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THE STATIC AND THE DYNAMIC: A STUDY OF THE HIDDEN WORLD OF IBUSE MASUJI by JANICE BROWN .A., The U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h Columbia, 1977

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THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA August 1979

(c) J a n i c e Brown, 1979

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ABSTRACT

T h i s t h e s i s examines c e r t a i n s e l e c t e d works of Ibuse Masuji i n an attempt to gain an i n s i g h t i n t o the nature o f : t h i s author's l i t e r a r y genius.

E x h i b i t i n g s e v e r a l unique

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , such as the combination of symbolism

and

humour, r e a l i s m and f a n t a s y , Ibuse's works are seen to comprise a world that i s v i t a l and complex yet at times enigmatic and mysterious.

An a n a l y s i s of f o u r p r i n c i p a l works w i l l

attempt

to

show how

Ibuse g r a d u a l l y r e v e a l s t h i s hidden world and comes

to

i n t e g r a t e i t s v a r i o u s aspects i n t o a harmonious whole through

c e r t a i n m o d i f i c a t i o n s and s h i f t s o f emphasis throughout h i s career.

Although Ibuse's l i t e r a r y v i s i o n a l t e r s ,

i t s central

focus remains v i r t u a l l y unchanged and throughout h i s l i t e r a r y life,

Ibuse c o n t i n u e s to concern h i m s e l f w i t h the c o n t r a s t

between the s t a t i c and the dynamic, two p r i n c i p a l elements i n his

work which both c o n c e a l and r e v e a l meaning and

emotion.

Chapter 1 d e a l s w i t h "Sanshouo", Ibuse's f i r s t work, which r e p r e s e n t s the e a r l y years o f h i s c a r e e r 1923-1930.

Ex-

p l o r i n g l i f e ' s hidden depths i n terms of a l l e g o r y and f a n t a s y , "Sanshouo" shows these depths to be an ambivalent a r e a i n which s t a t i c and dynamic elements meet and mingle. In

c o n t r a s t to "Sanshcoio" and the e a r l y years i s Sazanami

gunki which

i s examined i n Chapter 2.

A work which

character^

i z e s the pre-war p e r i o d of I b u s e s c a r e e r (1930-1939), 1

Sazanami

gunki r e p r e s e n t s a major change i n d i r e c t i o n f o r the author as Ibuse l e a v e s behind the s t a t i c world of "Sanshouo" and i n s p i r a t i o n i n the flow and movement o f

finds

life.

Chapter 3 d e a l s w i t h "Yf)

an o l d

man."

That I b u s e s chosen f i c t i o n a l i d e n t i t y i n these e a r l y years 1

a l r e a d y r e f l e c t e d the image of a knowledgeable to

o l d man

seems

presage h i s l a t e r l i t e r a r y works i n which such o l d men

s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e s and sometimes, as i n K u r o i ame, narrative voice.

assume the

The a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Ogai, too, proved to

be a l a s t i n g one, at l e a s t i n the minds of most c r i t i c s even today c o n s i d e r Ibuse's h i s t o r i c a l works to have of

play

who

something

the f l a v o u r of the great s c h o l a r - h i s t o r i a n . From about

the age of s i x t e e n Ibuse determined

to

become an a r t i s t , b e i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y a t t r a c t e d to the s t y l e of p a i n t i n g .

Japanese

During h i s years at middle s c h o o l and

l a t e r at the u n i v e r s i t y i n Tokyo, Ibuse made numerous journeys around Japan,

drawing and s k e t c h i n g , no

doubt

sharpening h i s s e n s i t i v i t y to the f i n e r d e t a i l s of both and country s e t t i n g s .

city

Upon l e a v i n g middle s c h o o l i n 1917,

5

Ibuse submitted a s e r i e s of sketches to the Kyoto

^If^.f^l'f*

Hashimoto Kansetsu

artist

(1883-1945) i n the hopes

that he would be admitted as a p u p i l , but f o r t u n a t e l y or unfortunately

he was

refused.

Due

p r i m a r i l y to the u r g i n g

of

OX his

elder brother,

Ibuse turned

h i s a t t e n t i o n elsewhere

and

entered

the

l i t e r a t u r e department of Waseda U n i v e r s i t y i n

Tokyo.

Here Ibuse pursued h i s s t u d i e s f o r n e a r l y s i x years,

e v e n t u a l l y s p e c i a l i z i n g i n French l i t e r a t u r e .

Ibuse was

also

fond of the works of Russian w r i t e r s such as Chekhov, Dostoevsky and in

T o l s t o y which he read

d u r i n g t h i s time.

In

1921

h i s second year i n the French l i t e r a t u r e course Ibuse

e n r o l l e d i n a s p e c i a l course at the fftapan Fine A r t s Academy. By March of 1923,

however, he had

as w e l l as the a r t s c h o o l and

dropped the u n i v e r s i t y course

i n August of that year Ibuse

began h i s l i t e r a r y c a r e e r with the p u b l i c a t i o n of a

short

Q

s t o r y e n t i t l e d "Sanshouo". "SanshSuo", an a l l e g o r i c a l f a n t a s y , was a s t i r i n the

l i t e r a r y world of the day.

