NATIONALISM VALUE OF JAPANESE NAVY IN WORLD WAR II REVEALED THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTER’S POINT OF VIEW AS SEEN IN HIROYUKI AGAWA’S BURIAL
IN THE CLOUDS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Yoseph Bayu Arfianto
Student Number: 054214087
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
NATIONALISM VALUE OF JAPANESE NAVY IN WORLD WAR II REVEALED THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTER’S POINT OF VIEW AS SEEN IN HIROYUKI AGAWA’S BURIAL
IN THE CLOUDS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Yoseph Bayu Arfianto
Student Number: 054214087
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iv
No one ever goes into battle
thinking God is on the other side.
vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Great praise I address to Jesus Christ for the miracle He has given and for everything that I have in my life.
My deepest and sincerest gratitude goes to my parents: Stephanus Agus Budiarto and Theresia Rahayu Widiastuti for the limitless love, care and attention. I also thank my sisters: Stephani Mayang Dias Putri and Emanuela Prima Wardani for the help and support.
Great gratitude is sincerely addressed to Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S.
M.Hum. for her helpful guidance and advices during the process of writing this thesis and Tatang Iskarna, S.S.M.Hum as the reader of my thesis. I also would like to thank my academic advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S. M. Hum. for the direction and advice during this years.
I also thank my classmates in 2005 for the unforgettable moment we have spent together: Hardian Putra, Yemima Aji Putra, Buntara Adi, Riana, Chandra, Ria, Dita, Cindy, Bruno M, Fuja R, Christian Budi and Stephanus Wangsa. I also thank the Slamet & Brojo Crews: Adit 04, Robertus Galih 04, Troy 04, Wawan 04, Adi Renaldi 03, Roni 04, Silas 04, Ferdy 02 Lipna 01 and Slamet. Last but not least, I thank all my friends whom I cannot mention one by one, for the support, prayer and inspiration.
vii
APPROVAL PROUNCEMENCT PAGE OF THESIS PUBLICATION FOR ACADEMIC CONCERN ... ...v
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ... 9
A. Review of Related Studies ... 9
5. The Relation between Literature and Society ... 18
C. Theoretical Framework ... 19
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ... 21
A. Object of the Study ... 21
B. Approach of the Study ... 22
C. Method of the Study ... 23
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ... 25
A. Description of Japanese Navy ... 25
Analysis on Japan Imperial Navy...25
1. Dehumanizing Treatment trough Physical Punishment...27
2. Devoted to the Emperor... 31
3. Lack of Ammunition and Limited Personnel...33
B. Nationalism Value of Japanese Navy Revealed through the Narrator’s Point of View ... 37
1. Nationalism through Indoctrination ... 37
2. Restriction on Mind-Exercise ... 41
viii
4. Kamikaze as Nationalism Symbol ... 46
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 50
ix
ABSTRACT
YOSEPH BAYU ARFIANTO. Criticism Toward Japanese Navy Nationalism In World War II Revealed by The Character Jiro Yoshino As Seen in Hiroyuki Agawa’s Burial in The Clouds Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011.
Burial in The Clouds is a war based-novel that concerns with the condition of Japan during World War II. Nationalism is the main issue of this novel and there are two different nationalism value toward nationalism in the novel: the first is nationalism according to civilians, and the second is military point of view toward nationalism. It is very interesting to discuss about nationalism in Japan and the internal conflict in militarism that leads to many problems during the war.
In order to answer the problem formulation, the writer of this thesis analyses the main character of this novel and tries to understand the point of view used by the author. The whole story in the novel is told using first person narrator which is the main character’s point of view. Based on this data, the writer of this thesis goes deeper on the analysis to find conflict happens in the story based on main character’s individual point of view.
The writer of this thesis uses library research method in this study as the main source and internet research method as the supporting source. The theories that are applied in this study are theory of character, theory of nationalism, theory of point of view, and theory of setting. The writer of this thesis uses socio-cultural historical approach to find connection between reality and event that happens in the story that is useful for the analysis process.
x
ABSTRAK
YOSEPH BAYU ARFIANTO. Criticism Toward Japanese Navy Nationalism In World War II Revealed by The Character Jiro Yoshino AS Seen in Hiroyuki Agawa’s Burial in The Clouds Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011.
Burial in the Clouds adalah novel yang berdasarkan pada perang dan memiliki fokus pada kondisi Jepang selama Perang Dunia II. Novel ini mengangkat nationalisme sebagai isu utama dan terdapat dua sudut pandang yang berbeda mengenai nilai nasionalisme di dalam novel ini: yang pertama adalah nilai nasionalisme dari sudut pandang rakyat dan yang kedua adalah nasionalisme dari sudut pandang militer. Pembahasan mengenai nasionalisme di Jepang cukup menarik untuk diikuti dan terdapat konflik internal dalam tubuh militer Jepang yang menimbulkan banyak masalah selama perang berlangsung.
Untuk mendapatkan analisis utama pada studi ini, penulis menganalisis penggambaran karakter utama pada novel ini dan mencoba memahami sudut pandang yang dipakai penulis dalam novel ini. Seluruh cerita dalam novel ini menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama dan berdasarkan pada sudut pandang individual tokoh utama. Menggunakan data ini penulis mencoba untuk mengalisis lebih dalam perrmasalahan yang terjadi pada cerita menurut sudut pandang individual tokoh utama sebagai narator pada novel ini.
Penulis menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka di dalam studi ini. Penulis menggunakan sumber utama dari buku dan internet sebagai penunjang. Teori yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah teori tokoh, teori nasionalisme, teori sudut pandang, teori latar belakang. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiokultural dalam mencari hubungan antara kenyataan yang terjadi dengan kejadian di dalam novel yang cukup berguna dalam proses analysis.
