Vessel
Women have been compared with vessels in the novel. This simile has been used to demonstrate the nature of Kikuji’s relation with all the women around him. The women were like decorated vessels who appeased his eyes. He just looks at their outer beauties and then leaves them after exploiting them. He adores Yukiko for her outer appearance and decides to marry her just because she appears to be beautiful at the tea ceremony but later on, he becomes entranced by the beauty of Mrs. Ota and after making love with her, he moves to another vessel. The next vessel which he exploits is Fumiko. Kikuji destroys all the vessels after using them for his self-accomplishment.
Napkin
The tea napkin has been compared to a red flower. During the tea ceremony, Yukiko serves tea in an attempt to impress Kikuji, Chikako wants her to marry Kikuji so she dresses in a elegant way. The narrator says, “The hair seemed luminous. The light was really too bright for a tea cottage, but it made the girl’s youth glow. The tea napkin, as became a young girl, was red, and it impressed one less with its softness than with its freshness, as if the girl’s hands were bringing a red flower into bloom.” Yukiko brought the napkin as if she were bringing a red flower for Kikuji.
Bowl
The fate of parents has been passed to their children in the novel and it has been demonstrated through the metaphor of bowls. Both Kikuji and Fumiko take the fate of their parents in the form of the bowls that they receive. Kikuji feels a sense of loss after the death of his father but he pursues the same line of action as his father. He runs after women just like his father and exploits them. He makes love with Mrs. Ota who was the last mistress of his father. Then he indulges himself in a love affair with Fumiko. At times, he also shows interest in Yukiko. Despite of all the affairs, he remains alone at the end just like his father. Fumiko also receives the bowl i.e. the fate of her mother. She is also exploited by Kikuji like her mother and she also commits suicide after feeling guilty for her relationship with Kikuji.
