyes are not completely open to what is going on around them.
Anna Turlington
1. The characters are all enjoying the nice day, as well as wanting to be away from everything and wanting to just relax and be "free". As most of them are doing this, they are still withholding the Japanese manners and being extremely polite where most of us would have been quite rude about the situation. I believe that the way the story jumps from one place to another, and setting the mood with the crowded beach and lonely tea houses also show us a lot change coming around as well, in regards to being around others instead of alone or with family.
ReplyDelete2. He talks not only very highly of him, but shows his passion as well compassion too. On page 8, he talks bout there being no need for his wife to tell the narrator about why he is at the grave. Further more he allows the narrator to come over to his house as well as inn while he is at Kamakura, where most people would have been apposed to letting complete strangers come over.
Hayden Blakemore