The

to cause q u i t e s t o r y of a

salamander trapped i n a cave at the bottom o f a p o o l , was it

acclaimed by some c r i t i c s and is s t i l l

one

a s s a i l e d by o t h e r s .

of the most o f t e n mentioned and

Ibuse's works; I t i s a l s o the most t r a n s l a t e d . reading its

piece

place

"Sanshouo" Today

discussed Included

i n a reader used i n Japanese middle

of as a

schools,^

i n l i t e r a r y h i s t o r y seems f a i r l y w e l l a s s u r e d .

Although "Sanshouo" i s a r a t h e r w e l l - c r a f t e d l i t t l e the work b a r e l y h i n t s at the author's p o t e n t i a l which began to r e v e a l i t s e l f i n the works which f o l l o w e d , " K o i " ft

("Carp", 1927), "Yo

fuke to ume

no nana"

("Plum Blossom by Night", 1926), "Kuchisuke no •^jM? 1 ->

tale,

gradually

e.g., (j*

i r u tanima" and

"Yane no

("Sawan on the Roof", 1929).

i n part to the seeming ' s i m p l i c i t y ' or

'artlessness'

of these e a r l y works as w e l l as to t h e i r s o - c a l l e d

1 0

6

e c c e n t r i c i t y and l a c k o f concern with s o c i a l and

political

causes, Ibuse, t o g e t h e r w i t h other w r i t e r s such as Nakamura & ^

Masatsune

(1901-

) f o r example, was

by h i s d e t r a c t o r s as a w r i t e r of "nonsense ( f /t

; * K't

) .

labelled

literature"

Com i n g to Ibuse's defense, 12

Hideo scorns such " s o - c a l l e d t h e o r i e s "

Kobayashi

i n h i s famous essay

and p o i n t s out that Ibuse's works are f a r from simple or n o n s e n s i c a l ; r a t h e r they are "complex and 13 c o n s t r u c t e d i n every d e t a i l . "

consciously

Kobayashi*s p r a i s e i s

p r i m a r i l y f o r such works as " K o i " and "Tange s h i t e i " ~ ^ f ft, O'Ll-fe a t Mr. Tange's",

1931)

and although i t seems f a i r l y

obvious that such p i e c e s are much more a r t i s t i c a l l y

successful

than the debut s t o r y "Sanshouo" , i t i s i n "SansftSuo" t h a t

we

can most e a s i l y observe the e a r l y workings of the Ibuse techniques.

At the same time "Sanshouo" r e p r e s e n t s a k i n d

of l i t e r a r y manifesto i n which the young author s e t s out c e r t a i n themes and images which continue to occupy him out h i s c a r e e r .

An a n a l y s i s of these fundamental

through-

components

and concepts w i l l provide not o n l y an i n s i g h t i n t o the

later

w o r k s , i t w i l l a l s o serve as a touchstone whereby these

later

works may

be judged and the author's growth and

development

ascertained. I t seems somehow ironic^, (perhaps i n the b e s t f a s h i o n ) that "Sanshouo" should mark the Scorning o u t author when the s t o r y i s concerned p r i m a r i l y w i t h a trapped i n a cave at the bottom

of a p o o l .

Ibuse 1

of an salamander

The use of i r o n y

and a l l e g o r y as w e l l as of such a hidden and r e c o n d i t e s e t t i n g suggests a t once that the author would r a t h e r c o n c e a l than r e v e a l h i s emotions and i n t e n t i o n s and indeed t h i s i s a tendency t h a t can be observed to a g r e a t e r or l e s s e r throughout a l l the works of Ibuse's l o n g c a r e e r . "Sanshouo", however, t h i s attempt at concealment

degree

In i s at i t s

most rudimentary and, as a r e s u l t , we are able to examine

7

in

some d e t a i l the v a r i o u s elements and images which

comprise

t h i s hidden world w i t h a view to understanding i t s essence and thus i n t u r n the nature o f the author's a r t i s t i c As c l o s e a n a l y s i s w i l l

show t h i s v i s i o n i s based

vision.

primarily

upon a s e r i e s ot c o n t r a s t s and j u x t a p o s i t i o n s which s t r e s s the v i t a l i t y of the n a t u r a l world, i n p a r t i c u l a r t h a t which r e s u l t s from the c o n t i n u a l c o n t r a s t and between the f o r c e s of s t a s i s and movement.

vitality

interplay

Ibuse's

w i t h both the s t a t i c and the dynamic areas o f l i f e

fascination i s a funda-

mental aspect o f h i s work which seems to provide a key to i t s interpretation.

