Reading Notes: Ozaki, Part A
The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die
The main character, Sentaro, is terrified of the thought of dying. Sentaro's name means "millionaire", but he is not rich at all. If I were to rewrite this story, I would make him rich so that there is more of a comparison between him Shin-no-Shiko. Shin-no-Shiko is a Chinese King that Sentaro heard about in a tale. He was also afraid of dying, but only because he hated the thought of leaving all of his luxurious stuff. This seems like a very strange to be afraid of dying; it would make more sense for him to hate the thought of leaving his loved ones. Because of Shin-no-Shiko's fear of death, he couldn't enjoy his glorious life and was always miserable. And so he sent one of his courtiers, Jofuku, to a land that is fabled to be Mount Fuji so that he could find the hermits who possessed the "Elixer of Life." After Jofuku left, he never returned, but it is said that he was worshiped as the hermits' patron god. (What? How did that happen?) And so, now, Jofuku wants to go to Mount Fuji to find the "Elixer of Life."
What if Sentaro heard this story and instead decided that he didn't want to end up like Shin-no-Shiko?
Does he not realize that living forever means living the rest of his life without his family?
The main character, Sentaro, is terrified of the thought of dying. Sentaro's name means "millionaire", but he is not rich at all. If I were to rewrite this story, I would make him rich so that there is more of a comparison between him Shin-no-Shiko. Shin-no-Shiko is a Chinese King that Sentaro heard about in a tale. He was also afraid of dying, but only because he hated the thought of leaving all of his luxurious stuff. This seems like a very strange to be afraid of dying; it would make more sense for him to hate the thought of leaving his loved ones. Because of Shin-no-Shiko's fear of death, he couldn't enjoy his glorious life and was always miserable. And so he sent one of his courtiers, Jofuku, to a land that is fabled to be Mount Fuji so that he could find the hermits who possessed the "Elixer of Life." After Jofuku left, he never returned, but it is said that he was worshiped as the hermits' patron god. (What? How did that happen?) And so, now, Jofuku wants to go to Mount Fuji to find the "Elixer of Life."
What if Sentaro heard this story and instead decided that he didn't want to end up like Shin-no-Shiko?
Does he not realize that living forever means living the rest of his life without his family?
Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die by Yei Theodora Ozaki
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