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature can function as a means of its author to give explanation to the
reader about the social condition of a society which occurs in a particular time. The
way the author writes a story, describes how some events play a prominent role in
society. Description of the society might be very well described and makes the
readers as if get involved to the story. The author (Hiroyuki Agawa) tells the story of
Japanese nationalism from the main character point of view and later the
development of the character from the impact of a certain events in the story will play
the readers emotion toward the story. Character is an important element in a story. To
give a description to the readers, a story always introduces its characters. According
to Abrams (1981:20) character is the person presented in a dramatic or native work.
The persons are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and
disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue- and what they
do, the action.
Burial in the Clouds written by Hiroyuki Agawa is a novel which focusing on
the main character reaction towards event which happens in the story. Using first
person point of view, the author tries to make the reader focus on one character so
that they can get involved in the story. The story is about young Japan soldier named
country. At the beginning, he feels proud to be the part of Navy that serve the
country, but as the time goes by, he starts to lose many things he loves: he lost his
friends that are killed during the war, he cannot write many poems like before he
joins the Navy, and the important is he cannot see his family. The novel is written in
the form of diary, so that each detail about the situation during the war will be
described clearly, but the most shocking part of the story is when the main character
aware that there is no way to win the war, and many soldiers died, including his
friends, but the Navy puts him in special attack corps (kamikaze). During the war
period, the main character experience morale conflict on his involvement in Imperial
Navy.
This novel is based on actual event, although the characters are fiction but the
event told by the novel is actual, each detail in the story really happens during the war
period, moreover the author of this novel; Hiroyuki Agawa, was trained in The Naval
Corps during the World War II periods. So the author is trying to say what he had
experienced during the naval training days using the main character Jiro Yoshino.
From this point, there is a tendency that the author is focusing on the development of
the character’s opinion toward navy. It is very clear to the reader to notice, that the
story told from first person point of view and the story told in the form of diary,
indicates that the author is emphasizing on the character’s point of view toward the
Navy nationalism.
The story tries to reveal the fact happen to the Japanese Army, that the
lack of soldier training and natural resources due to the American embargo
economy that is getting worse in order to supply the war cost. Japan invasion
on several Asians countries is chosen as the only option to minimize the crisis
due to the embargo, in order to realize the plan, Japan should secure the
access to south that means to attack the Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl
Harbor put the two countries into Second World War, as an article written by
Mary Trotter Kion :
Japan continued its negotiations with the United States and at the same time prepared for war with America. By now the United States was well alerted to the fact that they would be pulled into this conflict but at the same time the idea that its involvement would be triggered by a strike against her Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor was simply unimaginable. She was wrong, dead wrong.
(http://americanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/prelude_to_war)
Based on that article, the writer of this thesis is trying to reveal that Japan had
chosen two different ways to solve the problem at war period, from negotiation and
planning to attack Pearl Harbor at the same time. It shows that in Japan there were
also two different sides of people, one that considered war as the only solution, and
the other one considered negotiation was the best way to end the problem during war
period. It can be seen on the novel through the characters and the details shown by the
author, Hiroyuki Agawa. Each problem which happens to the characters that is
caused by the war seems to describe that sometimes the soldier’s freedom is limited
by the duty to serve the country. As a country that is lead by an emperor, Japan
Imperial Army and Navy are committing to serve their life to the country. They are
emperor, it is unique because the emperor who leads the country is highly respected
and appreciated by the citizens as the symbol of the country.
Jasson Mcdonald In World War II multimedia database, states that:
The Imperial Japanese Majesty’s picture was carried in all ships, and went with the first lifeboat when the ship was sunk. The symbol of the Emperor, a Chrysanthemum, would prevent any ship from being sunk by gunfire in firing practice at the end of its useful life until the symbol was removed. The symbol would be stitched into uniforms and headbands, and his name would be invoked time and time again by the military leadership and the rank and file.
(http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/emperor.htm)
The important aspect when studying literature is the connection between the
story in the novel and the history or culture that influences the action done by the
characters in the novel. It is interesting to analyze further about Japanese people
characteristics, the culture and also what the people feel during the Second World
War period. According to the writer of this thesis, Japan is a unique nation, the only
Asia nation that joined the Axis power against the Western domination or allied
country at World War, and the richness of the culture that influences every aspects of
Japanese people life including war. Japanese Army in this novel is described as the
army that uses modern instrument on the war, the Japanese do not use samurai to win
the war, they have change to the modern instrument and massive production of
weapon as the purpose to strengthen the militarism. In Japan, at that time any kind of
nationalism has to be expressed by action, moreover the pride to be killed in the war
to defend the country from enemies attack is claimed as the devotion to the emperor.
attack method known as “kamikaze”. The kamikaze is done by hitting the plane on
the enemy battleship, so that the damage that is caused will be greater than using a
gun or grenades. This action requires a life of the pilot that do the action, but as long
as it is for the sake of the country’s victory, they will give their live with pride.
Takeo Yoshinobu in his site discuses his book entitled Kamikaze tokkoutai (Kamikaze special attack corps):
The unselfish and noble spirit of these Kamikaze Special Attack Corps members in defense of their country so that we Japanese people could survive must be steadfastly preserved in the hearts of our people.
If the day arrives when the Japanese people forget this spirit, that is if the day comes when we lose the spirit and patriotism to defend the country by giving our own lives, then the day of the Japanese people's downfall can be declared.
Even though the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps members fought giving their own lives and accomplished considerable battle results, in the end they were not able to realize their earnest desire.
Although they lost in the fighting, the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps were the flowers of the Pacific War. What the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps brought forth was the pride of the Japanese people.
(http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/books/japanese/children /yasunobu/index.htm)
It can be seen from the quotation above that the Japanese People are proud to
give their life in order to defend the country, and to keep the dignity of the emperor.
