So Far from the Bamboo Grove Literary Qualities

Yoko Kawashima Watkins
This Study Guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of So Far from the Bamboo Grove.

So Far from the Bamboo Grove Literary Qualities

Yoko Kawashima Watkins
This Study Guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of So Far from the Bamboo Grove.
This section contains 522 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the So Far from the Bamboo Grove Study Guide

So Far from the Bamboo Grove pits good against evil, war against peace, strength against weakness, and creation against destruction. Unintentionally perhaps, Watkins uses the symbolism of the bamboo to emphasize the contrast. Before Yoko and her family are forced to flee their home, they live peacefully and comfortably in a bamboo grove, so it seems relevant to relate the role that bamboo plays in Japanese symbolism, an evergreen plant that symbolizes constancy. It is also a hearty plant and it lives an exceedingly long time, so it symbolizes longevity. Because the bamboo has strong roots and it always grows upright, it appears to show strength of character. It perseveres, even during hard times: the roots of the bamboo thrive, even in ice and snow, and they sprout multiple stems, which further indicate its strength and vitality.

Long ago, the Japanese took note of the bamboo's...

(read more)

This section contains 522 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the So Far from the Bamboo Grove Study Guide
Copyrights
BookRags
So Far from the Bamboo Grove from BookRags. (c)2024 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.