Thousand Cranes Literary Elements

Biography, Fiction, Novel.

The setting of the novel is Japan after World War II.

The narrator of the novel is Kikuji Mitan and the story has been narrated from the protagonist's point of view.

Ironic, Solemn, Resentful, Scornful.

The protagonist of the novel is Kikuji Mitani, who is an orphan.

The major conflict in the novel is between Kikuji and his love interests. Initially he detests Mrs. Ota and shows interest in Yukiko but later on he makes love with Mrs. Ota. Then after her death, he becomes interested in her daughter Fumiko and then leaves her because of an allegation on her.

The climax in the story comes when Kikuji makes love with Mrs. Ota.

Kikuji's father's indefinite nature foreshadows the fluctuating behaviors of Kikuji. Just like his father, Kikuji moves from one woman to another.

The understatement in the novel is that the Japanese society is losing its lifelong traditions. Although people still focus on the ceremonies but the the real purpose has been lost. The author has depicted it through the Tea ceremony and the bowls of Kikuji and Fimiko's parents, which pass on to next generations, but the ceremonies have become tools to hide vile deeds.

There are allusions to Japanese traditions, Tea ceremony, death, the relationship between parents and children, extra-marital affairs, death, mistresses, desire, suicide and fate.

The images of death, love making, tea ceremony, infidelity, treachery and lost traditions have been employed by the writer. There are also images of women energy being described as vessel energy, the women wearing lipsticks, cranes and stars drawn by the author.

The paradox in the story is that Kikuji does not like Mrs. Ota but after meeting her in the tea ceremony, he makes love with her. Another paradox in the story is that Kikuji claims that he would marry Yukiko but after Mrs. Ota's death, he shows his love interest in Fumiko. Even he says that he would marry her instead of Yukiko. Chikako asserts that the girls are married and Kikuji left Fumiko. Another example of paradox is that Kikujo thinks that his relationships with women would empower his masculinity but the paradox is that he ends up being caught in a spiral and remain weak and alone after Fumiko's death.

There is a parallelism between Kikujo and his father's life. Both are inconsistent in their lives. Both the father and son move from one women to another. Another parallelism in the novel is between Mrs. Ota nad her daughter's life. Both Mrs. Ota and Fumiko are manipulated by Kikuji and both dies after feeling ashamed of their relationship with Kikuji.

An example of synecdoche is Tea ceremony which stands for Japanese traditions. An example of metonymy is Kikuji who represents the deteriorated generation and traditions of Japan. Kikuji represents all the men of his generation who have indefinite generation.

Japanese traditions and fate have been personified in the novel.