The writer of this thesis feels that Japan nation, the people and the culture are the
perfect object in this thesis. From the main character’s point of view, the writer of this
thesis tries to analyze what is happening inside the Japanese Imperial Navy during
WW II period. The writer of this thesis wants to reveal the real condition and conflict
that should be dealt by Japan country on the World War Period. Using Jiro Yoshino’s
fact that happens to the Japanese troops beyond the great nationalism as the devotion
to the emperor and powerful army during the WW II.
B. Problem Formulations
The problems to solve are formulated as follows:
1. How is the Japanese Navy described through the point of view of
the main character as the first person character?
2. How is the Nationalism Value of Japanese Navy revealed through
the narrator’s point of view toward the Navy?
C. Objectives of the Study
The main focus of this study is to answer the problem formulation. But more
important point is to understand the point of view which is applied by the main
character towards the conflict happens in the novel. The second objective is to reveal
the nationalism of Japan during the war, as right wing country Japan is supposed to
have great nationalism that support the country to win the war, and trough the story,
the nationalism of this country will be explained.
D. Definition of Terms
Some words or terms related to this study will be defined in order to help the
writer to analyze this study. The source of the definition is taken from articles, books,
or from the internet research. The purpose of this research is to give the most
1. Nationalism
Lyman Tower Sargent (1987:19) defines nationalism as the demand of action
intended to strengthen the country. While according to Renan, (1971:87) A nation is a
great solidarity, created by the sentiment of the sacrifices which have been made and
those which one is disposed to make in the future. It presupposes a past; but it
resumes itself in the present by a tangible fact: the consent, the clearly expressed
desire to continue life in common. The existence of a nation is a plebiscite of every
day, as the existence of the individual is the perpetual affirmation of life.
2. Point of View
As it is stated by Holman in A Handbook to Literature, point of view is:
A term used in analysis and criticism of fiction to describe the way in which the reader is presented with the materials of the story or, regarded from another angle, the vantage point from which the author presents the actions of the story. If the author serves as a seemingly all-knowing maker, not restricted to time, place or character, and free to move and comment at will, the point of view is usually omniscient. At the other extreme, a character within the story major, minor, or marginal- may tell the story as he/she experienced, saw, heard, and understood it. Such character is usually called a first person narrator; if the character does not comprehend the implications of what he/she is telling, the character is called a naïve narrator..(1986 : 386)
In short, the writer may say that, point of view is a term to describe the
way how the narrator of a literary work state his or her opinion or idea toward certain
situations or character(s) in the work.
9 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Some reviews related to the work of literature and also some theories relevant
to support the analysis on the topic of this thesis will be discussed in this chapter.
There will be two subchapters discussing the whole content of this chapter. Firstly,
review of related studies that contain some criticism and comments about the work of
literature and the second subchapter consists of some theories used to analyze the
topic.
A. Review on Related Studies
In order to support the analysis of this study, writer includes some studies
related with the topic of this study which is nationalism. Japan, during war period was
known as a country which established a strong political ideology supported by
massive number of militarism. As written by Lalima Varma in her article entitled
Japanese Nationalism:
‘Aggressive and militant’ nationalism of the pre-World War II period was a response to the environment existing duringthat period when a large part of the world was colonized bythe advanced western countries including China, where each powerhad its interests and own spheres of influence. Meiji leaderswere determined that their country should not suffer the samefate as their neighbor. It was with this objective that the Japanese leadership sought to instill nationalism in the minds of the common people so as extract maximum devotion and supportfrom them for their expansionist foreign policy.
(http://chr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/short/43/1/57?rss=1&ssource=mfc)
It is said that the Japanese leadership were preventing the western influence by
world or the allied countries. The result of this policy is the growth of
ultra-nationalism among the Japanese people moreover for the army. The Japan occupation
in China produced many protest from the allied country, especially America and
Britain, the agreements to join Axis Country, that were the enemy of allied country,
indirectly put Japan as the enemy of all the Axis country enemies. Starting from this
point, Japanese became the US and other allied countries enemy that later will
participate in World War II, and suffer from the atomic bombing dropped in Nagasaki
prefecture and in Hiroshima prefecture.
Edwin O Reischauer, in Japan Past and Present (1956:166) writes that the
Japanese troops on the war period were indoctrinated by the issue of the ancient belief
that the emperor is the descendant of the Goddess of Sun, Amaterasu. This belief made
the unquestioningly loyal to the imperial, the parliament as the spokesman of the
emperor, that was consist of ultra-nationalists and militarist, spread radical doctrine
toward the Army and the society at that time.
By building up an elaborate state cult of Shinto, centered on the person of the emperor and the imperial line, and by indoctrinating school children with fanatical devotion to the emperor and blind faith in all statements said to represent his will, they secured for themselves the unquestioning loyalty an obedience of the people. The parliament leaders who succeeded to power chose to perpetuate this system, for it seemed to give them, too, an unassailable position of authority as spokesman for the emperor. Consequently, they permitted the wildest sort of utterances by members of the lunatic fringe of ultra-nationalist and militarist, because they were couched in terms of devotion to the emperor; but they vigorously and ruthlessly suppressed all radical thinkers who challenged the validity of the emperor concept.
Kenneth Scott Latourette in The History of Japan writes that Japan religion:
Shinto, is one of the elements that strengthen the Nationalism of the Japanese toward
origin of Japan, or the emperor as the descendant of Amaterasu the Goddess of Sun,
creates the massive dedication and paid respect toward the country, in this case Japan
militarism that hold this belief strongly.
An official revival of Shinto was encouraged to increase the respect paid to the
emperor. Under the early Tokugawa, Buddhism had had more official favor shown it
than had Shinto, possibly because of the aid it gave in the effort to expel Roman
Catholic Christianity from the islands. During the last year of Tokugawa, a Shinto
revival had helped to pave the way for the restoration of the emperor’s power. After
1896 Buddhism, while still recognized was discouraged and Shinto became the
official cult of the nation. Shinto was made to emphasize more than ever the memory
and achievements of the emperor’s ancestor, and became closely identified with the
growing spirit of patriotism. Through Shinto a religious tinge was given to the love of
the country. Patriotic and religious enthusiasm combined to emphasize national
consciousness and unity. (1953:100)
Lewis A. Dexter’s article in Social Studies entitled “People, Patriotism, and Power
Politics” (December, 1943) states the relationship between mass faith and individual
personality:
comprehensive documentation, through folklore and tradition, of the thorough-going hatefulness of each different group of foreigners.