T h i s aspect of Ibuse's work has a l r e a d y been

b r i e f l y e x p l o r e d by A.V. mythopoeic

imagery

I f we of

Liman i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the use o f

i n Kuroi

ame.

are to look at the works o f Ibuse Masu*j i i n terms ;

hidden c o n t r a s t s and concealed meanings, then we

should

begin by t a k i n g ' a c l o s e look at the author's name, i t s e l f a p a r t i a l nom

de plume which,

a p a r t i c u l a r k i n d o f image. was

Masuji >Jf)

Masuji

~

z~

up

Although Ibuse's given name

, he l a t e r changed the c h a r a c t e r s to which has the meaning of two ; two, j i . , - ? s ).

(salmon t r o u t , masu, $1^ Ibuse M a s u j i

taken i n i t s e n t i r e t y , c a l l s

fylK^^-^

salmon t r o u t

The f u l l name

thus evokes the image of two

trout

swimming about at the bottom of a covered w e l l : w e l l , i , ^ to

cover, f u ( s e r u ) ,

.

w e l l as dynamic elements

Thus s t a t i c elements

(the two

(the w e l l ) as

t r o u t ) are combined a l o n g

w i t h the s u g g e s t i o n of concealment

(the covered w e l l ) .

The

author's l i t e r a r y name, then, p r e s e n t s a complex image which suggests t h a t Ibuse's p a r t i c u l a r way

o f J l o o k i n g a t the world

does indeed d e r i v e i t s i n s p i r a t i o n from c o n t r a s t i n g images o f s t a s i s and movement, the hidden f o r c e s o f l i f e . T h i s penchant

f o r concealment

and camouflage

seems

c l o s e l y r e l a t e d to the author's d i s l i k e of e x c e s s i v e emotional display.

In o r d e r to c o n t r o l e x c e s s i v e emotion,

the author

;

8

o n l y p a r t l y r e v e a l s matters to the reader or, i n o t h e r cases, makes him laugh.

B e i n g "a v e r y s e n t i m e n t a l person...

I make (matters) humourous i n o r d e r to e x t i n g u i s h s e n t i m e n t a l ly ity"

Ibuse has remarked.

Emotion and f e e l i n g are c o n c e a l e d

from d i r e c t e x p r e s s i o n , yet at the same time they are r e v e a l e d through the use of such techniques as symbolism, fantasy e t c .

humour,

Thus i t i s the symbolic, humourous andclfantastic

elements i n I b u s e s works which convey the deepest 1

emotion

and, as a r e s u l t , these elements must be c l o s e l y examined i n order to p r o p e r l y understand t h i s w r i t e r ' s work. emotion, the author i s a b l e to remain detached,

By

disguising

relatively

u n i n v o l v e d , the o b j e c t i v e yetesympathetic observer par excellence.

T h i s d e s i r e to m a i n t a i n o b j e c t i v i t y seems to have

extended i n t o o t h e r areas o f Ibuse*s l i t e r a r y l i f e , hence h i s avoidance o f l i t e r a r y movements and

cliques.

Although Ibuse was a s s o c i a t e d w i t h s e v e r a l l i t e r a r y c o t e r i e magazines (do j i n z a s s h i (?) A.-ffi'l"^ ) early i n his 15 c a r e e r .v and w i t h the New A e s t h e t i c School o r Shinko g e i j u t s u h a fyffi % , a group of authors who were "homogeneous 16 only i n ( t h e i r ) o p p o s i t i o n to Marxism,"

Ibuse

o u t s i d e the a e s t h e t i c and l i t e r a r y d i s p u t e s and

remained rivalries

of

the day to a very great e x t e n t .

Somewhat l i k e the

in

the cave, Ibuse seems to have secluded h i m s e l f from

involvement i n any such c o n t r o v e r s i a l m a t t e r s . stance of non-involvement

salamander direct

T h i s continued

i n the a f f a i r s o f the times can be

seen f u r t h e r i n Sazanami gunki, a work which Ibuse began to serialize monogatari

i n 1930.

A m i l i t a r y c h r o n i c l e based upon the Heike

Jf- ^ jffy f-£

(The Tale o f the Heike) , Sazanami

gunki p u r p o r t s to be the d i a r y o f a young Heike nobleman and his

wanderings

first

throughout the b e a u t i f u l Inland Sea a r e a .

The

of Ibuse's h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l s , Sazanami gunki marks a

major change i n d i r e c t i o n f o r Ibuse and yet at the same time r e - a f f i r m s Ibuse's b a s i c stance o f detachment, and the concealment o f deep emotion.

objectivity

Thus, Togo Katsumi

/

9

in

perhaps the most thorough study of Sazanami gunki to date,

p o i n t s out that the h i s t o r i c a l n o v e l , s i m i l a r to the

11 a l l e g o r i c a l salamander for

i n "Sanshouo", i s a k i n d of "mask"

the author, Ibuse w i s h i n g to a v o i d involvement i n the

literary, political l e s s , even though

and s o c i a l i s s u e s of the times.

