ALIENATION

__**Noboru**__
 * Noboru is an example of a character who is alienated from the rest of the world.
 * When Noboru wonders about the “emptiness of his own world” (page 8), this shows the readers the way in which Noboru views his life and its place in the world. He feels that his life is empty and that there is no purpose for it.
 * This is unusual for a thirteen-year-old boy to think and this also shows he is precocious and advanced for his age.
 * Because of this certain way of viewing life, Noboru stays with his "gang" of "friends" including the chief as they share the same views. This gang itself is alienated from society and it is their choice to be. This gang believes that there is no purpose in life other than to seek "glory" which they believe society has been foolish enough to have forgotten about.
 * This could represent the ideas Mishima had as well about reforming Japan back to its traditional ways with Samurais and the Emperor's rule over the country. Mishima believed this was to bring Japan back to glory, however the rest of society did not agree with him.
 * Noboru is also withdrawn from the rest of the world when he is alone and happiest in his chest spying through the peephole.
 * Despite him wanting to be cut off from the world when he is in his chest, he enjoys regarding it and enjoys the feeling of having control over what he is watching. (Having power over his mother)

__**The Chief **__
 * The chief is another character who is also alienated.
 * Similarly to Noboru, the Chief is different and alienated from the world as he lacks a sense of meaning and purpose in life.
 * This is due to the of lack of guidance from his parents as he was growing up. “…this hollow house had nourished the chief’s ideas about the overwhelming emptiness of the world” (Page 55)
 * As his parents have never properly guided him, he lacks moral direction and this leads to his views on the world to become twisted - especially for a boy his age.
 * This could possibly represent Mishima's view on how Japan was progressing the way in which he did not want it to. This may show that Mishima is conveying to us that the older generation is not leading the younger generation in the correct ways. Mishima could be saying that the Japanese society has been setting the wrong examples to the younger generations on how Japan should be run as a country.
 * "The chief's parents were never home; his house was always hushed. A solitary boy..." (page 55) This quote shows us that the chief has been alone when at home most of his life. This also shows that his relationship with his parents was very weak and that he was alienated from them too.
 * Being distant from his parents in similar to Noboru and Mishima as well who had a distant relationship with his father.
 * Because the chief lacks moral direction, this can show Mishima's view on Japan itself after WWII where it too lacked moral direction and authority.
 * The chief is also dismissive about humanity and feels he has no time for it as he is only living for a greater purpose which is to find "glory". As he dislikes people, this makes him misanthropic, thus forcing him to alienate himself.

**__Ryuji__**
 * When on-board the ship - The Rakuyo - Ryuji too was alienated. “Ryuji was considered unsociable and eccentric.” Page 15. This tells us that on-board the ship, Ryuji is a loner and this contrasts to what Noboru had perceived him to be at first which was a "hero".
 * It also says: "Alienation and the long voyages at sea will compel him once again to dream of it..." page 16
 * This tells us directly that Ryuji knows he is alienated while being on the long voyages on ship and this makes him want to be on land again. This is so he can somehow get away from the feeling of being isolated on the ship for some time.