From this article the writer of this thesis find that nationalism can grow up for
the people of a same condition, national history, and from the lesson the already
receive from school or society. The foreigners that considered as outer people or
outsiders are belongs to different class with the native people. The most easy person
to hate is the foreigner emphasize that the foreigners in fact, are not fully accepted as
part of someone nation, because based on this article, there is a such a hateful spread
toward the foreigners through folklore and tradition. It can be from the experience of
being colonized by other nation through years, and having same enemy that make
some people feel proud to be in the same group with their nation and create sentiment
to the foreigners as the impact of nationalism.
B. Review of Related Theories
In order to do the analysis in this study, the writer uses several theories
that will support the analysis.
1. Theory of Character
Holman & Horman in their book: A Handbook to Literature state that
characterization is a creation of the imagery personages that looks as lifelike. Here,
we can see that character and characterization are related from one to another.
According to Holman & Horman,the basic method of characterization is
1. The explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct
explanation whether in a book’s introduction or throughout the work
illustrated by action.
2. The presentation of the character in action: therefore the reader will be able to
conclude the attributes of the character from it actions.
3. The presentation from within a character- without comment on the character
by the author – of the impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner
self, with the expectation that the readers will come to the clear understanding
of the attributes of the character.
In the writer’s opinion the characterization is the description of person’s
characters by the author.
2. Theory of Nationalism
Lyman Tower Sargent (1987:19) defines nationalism as the demand of action
intended to strengthen the country. Nationalism of a country may appear by the same
destination or vision that put the whole country in a certain condition. The
nationalism of a country may grow among the people by the awareness of
experiencing the same history, culture, religion or a demand to make a better
condition for the country. The nationalism is related to land and culture in which the
people live, develop the country power, can be from economic aspect, politics, and
military. A nation is always trying to make their identity recognized and moreover,
respected by the other nation, and sometimes the nationalism feeling of a nation
James G. Kellar, in The Politics of Nationalism and Ethnicity, classify
nationalism into 3:
1. Ethnic nationalism: the nationalism of ethnic groups, who define their nation
in exclusive terms, mainly on the basis of the common descent. In this type of
nationalism, there is no possibility to join other nations or to accept people
from different nation to be part of country/ groups applying this kind of
nationalism.
2. Social nationalism: the nationalism of a nation that defines itself by social ties
and culture rather than by common descent. This type of nationalism stresses
the shared sense of national identity, community and culture, but outsiders can
join the nation if they identify with it and adopt its social characteristics.
3. Official nationalism: the nationalism of the state, encompassing all those
legally entitled to be citizens, irrespective of their ethnicity, national identity
and culture. Some states are correctly called ‘nation-states’ in the sense that
the state is exclusively composed of an ethnic nation or a social nation.
Nationalism, according to Boyd.C. Shafer in Nationalism Myth and Reality, “..is not a neat and fixed concept but varying combination of beliefs and conditions. It maybe in part founded on myth, but myths like other errors have a way of perpetuating themselves and of becoming not true but real. The fact is that myth, and actuality and truth, and error are inextricable intermixed in modern nationalism.” (1955:7)
There are ten basic concept of the nature of nationalism that are hypothetically
1. A certain defined unit of territory. Some common cultural characteristics
such as language, customs, manners, and literature. If an individual believes
he shares these, and wishes to continue sharing them, he is usually said to be a
member of the nationality.
2. Some common dominant social and economic institutions.
3. A common independent or sovereign government or the desires for one. The
“principle” that each nationality should be separate and independent is
involved here.
4. A belief in a common history and in a common origin.
5. A love or esteem for fellow nationals.
6. A devotion to the entity called the nation, which embodies the common
territory, culture, social and economic institutions, government, and the fellow
nationals and which is at the same time more than their sum.
7. A common pride in the achievements of this nation and a common sorrow in
its tragedies.
8. A disregard for or hostility to other like groups, especially if these prevent or
seem to threaten to separate national existence.
9. A hope that the nation will have a great and glorious future and become
supreme in some way.
From the ten above Shafer tries to generalize the definition of nationalism that
often too narrow, however there still exception that is raised toward the ten basic
concepts, some countries may know intimately their own basic concept of
3 .Theory of Setting
Literature as an imitation of reality presents a story by modeling event that
exist in the real world. Some important event or any particular society existing in real
world can be the things that are imitated by the author in their works. Thus literature
is an expression of reality or we can say it is a description of reality. According to
Wellek and Warren, the society built in literature contains its own problem that is
similar to the problematical of real life such as economy, social ideology, and politics
that influence the author’s condition and experience. Although it imitates the reality,
it doesn’t mean that literature just report the reality, however literature has its own
society, conflict and plot. The reflection of the real condition in literature that is
author point of view can be used as a criticism toward reality.
According to Wellek and Warren :
The relation between literature and society is that literature is an expression of society. But, if it assumes that literature at any given time mirrors the current social situation correctly, it is false: it is vague if it means only that literature depicts some aspects of social reality. To say that literature mirrors of expresses life is even more ambiguous. An author inevitably expresses life in total conception of life, but it would be manifested untrue to say that he expresses the whole of life or even the whole life of a given time completely and exhaustively (Wellek and Warren, 1956:95).