Neverthe-

Ibuse a v o i d s p o l i t i c s and i s s u e s i n Sazanami

gunki, he addresses h i m s e l f to a f a r more d i f f i c u l t the c r e a t i o n o f a work o f a r t which conveys

task, i . e . ,

the impression

of

l i g h t and l i f e

d e s p i t e the f a c t t h a t i t i s based upon one

of

the most t r a g i c and i n t e n s e l y moving works of

l i t e r a t u r e , the Heike monogatari.

Japanese

The manner i n which Ibuse

accomplishes t h i s i s both f a s c i n a t i n g and r e v e a l i n g as we

see

the author experimenting w i t h v a r i o u s techniques which seem to

best capture the flow and movement of

life.

Ibuse's great i n t e r e s t i n and a t t r a c t i o n to the dynamic aspects of l i f e and nature seem to come to the f o r e f o r the first

time i n Sazanami gunki and remain from then on a constant

and d i s t i n g u i s h i n g f e a t u r e of h i s work. dynamic s p i r i t of

So p e r v a s i v e i s t h i s

that one c r i t i c has c a l l e d i t "the key image

Ibuse's p o e t i c v i s i o n . "

And

i n f a c t those works which

tend to emphasize l i f e ' s dynamic q u a l i t i e s are a l s o those which have r e c e i v e d the g r e a t e s t c r i t i c a l a c c l a i m as f o r example, Jon M a n j i r o h y o r y u k i M a n j i r o : the cast-away,

y 3. } $)'K If i% >%L>

(John

7

h i s l i f e and adventures, 1938)

Ibuse was. awarded the Naoki P r i z e f o r L i t e r a t u r e i n Hyomin Usaburo j^j? &

i . f£

ame

1938}

(The Cast-away Usaburo,

which r e c e i v e d the Japan A r t Academy P r i z e i n 1954

f o r which 1954)

and K u r o i

which r e c e i v e d both the Noma L i t e r a r y P r i z e and the

C u l t u r a l Medal In 1956. b e g i n n i n g of a new

Sazanami gunki thus marks the

phase i n Ibuse's c a r e e r both as an

h i s t o r i c a l novel and as a work concerned p r i m a r i l y w i t h the sweep and movement o f l i f e . not o n l y by the appearance such works as "Kawa"

)'|

T h i s p a r t i c u l a r phase, marked of Sazanami gunki but a l s o by ("The

R i v e r " , 1931);

Shukin

ryoko

10

•$4h?Ml

(The M o n e y - c o l l e c t i n g T r i p , 1935) and

"Aogashima T a i g a i k i " 19 shima",

1934)

-\ * %) K

$LtL>

("Records o f Aoga-

which a l s o s t r e s s l i f e ' s movement,

appears to

culminate i n 1938 w i t h the p u b l i c a t i o n o f Jon Manjiro as w e l l as w i t h the f i n a l

i n s t a l l m e n t o f Sazanami gunki and, by and

l a r g e , works which emphasize the scope and v a r i e t y of l i f e do not re-appear u n t i l s e v e r a l years a f t e r the end o f the war. The war years seem to mark a k i n d o f h i a t u s i n Ibuse's c a r e e r much i n the same way as they do f o r most authors"

Japanese

and y e t d u r i n g t h i s time Ibuse has a k i n d o f

adventure o f h i s own which one o f h i s best post-war

l a t e r p r o v i d e s the background f o r

works, "Yohai taicho*" .

Drafted i n

1941 as a war correspondent Ibuse t r a v e l l e d a l o n g w i t h the Japanese

army through T h a i l a n d and Malaya to Singapore where

he spent one year before b e i n g r e l e a s e d from the d r a f t and allowed to r e t u r n to Japan.

In "Yohai taich

("Yosaku

city stories

such

(The Inn i n f r o n t o f the

and Ghimpindo s h u j i n

^ / a ' f i A„

(The

Curio Shop P r o p r i e t o r , 1 9 5 9 ) ; c o u n t r y t a l e s about

fishing

(Ibuse's f a v o u r i t e pastime) such as T s u r i s h i T s u r i b a \% 3 j

(Fisherman, F i s h i n g P l a c e , 1959)

*y it. 2-5

essays.

'

("Kotatsu Flower", 1963)

and

•

"Kotatsubana"

as w e l l as numerous

Although t h i s output has slowed somewhat i n

recent y e a r s , Ibuse at the age o f 81 i s s t i l l

writing.

Thus the r e l a t i v e l y non-productive war y e a r s were f o l l o w e d by a p e r i o d of i n t e n s e c r e a t i v e a c t i v i t y

which

produced powerful and w e l l - c r a f t e d works that i n many ways emphasized

the r e s t r i c t i o n s of f a t e and c i r c u m s t a n c e s .

