Fusako

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Fusako - Chapter 3 - She is a working mother. -After her husband died five years ago, she didn't have a any other relationships with men until she met Ryuji. It may show that she loved her husband and had stayed as a widow in order to show her loyalty. "...was one of the many curios collected by Fusako's husband before his death; these were priced so as to discourage any would-be buyer." pg 24 --> objects belonging to Fusako's husband had great sentimental value to her and it shows that she is perhaps not willing to let go of her feelings. These 5 years of staying as a widow has contributed to her loneliness which she hadn't realized until she met Ryuji. - "five years was a dizzying length" pg 27 when describing the time she spent without a man. She also forgets that it is her husband's death anniversary, could show how her heart desires to move on but her obligation is to stay faithful. The idea that a women needs and relies on men and cannot live without them for too long. This can be related Mishima's idea that men are supreme. "I never talked so much to a man before, not since my husband died..." pg 36. Fusako describes Yoriko (actress) as "a very lonely women", as if not having a man is a negative thing. (Again we can relate this to Mishima's idea of Men being superior to women). - Runs the business ('Rex LTD' a luxury shop) on her own after her husbands death. - Employed an elderly manager and 4 sales girls.- Fusako's independance, for example SHE was the one to hire a male elderly manager. - 'Rex's LTD' is the 'best known luxury shop in Yokohama's swank Motomachi district.' Fusako East vs West:  Very westernized : eg. her room : ‘In front of the mirror rose a small city if bottles : eau de Cologne, perfume sprays …’ p 5; eats at a French restaurant with Yoriko : ‘a small French restaurant near the harbour where the yachtsman gathered.’  Kimono vs Sex on first date ; conservative vs Modern: p11 ‘as the kimono slipped to the floor…’  Modern Woman p26: ‘She couldn’t imagine what might have happened if she had stayed home from work  Has a routine, very organized (modern, independent etc) : p34 ‘Fusako had a sandwich and a cup of tea she ordered everyday from a coffee shop.’

Relationship with Yoriko (conflict between classes)  p32 ‘Fusako objected to be called “Mama” as though she was the proprietress of a bar’  Conversation with Yoriko on p124-125 ‘Violent summer passion’ against ‘honest respectable bourgeois’: ‘society’s first thrust of reproach at her “indiscretion”’- Worried about how the society views her (locks Noboru) “...their backgrounds were entirely different and there was no reason why her love affair should develop into a patter familiar to Yoriko.” (pg 125) “she’s just a customer, not a friend...” (pg 125) -Feels that shes more superior than Yoriko. ie highlighting her flaws etc.

Internal Conflict: p 113 ‘But there are some issues we ought to discuss first’

Her relationship with Noboru  p25 ‘Though Fusako was unable to travel abroad herself, because of Noboru’- She has western influences besides the fact she cannot even travel abroad. It was not usually women who would have the dominant job, shows how Fusako has a good job (which is unusual for a woman).  Noboru is attached to her ‘It’s time you don’t come into Mother’s room so often…’ p6  Noboru idealises her (description of her room, P4-5) Semantic field of light  Conflict with Noboru when she found out that he spied on them: ‘My own son, a filthy, disgusting thing like that –I could die this very minute!’p153  Spends more time with Ryuji than Noboru after they met: p81‘deciding arbitrarily to spend the night out with Mother, thereby placing me in an awfully isolated position’

Relationship with Ryuji  Love at first sight : ‘The sailor’s eye made her shudder’ p30’ - The reason why Fusako fell in love with Ryuji so quickly may be because of loneliness, and the desires for a man. "it was a new sensation"- to describe the feeling of sex with Ryuji shows her sexual desires.  Trusts him to beat Noboru. The quote also shows the japanese tradition and how beating a child is usually more accepted in asian culture. :p155 ‘If this child isn’t beaten within an inch of his life the evil in him will keep getting worse’