GENDER


 * __Quotes which relate to the theme of gender:__

“His Broad shoulders were square as the beams in a temple roof. His chest strained against a thick matt of hair, knotted muscle like twists of sisal hemp bulged all over his body: his flesh looked like a suit of armor that he could cast off at will” “The think black hair bellow the belly, the lustrous temple tower soared triumphantly errect”-** A very masculine description of a male body, descriptive in order to see that he is the perfect description of masculinity. Mishima also seems very amirable of his manly body- saying woman are nothing without men's companionship.


 * “Fusako employed an elderly manager and four salesgirls”**- It is Fusako who employed a man rather than a man employing a woman.


 * “Though Fusako was unable to travel abroad herself, because of Noboru, she has sent Mr. Shibuya on a buying trip to Europe the year before.”-** She may be an independant woman and owns her own buisness but there is still a sense of male and female responsibility, e.g. Fusako must prioitize her son (a motherly role), while it is the man who prioritizes work. Despite Fusako owning the buisness, she is still restricted from bigger opportunities.

“She took a lady’s cigarette from her purse”- Mishima purposely highlights the feminine items owned by Fusako. For example, have cigarettes ever been made for especially seperate genders?

Mishima wants to enforce that the world would be a mess if it was run by women. This is ironic because his sexuality conisists of both feminine and masculine factors (being openly attracted to men and women). He also in a way states that without men, women are not able to live a proper life. Mishima tries to involve men as the key to life, strong and masculine and women being weak and subservient to men

Even though Fusako may be independant, she still knows in her heart that she needs a man to take control of her life. Of course, she does have Noboru but he does not understand masculinity as he is still young so therefor he does not suit her needs for a masculine model in her life

The guy is a bit of a looser, but mishima still describes him as being strong and very masculine, so it is as if no matter who it is, men are still better.. At first, Noboru is very infatuated with his mother’s new man, because since Noboru had grown up without a male role model, he is willing to accept any man into his life.

The book also plays upon the fact that both genders don't really know what the opposite sex is really thinking. As proven when Fusako was talking to Tsukazaki they easily misunderstood each other "Fusako spoke the words coolly; to Tsukazaki's ear, it sounded like the babbling of a woman stricken with the heat."

Men in Japan traditionally are ones who dont talk much to women and are the ones who are decisive however, Ryuji displays a different sort of man as he is seen worrying about how his conversation went with Fusako "How could I have talked so Goddamn badly!" showing that he is sort of feminine.

Ryuji compared to other men has a different idea of what a man should really be “I’ve lived my whole life thinking of myself as the only real man”. This may be a reminscent of Mishima telling us of his differences with the other Japanese men of his time.

Also, it has also been shown that Ryuji doesnt really understand or know what a woman is really thinking "he doubted a woman would understand."

Chapter 7: - expected to be obedient and to put a man's glory before all: “women” speak “words of docile acceptance of the horizon’s authority” - dependant on males:  “Fusako needed a guarantee of safety” - dangerous; a woman's sexuality is evil: Fusako’s kiss is presented negatively: “For Ryuji, the kiss was death” (very negative connotations) & “the flame danced in her unmoving eyes as she held it to a hemp leaf”
 * Presentation of Femininity to be:**

This shows the expectations from women are to be unconditionally obedient to men as women cannot get by without a man to rely on. Mishima uses negetive imagery to convey that women who use their sexuality to seduce men away from their paths to glory are dangerous and of evil heart.

- Proud; men receives credit when friends, family or partners show longing: “he was staking a simple man’s pride on the tears of a woman lamenting the farewell” - Concerned about practical things, unconcerned about emotions: When Ryuji was about to leave and Fusako says “I’ve sunk pretty low thanks to you”, Ryuji was “surprised” & “a diary accurately recording the sea’s caprice in compensation for man’s inability to chart his own moods.” - Of higher status than femininity: “The man sets out in quest of the Grand Cause; the woman is left behind.”
 * Presentation of Masculinity to be:**

This shows that Mishima believes that men should have status above women and that when the "Grand Cause" comes, the woman should be left behind and she must accept it without complaint. He also communicates that a man's way is more efficient than a woman's as they are concerned about practical, useful things, unlike women who are overly concerned with pitiful emotions.