For further explanation, William Kenney in How to Analyze Fiction,
formulates the element of setting, as: (1) The actual geographical location including
topography, scenery, (2) the occupation and modes of day-today existence of the
characters, (3) the time in which the actions take place, e.g. historical period, season,
of the year, (4) the religious, moral intellectual, social, and emotional environment of
4. Theory of Point of View
M.H. Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms Sixth Edition defines point of
view which “signifies the way a story gets told-the mode (or modes) established by
an author by means of which the reader is presented with the characters, dialogues,
actions, setting, and events which constitute the narrative in a work of
fiction.”(1985:165)
Point of view, according to Abrams, signifies the way of how a story is told,
by presenting the readers with the characters, dialogues, actions, setting, and events,
which become the characteristics of the narrator of the story, who tells it. Point of
view is then divided into two kinds, based on the type of the narrator. They are
third-person point of view and first-third-person point of view. The third-third-person point of view is
then divided into omniscient point of view and limited point of view. It is an
omniscient point of view when “the narrator knows everything that needs to be
known about the agents, actions, and events, and also has privileged access to the
character’s thoughts, feelings, actions, and motives; and that the narrator is free to
move at will in time and place, to shift from character, and to report (or conceal) their
speech, doings, and states of consciousness” (Abrams,1985:166).
Next the other subclass of the third-person point of view, that is limited point
of view. It is said as a limited of view when “the narrator tells the story in the third
person, but stays inside the cofines of what is experienced, thought, and felt by a
single character (or at most by very few characters) within the story”
The second kind of point of view is the first point-of view. First-person point
of view “limits the matter of the narrative to what the first-person narrator knows,
experiences, infers, or can find out by talking to other characters”
(Abrams,1985:167).
The narrator in the first person point of view does not know directly about the
characters and their thoughts and feelings, so that in order to tell the story, the
narrator has to have a conversation with the characters in the story. Their
conversation will then make narrator able to tell the story.
5 . The Relation between Literature and Society
Literature is a creation of the society. Life as the social reality is represented
by literature. Wellek and Warren in Theory of Literature writes about the relation
between literature and society: “Literature is a social institution, using its medium
language, a social creation. Such traditional literary device as symbolism and metre
are social in their very nature. They are conventions and norms, which could have
arisen only in society” (Wellek&Warren, 1956 : 94). Moreover, literature is seen as
social documents. It pictures the reality in society. Since literature is social
documents, it can be used to outline the historical relit in the society. For example,
American social history can be learnt from the novels of Harriet Beecher Stowe to
Steinbeck. (Wellek&Warren,1956 : 102-103)
Langland in Society in the Novel states that the function of a fictional order is
to represent some outside world. Society in the novel is thus seen as replicating an
never simply replicates a world outside, and the relationship between fictional society
and real world is not primarily mimetic one but evaluative one. (Langland, 1984:ix).
Moreover, she states that society plays essentially the same formal role: antagonist to
individual protagonist, a context if not an obstacle, to the character’s growth and self
realization (Langland, 1984:7).
C. Theoretical Framework
The theories that are explained in the previous part will be applied according
to its focus. Each theory has its own focus and this will facilitate the writer to decide
on which part each theory is supposed to be located and be applied.
To answer the first problem formulation the writer of this thesis uses point of
view theory, in order to analyze the character’s perspective toward war and the
conflict which happens in the story that is important to reveal the criticism toward
Japan Imperial Navy. The main character of this novel has to join Navy in order to
serve the country. During the war, the situation in Japan is not as wealthy as the
western Countries due to the embargo of oil, the tremendous population number but
lack of financial support puts Japan into crisis.
The nationalism ideology that is exposed in the thesis is one of the significant
elements that determine the main problem of this thesis. As one of the subject of this
study, the nationalism ideology has to be analyzed and understood as the basic to
answer question on nationalism in the problem formulation. The nationalism that
exists in Burial in the Clouds trough the main character Jiro Yoshino and other minor
nationalism, thus the problem in answering the question related to the character’s
nationalism can be solved by fulfill the idea of nationalism. The nationalism of Japan
on World War II period is reflected in the novel but the main character has his own
view toward war and the impact of war to the country and people. Point of view
theory is hoped to help the writer to understand what kind of point of view that is
applied by the main character. It also helps to find out every detail happens on Japan
Imperial Navy during the World War II. The theory of setting is expected to help the
writer of this thesis in relating the condition of Japan during War period in the author
world ( Hiroyuki Agawa) and the condition of Japan in real life. Using the theories,
writer will hopefully find the change of the character’s character when they have to
21 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of The Study
The object of the study of this thesis is Hiroyuki Agawa’s novel entitled
Burial in the Clouds. Burial in the Clouds was originally written by Hiroyuki Agawa
in 1956, in Japan edition entitled KUMO NO BOHYO. Burial in the Clouds is known
as one of Agawa’s novel to expose the Japan condition during the World War II, in
the perspective of main character, a young soldier that joins the Japanese Army,
without leaving objectivity, Agawa writes this novel based on war, with details
explains to make the reader feel as if involved in the story and feel the war
experience. Agawa’s Burial in the Clouds is considered as a kind of history study; for
he was part of Japanese Army, thus majority of his books are always based on actual
event such as war, and the situation of Japan during the war the such as politics,
socials, economics, etc. described very clearly with every detail described in the
novel.
Burial in the Clouds tells about the self-consciousness toward nationalism
feeling of main character against the reality happens at Japan on War Period, in this
case the main character as a member of Japanese Army feel disappointed knowing
the real situation inside the Army, the devotion to the country requires him to lose
everything he loves, literature, family, friends, and happiness. The main character
struggle to fight for the country to win the war is very contrast with the reality that
main character as the representation of Japan society, wants to reveal that the war is
over, the lack of ammunition, strategy, and the very limited amount of weaponry
makes it impossible to win the war. Japan society that are forced to join the army are
lacks of experience in war, and they never been taught about strategy and war
machinery before joining the army. In the name of the country, they join the war,
leave everything they love, through the novel the nationalism that is forced to the
society will be one of important aspects to be explained.