As

time passed, however,^this tenseness began to mellow and i n the

l a t e 1950's and e a r l y 1960's we

the

mature Ibuse.

the

author's o b s e r v a t i o n s and emotions are now

Still

see the development

of

a keen o b s e r v e r of human f o i b l e s , tempered

with

a deep awareness of l i f e ' s c o n s t a n t l y changing p a t t e r n s . Although the hidden depths of l i f e still

i n t r i g u e the author, he now

and i t s s t a t i c m y s t e r i e s e n t e r s a p e r i o d of

growth

and expansiveness which i n many ways can be compared to the expansive pre-war p e r i o d of the 1930*s and the w r i t i n g o f such works as Sazanami gunki.

Onceeagainnlbuse

i s obviously

f a s c i n a t e d by the p o s s i b i l i t i e s and permutations o f

life's

flow and movement w h i l e r e v e l a t i o n of emotion although

still

r e s t r a i n e d f i n d s an e a s i e r and more n a t u r a l e x p r e s s i o n . Compared to the y o u t h f u l and engaging q u a l i t i e s o f the e a r l y pre-war works, however, there i s now

a new

tone of under-

s t a n d i n g and mature acceptance as Ibuse s t r i v e s to i n t e g r a t e

13

the

demands o f h i s a r t i s t i c

experience. of

v i s i o n w i t h the r e a l i t i e s o f

That he succeeds i n t h i s can be seen i n many

the works o f t h i s l a t e r p e r i o d but perhaps to the

g r e a t e s t degree i n K u r o i ame

the work which has brought

Ibuse i n t e r n a t i o n a l renown and *

n

K u

roi

Hiroshima, we

ame,

recognition.

a n o v e l about the atomic bombing o f

see Ibuse at the h e i g h t o f h i s powers.

Just

as "Sanshouo" and the e a r l y works d i d not prepare us f o r the

s p a r k l i n g v i s t a s o f Sazanami gunki, so d i d "Yohai t a i c h o "

and the o t h e r post-war works f a i l to a p p r i s e us o f the p o s s i b i l i t y o f such a b r i l l i a n t In

t o u r de f o r c e as K u r o i

ame.

t h i s l a t e r p e r i o d Ibuse's a r t has again undergone a major

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n as the author b r i n g s t o g e t h e r elements from the

past and from the present, r e v e a l i n g a new

breadth o f

v i s i o n which a l s o encompasses depth o f experience and and he now

emotion

c r e a t e s a work o f a r t which must s u r e l y stand as

one of the major c o n t r i b u t i o n s to l i t e r a t u r e i n t h i s c e n t u r y . T h i s t h e s i s w i l l now

examine i n d e t a i l the f o u r works

which seem to best r e p r e s e n t the p r i n c i p a l stages i n Ibuse's c a r e e r and w i l l attempt to show through such an a n a l y s i s how of not

the author's l i t e r a r y v i s i o n undergoes emphasis

certain

shifts

and c e r t a i n m o d i f i c a t i o n s as he s t r i v e s to evoke

only the v i g o u r and movement o f l i f e but a l s o the more

tenuous and hidden q u a l i t i e s which give l i f e perhaps a l s o , i n the f i n a l * a n a l y s i s , meaning.

i t s depth and

i t s significance

and

14

Chapter

Ibuse Masuji's f i r s t

1

p u b l i s h e d work, "SanshTJuo",

i s a short s t o r y which p o r t r a y s the f o l l y of a salamander who

f i n d s i t s e l f wedged i n an underwater cave due

own

carelessness.

The

to i t s

p o r t r a y a l o f a c r e a t u r e trapped

by

and at odds w i t h i t s n a t u r a l environment i s something of an anomaly i n a l i t e r a r y and c u l t u r a l t r a d i t i o n which, w i t h very l i t t l e of nature. who

e x c e p t i o n , s t r e s s e s the harmony and

Moreover, i n the work of a w r i t e r l i k e

may

Ibuse

i s p a r t i c u l a r l y well-known f o r h i s deep a f f i n i t y

the n a t u r a l world,

beauty with

the e x i s t e n c e of such a piece of w r i t i n g

seem even more unusual.

As an a l l e g o r y , the work i s a l s o

something of an o d d i t y , and y e t , i n s p i t e of i t s p e c u l i a r i t i e s "Sahshouo" stands out as a r e v e a l i n g and s i g n i f i c a n t of c e r t a i n imagery and themes c e n t r a l to the author's work; i t a l s o comprises

later

the e s s e n t i a l elements of v a r i o u s

techniques which l a t e r come to c h a r a c t e r i z e t h i s particular style.

statement

author's

A f t e r p r e s e n t i n g a s h o r t synopsis of

"Sanshouo", t h i s chapter w i l l examine the above matters i n some d e t a i l , and

s p e c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n b e i n g given to a l l e g o r y

symbolism, theme and

technique.

In "Sanshouo" a salamander l i v i n g bottom o f a pool suddenly

i n s i d e a cave a t the

f i n d s i t s e l f grown too l a r g e to

squeeze out the narrow entrance and thus i t i s f o r c e d to remain i n s i d e the cave f o r e v e r . i s not without exploits.

