ASSIGNMENT | Identify a theme in this text and track its development across one early (7-13) and one late chapter (17-23) in this reading assignment.

Izumi Kyōka, The Holy Man of Mount Kōya (Chapters 6-15)
Identify a theme in this text and track its development across one early (7-13) and one late chapter (17-23) in this reading assignment.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Japanese Fiction in Comparative Contexts 9

            Kyoka’s “The Holy Man of Mount Koya” demonstrates an affirmative stance toward natural and supernatural powers unique or alien to the sensibility of humans (3). Throughout the book, especially in the first and last few chapters, the one notable theme is PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | a major role in representing nature, and it runes in contrast as well as counters the evolutionist ideology that severed human ties with the PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | demonstrating the animism ideology, Kyoka affirms: “the irritating, almost frightening thing about visiting Tsuruga is the clamorous insistence of the PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | is attempting to create an idealistic world where the notions of recidivism and regression are played in a bid to trigger different human ideologies, views, and perceptions of a non-existent world.

Accordingly, the second part of the book continues to advance the theme of fantasy/animism, especially when Kyoka explores an idealized world by point out that “the darkness of the deep PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | seemed to tilt their heads to catch a glimpse of this pale goddess under the specter moon” (Kyoka 23). In this case, Kyoka is aware of what human perceptions are, especially when the narrative strategies are explored based on the ideological patterns related to the quest for origins, as well as how PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | in the darkness of the inn in Tsuruga listening to the priest’s story, we heard footsteps in the corridor downstairs” (Kyoka 26), an indication that fantasy/animism can transition, and be PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | with the real world, and the activities and happenings taking place in real-time.