B. Approach of the Study
Since the study is to relate the social condition on Japan during World War II
from the point of view of the author and the condition of real life, the
sociocultural-historical approach seems appropriate to be applied in this study. The sociocultural-
historical approach is the criticism that which is concerning on the social condition of
literary work. It is very important as a tool to study the extrinsic elements of literary
work. This approach is needed because the study investigates the social milieu in
which a work created and necessary reflected.
Mary Rohrberger in her Reading and Writing about Literature says that the
sociocultural-historical approach means an approach which is to locate the real works
in reference to the civilization that exist in particular time. (1971:9)
The study applies sociocultural-historical approach because the writer of this
study needs to understand the social condition of Japan during War Period. It is
important to understand the knowledge before understanding the whole body of
C. Method of the Study
In doing the analysis of the study, the writer uses library research as the
primary method in order to find out the novel and the supportive readings to
analyze the topic. First of all, the writer found the literary works Burial in the
Clouds, after finding the book the writer of this thesis read the book and feel that
the topic is interesting to be analyzed. The supportive readings were books on
intrinsic elements of literary works, such as Murphy’s Understanding Unseens; An
Introduction to English Poetry and English Novels for Overseas Students (1972:
161-173), Wellek&Warren’s Theory of Literature (1956). The most important data
source used in this study are taken from library because the books from library
contain much information that are very helpful to the writer in doing the analysis of
the study, The second data source are taken from the internet in order to complete
some of the first data that are incomplete. After finding all the data needed, the
writer analyzed the topic using all data collected.
The writer of this study uses several steps in doing this study. The first
was the writer reading the novel in order to understand about the novel deeper.
Second, the writer collects all the data to support the analysis, in this case historical
background of the literary work and relate it with theory of setting, because the
topic is also related with setting of place and time. The primary data are collected
from the books, while the secondary data are collected from the internet. Third, the
writer used the theories such as theories of point of view, theories of nationalism,
and theories of setting that were collected as data to answer the problem
problems formulated using the theories that had been collected as the main analysis
of this study. After answering all of the questions, the next step is drawing a
25
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer analyzes the topic by answering the research
question previously written in problem formulation. This chapter consists of two big
parts. The first part is about the description of Japanese Navy through the main
character’s point of view as the first person narrator. The second part is about the
criticism toward Japanese Navy in manipulating nationalism that appears in the
novel.
A. The Description of Japanese Navy
Analysis on Japanese Imperial Navy
Japan militarism has started growing since the establishment of modern
army by the Imperial government in Meiji Period. Class distinction was all
eliminated, samurai lost their status and militarism seemed to take the position of
samurai as the way to neutralize the distinction in order to create modern democracy
in Japan.
In Meiji periods, Japan seemed to follow the West’s model on political,
social, and economic institution. Japan’s rapid modernization in Meiji period started
with the establishment of Japan Parliament Government that dedicated to the emperor
rather than to the people, the establishment of the parliament was contributed by the
leaders of the nation that study the western political system and selectively adopted
the system suited to the country. The enthusiastic adoption of Western political,
technology. It was the trigger to the development of industrialization in Japan that led
to the establishment of National Military of Japan.
(http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/modernhist/outline.html)
Japanese Navy was also known as a powerful Navy in that era, there were two others
Navy Power; Royal Navy that was belonged to British Armed Forces and U.S Navy
Forces belonged to USA. Japan Navy was established in Meiji period as the result of
Japan rapid industrialization in all aspects. Japan tried to strengthen the naval power
by copied the western battleship and improved the technology. Japan prepared for the
further confrontation against Russia in Russo-Japanese war. At that time Japan
bought the British battleship before later produced its own battleship. Japanese Navy
was the third largest Navy, and was the leader in many aspects of navy development.
One of the first steps necessary in this sudden re-birth was to get future officers
trained in modern seamanship. The Government sent young men abroad, particularly
to Britain, for indoctrination in the complex new problems of steam propulsion. In
1868 our own Congress authorized the Naval Academy at Annapolis to admit
selected Japanese students. From that year until 1906 17 of them were admitted, six
of whom graduated. Foreign experts were brought to Japan to give technical aid.
Japan production of battleships was depended on imported parts, but the growth of
industrialization and development on technology minimizes the consumption of
imported parts, Japan started to build their own battleship using parts produced by
In Burial in the Clouds by Hiroyuki Agawa, the Japanese Army is
described clearly through the main character’s point of view. In many parts of the
novel there is always action done by the soldier related with the Navy. Since the
background is World War II, many events in the story happen in naval barracks and
training camp. There are some conflict and reaction from the characters especially
main character toward the training day before they really join to the battle field and
war for the country. In the beginning of the story, the author writes about the first
days when the main character and other supporting character join the Navy, there are
some explanation and detail about activity done by the characters before joining the
navy, after that author writes about the life they have to deal with, after joining the
navy, so there is contradiction between activity before and after recruited as Navy.
There are some fact that revealed by the main character’s point of view about the
actual condition in Japan Imperial Navy, during the World War II that is described in
this thesis as the significant aspect to this study. There are descriptions of internal
condition in Japan Imperial Navy as described by the main character:
1. Dehumanizing Treatment through Physical Punishment.
Navy, as many people know, has some rules to obey in order to gain
discipline and respect toward the corps itself. Sometimes, the rules are strict and very
difficult to do especially by those who are not the member of navy. Soldiers, who join
the Navy has to has to be sure from the beginning to dedicate themselves to the navy,
so that they must practice themselves with the condition in navy and should able to
Burial in the Clouds concerns with the internal conflict that happens to the
main character Jiro Yoshino, the point of view that uses first person point of view,
added by the war-time diary form used by the author, strengthen the indication that
the author is concerning on the main character experience since joining the navy.
According to the main character, the Japanese Navy has rigid rule that forbid the
soldier to do anything which is not related with military things. There is also
punishment for the mistake they do during the training, mostly in the shape of
physical punishment. The soldiers should only be concerned with anything related to
the militarism and loyalty to the country, and the nationalism to the country should be
built more and more. The purpose is to make soldiers keep in their heart that they
should learn more about Militarism practice because that is what the country needs.
