The Role Of Suicide In The Samurai's Garden

In every part of The Samurai’s Garden someone lived with a disease whether it attacked the physical body or the emotional. The characteristics of all the diseases lead to the same ending. After contracting a disease people would wallow in sorrow and contemplate suicide because of “honor” and society’s views. If suicide did not happen the people with diseases must then live in isolation from the real world. This is not the end though, after someone contracts a disease life still goes on and he appreciates the little parts of life more. In the book, The Samurai’s Garden, Gail Tsukiyama uses diseases and misfortunes to show true delight in her character’s lives. Sachi first suffered from leprosy, depression shortly followed. Due to these diseases her community encouraged her to commit suicide so she could restore honor to her family. If …show more content…
Those diseases include tuberculosis and mild depression. These diseases cause his family to shun him and the diseases make his body frail. Even with those diseases he maintains a mood of happiness when he engages in certain hobbies. Some of those hobbies include painting, traveling around with Matsu, and helping Sachi with her garden. Matsu and Sachi develop into Stephen’s adoptive parents with more influence on than his birth parents have. This allows Stephen to adopt the carefree attitude of a child who is free of burdens. Stephen instantly becomes happier and more loving when he sees how a relationship between to people should work and that he does not have to carry his parent’s burdens. Stephen always shows joy when he helps others. During the time of the fire that caused disarray in Yamaguchi, Stephen only wanted to help (quote 122). Helping gave him immense satisfaction because he then had the ability to improve the lives of others. Even thought the diseases weakened his physical body Stephen overcame the barriers. He used his best qualities to bring happiness to himself and