Reading Notes W10: Seperate Ways, Part B
"Separate Ways"
This is a short, amusing tale between two main characters Okya and Kichizo with an heart wrenching ending.
Both Okya and Kichizo are two of unlikely characters that develop a big sister/lil brother relationship. They are both poor and can barely take care themselves “If only I could sew you a nice Kimono, it would be a happy day. I’d gladly do it. But look at me. I don’t’ have enough money to dress myself properly. I’m sewing to support myself” (908). However Okay is optimistic that her luck will one day change regarding her financial status, whereas Okya believes that it was his fate to be poor. Predicting that he will never succeed.
Kichizo is an abandoned child, longing to know his identity; he has no family or friends. He has found companionship with Okya, who has been extremely kind to him (910). The narrator recounts his story of how he came to work at the umbrella shop. He was taken in by the owner who has been dead for two years. He is now in the hands of a new and cruel owner, but he has no where else to go, so he must put up with them. He is teased and mistreated by most people in the community, which reveals what type of society he lives in. Yet, Kichizo is no punk. He is ready to defend himself at any moment. The new owners are Okya landlords; it is through this connection she was introduced to Kichizo and took a liking to the young boy. She was kind because she saw how he was being treated and understood that he had no one. This show Okya’s character.
Kichizo embellishes his relationship to those who treat him with disdain (911). He looks at Okya as a sister even though he tries to make his bullies think that she looks at him differently. How she waits on him and feeds him. Lets him come all hours of the night.
Kichizo assumed that Okya felt the same away about their relationship. He saw her as family; a big sister than really cared about his wellbeing. He felt she was the one person who would be there for him and made him feel valued, when ever one else made him the butt of their jokes. So, it crushed him to find out that she had chosen to leave him to become someone’s mistress. He had heard rumors but refused to believe them and he even defended Kichizo honor. He was disgusted to find out from her that the rumors were true. Okya was disgusted that she chose to be a mistress for a more luxurious living over being a respectful woman, who made an honest living, and who had a little brother that adored her. Not only that he thought that would never choose to be a mistress when she knows her little brother would have no one to look out for him, to feed him, and to love him.
Kichizo in the end does not want to have anything to do with Okya. She was no different than all the other people who mistreated him. He is always disappointed in the end. He concludes that his luck no matter what he does will ever change. He speaks of the people who are friendly and disappear (913). The granny who took him died, the Kinu who was kind to him committed suicide because she didn’t want to marry, and now Okya is leaving to become a mistress. Willingly or unwillingly, in the end Kichizo realizes that everyone leaves and what should he accept if his own parents left him, maybe this was his fate. He leaves Okya house not just disappointed but heartbroken.
This is a short, amusing tale between two main characters Okya and Kichizo with an heart wrenching ending.
Both Okya and Kichizo are two of unlikely characters that develop a big sister/lil brother relationship. They are both poor and can barely take care themselves “If only I could sew you a nice Kimono, it would be a happy day. I’d gladly do it. But look at me. I don’t’ have enough money to dress myself properly. I’m sewing to support myself” (908). However Okay is optimistic that her luck will one day change regarding her financial status, whereas Okya believes that it was his fate to be poor. Predicting that he will never succeed.
Kichizo is an abandoned child, longing to know his identity; he has no family or friends. He has found companionship with Okya, who has been extremely kind to him (910). The narrator recounts his story of how he came to work at the umbrella shop. He was taken in by the owner who has been dead for two years. He is now in the hands of a new and cruel owner, but he has no where else to go, so he must put up with them. He is teased and mistreated by most people in the community, which reveals what type of society he lives in. Yet, Kichizo is no punk. He is ready to defend himself at any moment. The new owners are Okya landlords; it is through this connection she was introduced to Kichizo and took a liking to the young boy. She was kind because she saw how he was being treated and understood that he had no one. This show Okya’s character.
Kichizo embellishes his relationship to those who treat him with disdain (911). He looks at Okya as a sister even though he tries to make his bullies think that she looks at him differently. How she waits on him and feeds him. Lets him come all hours of the night.
Kichizo assumed that Okya felt the same away about their relationship. He saw her as family; a big sister than really cared about his wellbeing. He felt she was the one person who would be there for him and made him feel valued, when ever one else made him the butt of their jokes. So, it crushed him to find out that she had chosen to leave him to become someone’s mistress. He had heard rumors but refused to believe them and he even defended Kichizo honor. He was disgusted to find out from her that the rumors were true. Okya was disgusted that she chose to be a mistress for a more luxurious living over being a respectful woman, who made an honest living, and who had a little brother that adored her. Not only that he thought that would never choose to be a mistress when she knows her little brother would have no one to look out for him, to feed him, and to love him.
Kichizo in the end does not want to have anything to do with Okya. She was no different than all the other people who mistreated him. He is always disappointed in the end. He concludes that his luck no matter what he does will ever change. He speaks of the people who are friendly and disappear (913). The granny who took him died, the Kinu who was kind to him committed suicide because she didn’t want to marry, and now Okya is leaving to become a mistress. Willingly or unwillingly, in the end Kichizo realizes that everyone leaves and what should he accept if his own parents left him, maybe this was his fate. He leaves Okya house not just disappointed but heartbroken.
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