Japan is facing a war, the country needs many loyal soldiers who are brave and ready
to sacrifice their life to bring Japan to a victory.
During study session New Year’s Eve, a fellow got caught drawing elaborate pictures of an oyako-donburi, curried rice, and all manner of cakes. This was M,. of the 6th outfit, and he used pencils in twelve different colors to sketch these painstakingly detailed pictures. But no matter, they ended up torn to bits. He received a slap on each cheek from the division officer. Fortunately, I have yet to suffer a blow since joining the Navy. (Agawa,1956:16)
The soldiers are not allowed to use everyday language to make a conversation
in Navy. There are rules that forbid the soldiers to talk freely as they did before
joining the navy. Thus, they have to use military language, in order to keep a dignity
of a soldier, and to differentiate between soldier and common people. It is considered
as a mistake when soldiers use their everyday language in Navy. They should behave
as a real soldier so that in Navy to maintain the behavior as a soldier is very
in Navy is considered as a service to the Emperor, it requires a manner and good
behavior.
In the Navy a bucket is referred to as a “tin case.” A dust cloth is an “inner gunwale match,” a tub is a “washtub,” and so on. Use of such wordly expressions as boku, kimi, ne, and tono is absolutely prohibited. One slip of the tongue gets you a “cow killer” from the drill instructor- a disciplinary knuckle on the forehead. I must become proficient at the language and order of this new society. In fact, I need to master it, down to the minutest detail. (Agawa,1956:8)
Jiro who is quite rebellious toward every rule in Navy sometimes has an
argument about topics related to Navy with his friend, Fujikura. Both Yoshino and
Fujikura are criticizing the regulation applied in Navy that limits the soldiers in many
aspects. They are also discussing the label “monkey” that is given to them by some
officer in the Navy. Of course the discussion about Navy should not be noticed by the
officer, if they are caught, they should be ready to get a knuckle on their forehead as a
punishment.
I told Fujikura that I think this war has historical significance, that, to say the least, Japan is obviously in fateful crisis, that we do wish to give our all to save her, but that I can’t countenance entrusting our lives wholesale to a bunch of a hysterical, fat-headed career officers- to men who regards us as monkey…(Agawa, 1956 :28)
The main character feels that his participation in the Navy is simply a
duty as a civilian. It is something that should be done with proud, and everyone
should appreciate the participation in Navy because it is a kind of devotion to the
country. But the fact is very different. In Navy, the young soldiers are labeled as
monkey by the officers and easily got knuckle or other physical punishment from the
described in the novel. The officers easily give commands, and need no time to give
punishment if the tasks are not perfectly accomplished by the soldiers. Jiro and others
soldiers are experiencing this unpleasant treatment during the training days in navy
barracks. They witness the navy officers’ attitude that harms the soldiers both
physically and mentally. Navy officers easily give punishment if there is mistake
done by the soldiers and treat them badly with commands. There is a gap between
officers and soldiers. There is no personally interaction between them that probably
can strengthen the unity among navy personnel. It is very seldom to hear navy
officers speak in low intonation to the soldiers. They understand their position in
navy very well, and use the term devotion to the country to every action in the
training days.
The solid navy tradition is now a hollows shell. It holds to all the old patterns, but the spirit is gone. Is it any wonder if I criticize the Imperial Navy in its current incarnation? For example, we are specifically instructed to learn all necessary skills from the drill instructors, but never to associate with them personal way. Now, let’s say the deck officers from the Naval Academy are white men. Well, they treat the enlisted ranks just like black slaves, and as for the student reserves and reserve officers-they regards us with the diffident suspicion that white men reserve for the “yellow” race. (Agawa,1956:100)
It is clear that there is a huge gap between the position of navy officers
and soldiers moreover, reserve soldiers that taken from university to pay duty serve
the country during the war and sign up as a navy soldier. Bullying that is done by
officers toward student reserves happen as a regular menu in navy. The officers seem
to know how to use their power very well, and doing punishment to the soldiers. The
graduates that underestimating their capability in doing navy task. They also do
bullying to the student reserves and seem to enjoy when they do that.
“There is a reason why you are so careless with confidential material,” said this deck officer probationer.” Namely, your spirit is more degraded than that of a common conscript, and you will receive a correction consummate with that fact.” He then proceeded to place conscripts’ caps on each of us (they’d gathered them up from the barracks), ordering us all to “hold push-up” for twenty straight minutes. It was mortifying. The eyes of some among us brimmed with tears. These Academy men are happy precisely insofar as they manage to bully us in the most humiliating way they can devise.. (Agawa,1956:130)
This discrimination lasts during the training days in Usa Naval Barrack,
the student reserves are regarded as annoying, impure and perfectly tiresome lot in
the eyes of these recon students. (Agawa,1956:131)
2. Devoted to the Emperor
In Japan, the entire soldier who are already join the Navy, should
dedicate themselves to the emperor as the highest power in the country, they have to
show the loyalty of the country by doing an action as the service to the Imperial
Majesty. In this country, emperor is the one who controls everything, everyone
believe that he is the descendant of Amaterasu; the Goddess of Sun. So that to keep
the Emperor dignity, Japan must win the war, whatever it takes, and every enemy
should be perished. This fanaticism is applied in each aspect of Japanese people, they
always put emperor in highest position equal with sun, and this is the reason why they
always bend themselves to the sun as the way to respect the emperor. This belief
creates an unquestionably dedication and loyalty to the country that build a strong
“..is not a neat and fixed concept but varying combination of beliefs and conditions. It maybe in part founded on myth, but myths like other errors have a way of perpetuating themselves and of becoming not true but real. The fact is that myth, and actuality and truth, and error are inextricable intermixed in modern nationalism.” (Shafer,1955:7)
In military life, the soldiers put emperor picture as symbol of luck and
spirit to defeat each enemy. Besides the picture of the emperor there is a
chrysanthemum flower that symbolizes protection to every Japanese troop and
ship from enemies attack. Because it symbolizes protection from emperor, the
chrysanthemum symbol is the first thing that should be secured first when the
ship sunk.
