Snow Country Lesson Plan

What are some contrasts you notice in this section?

Encourage students to look through the text and find quotes that illustrate contrasts, which are rampant in both the setting and characterization. For instance, when Kawabata describes the setting and Komako, he says, “The white in the depths of the mirror was the snow, and floating in the middle of it were the woman’s bright red cheeks” (48). Shimamura is captivated by the contrast between the white snow and Komako’s red skin. He also notices other contrasts outside the window. “Black though the mountains were, they seemed at that moment brilliant with the color of the snow. They seemed to him somehow transparent,...