The Use Of Symbols In Snow Country

Kawabata’s use of symbols in Snow Country allows the audience to understand his underlying meaning of wasted effort. If Snow Country was to be depicted as anything, it is in regards of failed love. In spite of that, realizing the personalities of Komako and Shimamura, it is evident that their love is fated from the opening; a "waste of effort" which in fact resembles the much labor composed Chijimi cloth is nevertheless beautiful in its touching sadness. Even though Komako was still an amateur performer during Shimamura's initial visit, she is confined to this restraining position of a professional woman who’s duty is to satisfy and entertain her guest; however she can by no means endure anything with Shimamura. Her need or yearning to enter into something more long-term and more meaningful steers her into a relationship with Shimamura, but then again because he does not care to sympathize with her feelings or aid her immensely, she can do nothing but hold onto him while he is in the hot spring and anticipate for his return from Tokyo. …show more content…
Shimamura is in this distinctive position, as an intelligent and logical thinker, his dilettante personality enables him to be incapable of returning any feelings. “The thread was spun in the snow, and the cloth woven in the snow, washed in the snow everything, from the first spinning of the thread to the last finishing touches was done in the now.” (150). This quote was to show how much effort was put into making this cloth. However, Shimamura thought all of the effort put into creating this cloth was just