Character Development in A Tale for the Time Being Serena Huang 12th Grade

Each person, wherever and whenever he or she lives, experiences his or her own here and now. Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being explores this idea by following three main characters who are all separated by time and space. Despite the fact that Ruth lives on the Canadian island of Whaletown, Nao lives in Tokyo, and Haruki #1 lives in the past, all of their lives are connected by Haruki #1’s secret French diary. The diary--although written in Nao and Ruth’s past--is able to preserve Haruki #1’s here and now, and in doing so, allows the lessons that Haruki learns to transcend through time and space. Through the passing down of Haruki #1’s diary, it is evident that understanding the stories of others is crucial to personal growth.

First and foremost, Haruki #1’s understanding of the great philosophers is essential to his legacy. As a philosophy student turned soldier, he battles between his desire to love the world and the responsibility to hate his enemies. At first, Haruki is bitter both towards his fate and towards the Marquis for beating and humiliating his friend. He writes, “I only hope that I will not die until I taste the sweetness of revenge” (319). However, after writing about Montaigne, Socrates, and the...