T h i s r a t h e r grim

i t s humourous s i d e which the author

Although

situation effectively

the salamander makes s e v e r a l c o n c e r t e d

e f f o r t s to f r e e i t s e l f ,

the o n l y r e s u l t i s t h a t i t s head 2

becomes stuck i n the entrance " l i k e a cork".

Tremendously

unhappy, the u n f o r t u n a t e c r e a t u r e ' s o n l y d i v e r s i o n i s to peer out the narrow entrance at the scene Here, k i l l i f i s h

i n the pool o u t s i d e .

swim among clumps of duckweed while water

s p i d e r s and a p o w e r f u l l y swimming f r o g cavort i n the water.

15

While watching t h e i r a n t i c s , emotion its

the salamander

i s overcome w i t h

as i t r e a l i z e s even more a c u t e l y the hopelessness o f

situation. The salamander's

o n l y company i n the cave b e s i d e s the

moss and mold growing over the c e i l i n g and i n the hollows i s a t i n y stirimp who ventures i n t o the cave one day to l a y i t s eggs.

E v e n t u a l l y , the f r o g , t o o , makes i t s way i n t o the cave,

and i n a moment o f d i a b o l i c a l i n s p i r a t i o n , the salamander decides to prevent the f r o g from l e a v i n g .

To have p l a c e d

another animal i n the same p o s i t i o n as i t s e l f a f f o r d s the 3

salamander

"exquisite pleasure".

f r o g and the salamander

remain

Two years pass and the

imprisoned i n the cave, the

f r o g r e f u s i n g to come down from the hollow where i t i s h i d i n g and the salamander

demanding t h a t i t come down.

The two 4

c r e a t u r e s , a l t e r n a t e l y transformed i n t o "lumps o f m i n e r a l " i n the w i n t e r and back i n t o c r e a t u r e s o f f l e s h and b l o o d i n the summer, seemi^doomed to spend the r e s t o f t h e i r l i v e s i n the cave...

As the s t o r y ends,

the f r o g , n e a r l y dead from

s t a r v a t i o n , suddenly assures the salamander

t h a t he i s not

r e a l l y angry w i t h him. "Sanshouo", then, a t l e a s t outwardly, i s an animal s t o r y , and s i n c e the animals f u n c t i o n not o n l y as animals but a l s o e x h i b i t the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f human beings, "Sanshouo" i s a l s o an a l l e g o r y .

The animal

allegory, 5

a s s o c i a t e d p r i m a r i l y w i t h d i d a c t i c f a b l e s and s o c i a l has a f a i r l y

long h i s t o r y i n Western l i t e r a t u r e b e g i n n i n g i n

c l a s s i c a l times and extending i n t o the present day. however, t h i s k i n d o f l i t e r a r y t r a d i t i o n remains undeveloped,

satire, In Japan,

relatively

i n d i c a t i n g t h a t "Sanshouo", a t l e a s t as an

a l l e g o r y , owes a great d e a l to the i n f l u e n c e o f Western literature.

T h i s i n d i c a t i o n i s f u r t h e r strengthened by the

f a c t that Ibuse h i m s e l f was a student o f French

literature

and f a m i l i a r w i t h o t h e r Western l i t e r a t u r e s as w e l l .

Ig we

are to examine "Sanshouo" as an animal a l l e g o r y , i t seems

16

a p p r o p r i a t e to do so f i r s t

i n terms o f the Western

tradition,

thereby a s c e r t a i n i n g to what extent t h i s work, i s i n keeping w i t h that t r a d i t i o n o r , on the o t h e r hand, to what extent i t is

different. A c c o r d i n g to one study, the s u c c e s s f u l animal

allegory

i n Western l i t e r a t u r e s u s u a l l y e x h i b i t s three b a s i c It

features.

tends to expose humanity by r e v e a l i n g human t r a i t s

human c h a r a c t e r s , to r e p r e s e n t no more than one human at

i n nontrait

a time i n the animal f i g u r e and to keep the reader conscious

s i m u l t a n e o u s l y o f the human t r a i t s animals as animals.

(being exposed;

and o f the

In the case o f "Sanshouo", the author

c l e a r l y exposes humanity by " r e v e a l i n g human t r a i t s characters*.

The salamander

i n non-human

c o n f i n e d i n h i s cave assumes a

v a r i e t y ©ffposes, a l l o f which c l e v e r l y s a t i r i z e the behaviour of

human beings who f i n d themselves

in difficult

predicaments.

