Fugu

Fugu, the fatally poisonous fish, represents death, and Ishiguro uses it as a symbol of death to establish the dark atmosphere in this story. The story begins with a detailed description of fugu and its fatal qualities, so this immediately sets the dark tone for the remainder of the story. This allows Ishiguro to develop the father’s character’s sinister intentions in a subtle way.

The Sunny Autumn Day

The sunny autumn day when the protagonist arrives in Tokyo represents the disparity in the protagonist’s relationship with his father. The protagonist remarks on the perfect sunny day immediately after the father gives him the morbid details of his mother’s death. The juxtaposition of such a dark subject with the description of the sunny day highlights the contrast in personalities between the father and protagonist, so it emphasizes the divide in their relationship.

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