oh no, that is not Ono

                Ono is the main character and narrator in “An Artist of the Floating World”. He is guiding his audience through his life. He first led us to his dilemma when he brought us up to the little wooden Bridge of Hesitation. The bridge serves as the gate way between the various worlds. When we first arrive at the bridge, Ono told us that ”even if it did not occupy such a commanding position on the hill, the house would still stand from all others nearby, so that as you come up the path, you may find yourself wondering what sort of wealthy man owns it” (Ishiguro pg. 7). Ono’s intention is to show us the various worlds he is caught up with. This bridge symbolizes the various worlds Ono is caught in: pre-war and post-war; Western culture and Japan culture; old generation and new generation.

                The most important thing about his worlds is that they are involved with each other. Pre-war and post-war has the most association with the other worlds. Pre-war is Japan culture and old generation and post-war is Western culture and new generation. After the war, the Western culture and new generation starts to materialize as Ono begin to discover it in his family. The Western culture world Ono is caught up is in his grandson, Ichiro. The conversation between the two sums up what Ichiro is heading toward culturally.

            ‘Very impressive, Ichiro, But tell me, who were you pretending to be?’

‘You guess, Oji’

‘hmm. Lord Yoshitsune perhaps? No? A samurai warrior, then? Hmm. Or a ninja perhaps? The Ninja of the Wind.’

‘Oji’s completely on the wrong scent.’

‘Then tell me. Who were you?’

‘Lone Ranger!’

‘What?’

‘Lone Ranger! Hi you Silver’

Ichiro cross over the Bridge of Hesitation and brought in the Western Culture to Ono. This is where Ono first present to us where the Western culture has enter into his Japanese culture. Ono is also caught in between the old generation and new generation with his son-in-law, Suichi. Ono is the old generation and Suichi is the new generation. Generation usually has a different lifestyle and, more importantly, opinion. The both of them have a disagreement with each other’s opinion on the “cost” of war. Suichi opinion about the cost of war is that “it’s terrible to think of the waste…they were all for stupid cases…those who sent the likes of Kenji out there to die these brave deaths, where are they today? They’re carrying on with their lives, much the same as ever” (Ishiguro pg. 58). Suichi clearly establish his opinion as the new generation. Ono clearly notice the changes in the new generation. He later opinion that “”in fact the mood I found him in that evening proved to be typical of his general mood these days; the transformation from polite, self-effacing young man who married Setsuko two years before the war is quite remarkable” (Ishiguro pg. 59). Ono express the changes from the old generation and Japanese culture to the new generation and Western culture is all trigger by the war.

                Ono guide us through his narrative. So far, he wants us to see what he truly wants right from the beginning. He shows us his house and how he won it through prestige and honor. He went on as though he is not a wealthy man. In some way, he is being very modest about himself. As later we found out he has a lot of influence as a teacher and artist. There were some part s where Ono refuses to present to us. Setsuko says “I merely wish to say that it is perhaps wise if Father would take certain precautionary steps. To ensure misunderstandings do not arise. After all, Noriko is almost twenty-six now. We cannot afford many more disappointments such as last year’s (Ishiguro pg. 49). Ono reply with “misunderstandings about what, Setsuko” (Ishiguro pg. 49). Ono clearly did not want us to know some part of him. So in the story, we see Ono as a wealthy and influential man who is very modest. In the assign reading, this conclude that Ono has a past he refuses to show us this early in the story.