Mishima Chapter 4 

presented by Vanessa SCULLY on June 08, 2020 

 

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Notes by Kobe 

   
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Slide​ Notes: 
 
Time & Space is prominent in Mishima: 

- The cultural background of the novel 

- The historical background of the novel- The relationship between the setting 
and the changing culture. 

   
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Open Ended Question 

Which of the 6 questions on the right are the best fit for "The Sailor ..."? List three 
aspects/elements you would write about in response to this question. 
 
The 2nd question: 
 
1) The relationship between the characters (i.e. Noboru’s hate and love 
relationship with Ryuji) 
2) The character’s aspiration in life (i.e. Fusako’s aspiration for safety with the 
protruding of the sailor into her life. 
3) Emotional attachment to objective and subjective items and virtues (i.e. 
Noboru’s attachment to the Rakuyo ship) 

 
   
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Collaborate!​ To what extent does the text offer insig... 

Open the Original 

   
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Open Ended Question 

“The historical and cultural contexts of works determine their 
imagery and style”. Write a paragraph based on this extract from 
Chapter 4. 
 

The aspect that Fusako's presence is capable of metaphorically fatal be fatal to Ryuji 
as he described how her appearance calls for his death. This expression of 'looking 
like an innocent flower, but being the serpent underneath' is emphasised here. The 
tone at the start creates a sense of harmony and beauty like a flower, but the tone 
changes to a sense of fatality as her kimono is symbolically killing Ryuji. The diction 
used emphasised the effect, for example, the use of demonic hues: 'crimson', 
'purple', 'black' to emphasise the blood-lust that Ryuji is experiencing that is 
resonating from her aura.