Genre
Romance
Setting and Context
The setting is Kyoto, Japan. The protagonist Oki is travelling there to see his former lover.
Narrator and Point of View
There is a third person narrator, who primarily follows Oki's actions and thoughts.
Tone and Mood
The mood is romantic, but there is also a sense of nostalgia and melancholy.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Oki, and the antagonist is Keiko.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the text is between Oki and Keiko, as Keiko is jealous of him.
Climax
The climax of the novel is when Keiko seduces Oki.
Foreshadowing
The narrator foreshadows Keiko's sinister side by describing her beauty as "eerie".
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
There is an allusion in the text to Princess Kazu, who was a princess of Japan in the 1800s.
Imagery
The narrator uses imagery repeatedly in the text, including some incredible descriptions of landscape and nature. For example: "Far above the haze, white clouds were bathed in a shimmering light that seemed to radiate up from the earth"
Paradox
The concepts of beauty and sadness existing at the same time seem like a paradox, as something beautiful surely shouldn’t be sad. However, this text shows how these two seemingly paradoxical things can exist simultaneously.
Parallelism
A parallel is drawn between Oki’s wife and Otoko, as both lose their babies around the same time. This represents the pain they have both suffered due to Oki's actions.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
In this quote, the landscape is described as making music: "The cold of the snow and it's warm colour made a kind of music.”
