An Artist of the Floating World | Topics for Discussion & Projects

An Artist of the Floating World Topics for Discussion

A point often discussed in the book is whether pleasure seeking automatically leads to debauchery. Do you agree with Ono's views on the matter? Why or why not?

Give two examples of symbolism in the book, and explain how they relate to the storyline.

Cite several examples of how Ono, even at the end of the book, is an unreliable narrator.

Why do you suppose Akira Sugimura planned to put a pet cemetery in Kawabe Park? What might its significance have been?

Do you believe that Ono's children ever entertained the belief that he should commit suicide? Why or why not?

The death of Ono's wife, which coincided with the end of the war and Kenji's death, is never discussed. What might the author be implying by leaving out any direct mention of such an important event?

Discuss the relationship between Ono and Ichiro. Why do you think Ono encouraged...
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