Flowers Summary and Analysis

Man has a very long history with flowers. They are a natural beauty that inspires the artistic soul. Flowers are associated with many traditions the world over, from weddings to funerals. However, no matter the flower's promise of enlightenment and beauty, humans have demonstrated again and again that they are monsters unworthy of the flower, and certainly not worthy to pluck it from the ground and kill it.

Eastern so-called "Flower Masters" perceive that they deal in death, and so treat flowers carefully and with honor. In the West, a massive amount of flowers are used and then tossed out, with no appreciation or consideration for the sacrifice of the flower. Okakura laments that the flower was born helpless with no way to defend itself.

If to cut flowers is a sin, the flower master makes up for it with the...