The salamander:;'' f o r example, a l t e r n a t e l y sneers at those i t c o n s i d e r s l e s s f o r t u n a t e than i t s e l f and envies those who have escaped

i t s m i s f o r t u n e , i t c a l l s on God, i t i n d u l g e s i n s e l f -

p i t y , i t t h r e a t e n s i n s a n i t y and f i n a l l y

i t takes p l e a s u r e i n

s u b j e c t i n g another to the same f a t e as i t s e l f . of

the salamander

a t the human l e v e l i s thus ingenious and

amusing; I t i s a l s o complex. human t r a i t

The p o r t r a y a l

F a r from r e p r e s e n t i n g 'only one

a t a time', the salamander

w i t h a great number o f emotions necessarily consistent.

presents the reader

and a t t i t u d e s which are not

"The salamander

felt

sad",

the

author t e l l s us i n h i s opening l i n e , but the salamander i s not o n l y sad, i t i s by t u r n s s e l f - c r i t i c a l ,

foolish,

e l a t e d , envious, benevolent, m a l i c i o u s , f r i e n d l y e t c . salamander

despairing, The

i s not merely an animal that r e p r e s e n t s one p a r t i c u l a r

human q u a l i t y , i t i s very n e a r l y human i t s e l f . is difficult

The

salamander

to see as an animal, and indeed, i t s animal

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s are not p a r t i c u l a r l y w e l l - d e v e l o p e d .

For

example, we do not know what i t eats nor how i t manages to s u r v i v e as long as i t does i n the cave; we know 'almost n o t h i n g

17

about It

i t s l i f e as an animal, e i t h e r i n the cave or o u t s i d e .

n e i t h e r speaks nor t h i n k s nor a c t s i n any way

serve to remind us of i t s 'salamander-ness'.

that might

The

salamander,

then, seems much more c o n v i n c i n g on a human l e v e l than on an animal

level. U n l i k e the salamander, however, o t h e r animal

in

the s t o r y are q u i t e c o n v i n c i n g as animals.

figures

At the same

time these animal f i g u r e s e x h i b i t p a r t i c u l a r human t r a i t s which are not o v e r l y complex.

The

s h o a l k\ ^ |s

, The

under the

title

Niece' s Marriage "'and

only

g

l a t e r changed 'it to K u r o i ame •

The use of these

two

d i s p a r a t e t i t l e s i n d i c a t e s t h a t there are i n f a c t two here, one,

rather stories

the s t o r y of Shigematsu Shizuma's attempt to f i n d

a husband f o r h i s n i e c e , Yasuko, and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima

the other, the s t o r y of

which was

f o l l o w e d , among

71

o t h e r strange phenomena, by a 'black r a i n ' .

Since

local

v i l l a g e rumour has i t t h a t Yasuko was present i n Hiroshima when the bomb f e l l ,

i t i s suspected

that she must have

c o n t r a c t e d some r a d i a t i o n disease and thus no marriage p r o p o s a l s a r e forthcoming.

I t i s i n order to d i s p e l l

a rumour as t h i s t h a t Shigematsu undertakes of

such

the t r a n s c r i p t i o n

Yasuko's d i a r y o f the bombing f o r the p e r u s a l o f the

go-between.

. E a t e r he decides to append h i s ownnjournal o f

the bombing to Yasuko's b r i e f e r account

and i t i s t h i s document

which forms the b a s i s o f the r e s t o f the s t o r y . , The d i a r y , s i m i l a r to Sazanami gunki, provides the s t o r y ' s b a s i c s t r u c t u r e , y e t i n K u r o i ame t h i s s t r u c t u r e i s i n f i n i t e l y more complex, i n c o r p o r a t i n g not only Y a s u k o s d i a r y and 1

Shigematsu's " J o u r n a l o f the Bombing" but s e v e r a l other 10 and .numerous eye-witness is

p r i m a r i l y through

accounts

as w e l l .

diaries

Nevertheless, i t

Shigematsu's j o u r n a l that the s t o r y u n f o l d s ,

g r a d u a l l y r e v e a l i n g the events o f the p a s t .

The emphasis upon

the s i g n i f i c a n c e and importance o f the recorded past i s seen as Shigematsu f i n i s h e s the t r a n s c r i p t i o n o f Yasuko's d i a r y and deci(c|,.'/"•'...

•

i

B e s t e r , Lookeast, p. 24.

Ill 2 3 4 5 6 7 9&

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

B e s t e r , Lookeast, P- 24. B e s t e r , Lookeast, p. 35. B e s t e r , Lookeast, P- 42. B e s t e r , Lookeast, P- 43. B e s t e r , Lookeast, p. 31. B e s t e r , Lookeast, P- 31. Ibuse, "Yohai t a i c h o , " i n Ibuse zenshu, V o l . IV, p.304 B e s t e r , Lookeast, p.

30.

Ibuse, "Yohai t a i c h o , " p. B e s t e r , Lookeast, p.

44.

B e s t e r , Lookeast, p.

30.

Ibuse, "Yohai t a i c h o , " , p. B e s t e r , Lookeast,

303.

304.

p. 29,

B e s t e r , Lookeast, p. 46,

Ibuse, "Yohai t a i c h o > II » s h i t a g a e " i s the proverb.

320:

"G5

n i haitte, go n i

17 B e s t e r , Lookeast, P. 4'6.

18 B e s t e r , 19 Bester, 20 Bester, 21 Bester, 22 Bester, 23 Bester, 24 Bester, 25 Bester, 26 Bester, 27 Bester, 28 Bester, 29 Bester, 30 Bester,

Lookeast, p. 47 . Lookeast, P- 49. Lookeast, P- 27. Lookeast, P. 51 . Lookeast, P- 23. Lookeast, P. 34. Lookeast, P. 32. Lookeast, P. 32. Lookeast, P- 50. Lookeast, P. 25. Lookeast, P- 25. Lookeast, P. 51 . Lookeast, P. 49 .

