I know we touched on this subject during class today, but i was wondering if you guys had any thoughts about Chiyo's water personality. Early in chapter one the author describes the difference between water and wood.
"Water flows from place to place quickly and always finds a crack to spill through. Wood, on the other hand, hold fast to the earth."
I have noticed that throughout the book, the author uses metaphors and smilies that have to do with the sea. I think this could either represent Chiyo's water personality, or her childhood since her hometown of Yoroido was located on the ocean. Do you think that Chiyo's actions in book fit the description of a water personality, and do her sister's actions hold true to that of someone with a wood personality?
Yeah, I also noticed that there were a lot of references water and the sea. I think you're right about it representing Chiyo's personality. I thought that it shows her unpredictability. When she and Mameha talk for the first time after the kimono incident, Mameha says that water never waits and is able to find secret paths that others would not have thought about. That’s like when Chiyo tries to escape. She impulsively runs away without consulting her almanac first and, because the doors were locked, uses the roof to do so. So I guess that means I do think she fits the description of a water personality. As for Satsu I’m really unsure because we don’t know a ton about her personality, and the description of a wood personality isn’t as clear as the water one. Haha see what I did there? Because water is clear and so is the description... Anyways, I thought it was interesting that Mameha said that wood was the natural complement of water and can’t survive without it. That seems to apply to Chiyo's parents because after the mom dies so does the dad and they're water and wood personalities. Or perhaps there is some foreshadowing about the sisters going on here?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely foreshadowing. Each follow how the parents molded them. The wooden parent favored the first sister, and the water parent favored the second sister.
DeleteWood grows slowly. And only from the roots.
I think that Chiyo/Sayuri's (yikes) water personality and her hometown are connected in a way. When she thinks about where she grew up, she often includes something about the sea in her description of it. The sea was as much an aspect of her home as the roof or walls.
ReplyDeleteI may be misinterpreting this, but it seems as though a water personality would be flexible and easy going, as well, which doesn't really strike me as part of Chiyo's personality. Although maybe as a geisha she learns to be more like that. I don't know, it was just something I noticed.
As far as Satsu goes, although we don't know much about her, she and Chiyo do seem to be opposites. It seems that Satsu has an easier time letting go of her childhood than Chiyo. She comes up with a plan to escape, succeeds, and runs off with that guy she had always liked. She doesn't question anything and nothing will change her mind. Chiyo strikes me as more of a questioner. She does what she is told (mainly because that is basically her job), but she is curious about things. I hope there is more on Satsu later in the book, because I felt that ending things the way they are so far, with Satsu having run off somewhere that no one knows about, would just not be enough for me. I realize that life doesn't always work out neatly, but it's a novel, so I think it should ;)
Satsu should meet someone who can understand her, but who can also view her family situation from the outside. And plant a seed in her wooden brain.
ReplyDeleteAnd Satsu should meet someone who she doesn’t view as inferior, because Chiyo is the little sister.
Of course, my opinion.