Chapter 4 1 John B e s t e r , t r a n s . , B l a c k Rain, by Ibuse Masuji (Tokyo and Palo A l t o * Kodansha I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 1969), p.

8.

112 p 3

Kawamori, pp 8-9. Of these works o n l y Jon Manjiro,"Kakitsubata"and

Kuroi

ame have been t r a n s l a t e d . Kawakarni, B l a c k Rain, p. 313. 5 Kawakarni, Black Rain, p. 313. Only e i g h t major a r t i c l e s .. •.. appear i n l i t e r a r y magaz i n e s from 1965 - .1974. 7 A.V. Liman, "The O l d Man and the Bomb:The Mythopoesis 4

;

of Ibuse's

'Black Rain'," i n £lfg^^DJath^ana^Age i n Modern

Japanese L i t e r a t u r e , ed. Reiko Tsukimura (Toronto:

University

of Toronto-York U n i v e r s i t y J o i n t Centre on Modern East A s i a , 1978), p. 38. Liman, " O l d Man", p. 38. 9 Ibuse, K u r o i ame i n Ibuse zenshu, V o l . X I I I , p. 455. The completed t e x t o f K u r o i ame c o n s i s t s o f twenty c h a p t e r s . 10 T a d a e ' M i c h i t a r o . p " I b u s e Masuji 'Kuroi ame' - f u r u s a t o 8

no o c h i t a genbaku," A s a h i J o u r n a l , 9, No. 10 (1967),

p. 38.

Tada notes a t l e a s t s i x d i a r i e s . 12 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 36. B e s t e r , Black, p. 41. 13 Other h i s t o r i c a l r e f e r e n c e s i n c l u d e the mention o f the Teiyu c i v i l war, the f l e e i n g Heike, the peasant r e v o l t s of the n i n e t e e n t h century, e t c . 14 B e s t e r , Black, p. 11 et passim. 15 ~ • B e s t e r , Black, p. 119. B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 123. B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 89. 18 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 21. B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 191. 20 1 1

1 6

1 7

1 9

B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 219. 2 1

B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 299.

2 2

B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 12. B e s t e r , Black, p. 13.

2 3

24

Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 6: Sono;,toki i e no naka kara r a j i o no j u d a i ho*so ga k i k o e t e k i t a .

113 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

B e s t e r , Black,

p. 297.

Liman, " O l d Man", p. 36. B e s t e r , Black, p. 46. B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 55. B e s t e r , Black, p. 161. B e s t e r , Black, p. 161. Liman, " O l d Man", p. 44. B e s t e r , Black, p. 9. Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 3. B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 53. B e s t e r , Black, p. 54. B e s t e r , Black, p. 296. These t w e l f t h century p a i n t i n g s f r e q u e n t l y show human

f i g u r e s burning

i n agony i n the flames o f h e l l .

OQ

B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 138. 39 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 40 41 BIbuse, e s t e r , K Black, p. u r o i ame, 42 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p.

163. 170. p. 19 et passim.

144. 43 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 92. 44 Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 3. 45 Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 3. 46 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 226. 47 B e s t e r , Black, p. 6 ( A l i v e as o f 1969). 48 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 270. 49 Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 235. 50 B e s t e r , Black, p, 270. 51 B e s t e r , Black, p. 266. 52 B e s t e r , Black, p. 300. 53 B e s t e r , Black, p. 60. 54 B e s t e r , B l a c k , p. 60. 55 Ibuse, K u r o i ame, p. 55. 56 B e s t e r , Black, p. 271.

5 7

Bester,

Black,

p.

300.

5 8

Bester,

Black,

p.

298.

5 9

Bester,

Black,

6 0

Bester,

Black,

p.

299.

5 1

Bester,

Black,

p.

300.

6 2

Bester,

Black,

p.

101.

p.-298.

Aiko

s h o u l d be

kego

115 BIBLIOGRAPHY B e s t e r , John, t r a n s .

B l a c k R a i n . By Ibuse M a s u j i .

Tokyo

and

Palo A l t o : Kodansha I n t e r n a t i o n a l L t d . , 1969. .

L i e u t e n a n t Lookgast and Other S t o r i e s . By Ibuse

Masuji.

Tokyo and Palo A l t o : Kodansha I n t e r n a t i o n a l L t d . ,

1971 . Frye, Northrop.

Anatomy of C r i t i c i s m .

New

York, Atheneum,

1969. Ibuse,Masuji .

4f^#|~

"Shojosaku made"

4* ^ ^

# £."

jf^f vti\ tf-^jCT

cho nihon bungaku, geppo 17 Ibuse M a s u j i shu

AM.'

7

^