The Imperial Japanese Majesty’s picture was carried in all ships, and went with the first lifeboat when the ship was sunk. The symbol of the Emperor, a Chrysanthemum, would prevent any ship from being sunk by gunfire in firing practice at the end of its useful life until the symbol was removed. The symbol would be stitched into uniforms and headbands, and his name would be invoked time and time again by the military leadership and the rank and file.
(http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/emperor.htm)
The description of Japanese Army according to the novel is almost the same
with Army in other nations, because they have rules to obey, some rules are strict,
and the life as soldier is very different with common people, the difference is that in
Japan the power to control the Military is held by the Emperor. The name Imperial
Navy indicates that Navy, in Japan is responsible to the emperor, and should bring
victory to the Nation. The symbol of the emperor is one of the motivations to the
soldiers, so that they have spirit to defeat the entire enemies in a battle. The emperor
is a symbol of the country; it symbolizes the nation power and strength. Other
Japanese policy, have to face the anger of the whole country because it is a kind of
humiliation to the emperor.
3. Lack of Ammunition and Limited Personnel
Japanese Navy in war period lacks of military personnel that is qualified
to join the war as a soldier. This condition is added with oil and other embargoes by
the Western countries due to the Japan occupation in Manchuria. Japan economics is
also collapse and to fulfill the war cost, Japan should invade more resources from
countries near to her. Indonesia is one of the countries that suffer by the Japanese
occupation. At the occupation period, Japan known as a cruel invader, they use
physical punishment to the civilian during the occupation to get recourse to support
their economy needs due to the embargoes.
As he wound things up, the lieutenant gave us a kind of placebo. “Surely you will be able to fly again, just as soon as we find solution to the fuel problem. So don’t let it get you down”. (Agawa, 1956:138)
Japan during the war, open a huge recruitment to anyone who wants to
dedicate himself to country. They close school and recruit many professors to join the
war and put them in one of division in Navy. Schools, which are closed, are
converted into barrack or military building so that the students that are suppose to
study, have to participate in the war. They will be given a short training before
officially join the battle and should learn quickly how to be a good soldier. The young
soldiers that are taken from school and mostly in a very young age are easily to be
doctrines are given to them in order to strengthen the nationalism value so that they
will feel glad when they are in the battle because it is what the country needs.
Petty Officer Yoshimi told us the story of how this warship, the So-Ryu, went down at Midway Island. That battle was a watershed defeat for Japan, and we have now lost nearly all our big carriers: the Akagi, the Kaga, the Ryu-jo, the So- ryu, the Hi-ryu, and the Sho-ho. The auxiliary aircraft carrier Chu-yo was also sunk recently. According to the officer, the Chu-yo used to be Japanese mail boat called the Nitta-maru but it was converted into a warship. Only two vessel, the Shokaku, and the Zuikaku remain in service as purpose-built aircraft carriers.(Agawa,1956 : 17)
The lack experience of the student reserves and the pressure they
experience in navy is resulted in their ability to fly a plane. Sometimes needless
accidents during the flight training happen due to the human error, mostly because the
flight skill materials given during the training days are not well mastered by some
students.
Another Ginga crashed yesterday. At about half past seven,the southwestern part of the already-darkened airfield suddenly flushed red, and a number of men from Todoroki Unit sprinted off. I myself didn’t go out to the site, but I was told that one Ginga, taking off at a speed of 80 knot, had plowed into another that was grounded for repairs. The reconnaissance crew and the signaler in the first plane died on the spot, and the pilot, who tumbled out engulfed in flames, was rushed off to the infirmary, out of which, at around ten o‘clock at night, eight coffins emerged.(Agawa,1956:103)
There is contrast technology between U.S. Navy and Japan Imperial
Navy; the American develops its fighter plane so that its able to fly at very high
speed, for Japan, this is bad news since there is a crisis of aircraft and fuel in Japan
side.
standard 300 knots. The Americans have produced a real menace. They say the enemy lost eighty-eighty aircraft during the past year, but I don’t know if I’m can blindly trust that figure. All I know for sure is that we have only three of four carriers left on our side. (Agawa, 1956:147)
In the novel, Jiro knows exactly the condition in navy air station from
news he hears from radio or from story told by others soldiers in barracks. The result
of the war, is not delightful at all, some air station should be disbanded due to the
enemy’s attack and to avoid bigger victim. The U.S. Navy attack is not only destroys
the air station, but also the Imperial Navy aircrafts left in that place. Some tries to
defend the attack, but the enormous number of enemy’s aircraft make them easily to
be defeated, many life lost and Japan suffer of lack ammunition and aircraft.
Our twenty Zeros were shot down the second they took to the air. Next, Grumman carrier-based bombers flew in to attack. Their bombsight are very precise, and most of our hangars and other facility were destroyed by direct hits on dive bombing runs.(Agawa,1956:153)
Japan lacks of military support; in this case they lose many aircraft and
warship caused by the western attack on Japan land, as the reaction of Japan attack on
Pearl Harbor. The enemy’s attack on Japan air stations makes Japan suffer of losing
its some aircraft and battleships. Soldiers are dead, ammunitions are gone, the worse
is that the enemies have better technology in their aircraft, and the fact that the
number of the aircrafts and warships in enemy’s side is unquestionably huge. As the
quotation taken, from the novel, there are so many losses in Japanese warship and
aircraft; this condition makes them to convert Japanese mail boat into warship. From
many important aspects in war, if they still continue the war, there will be more
people suffer caused by the war.
Rumor has it that Usa Air Station will be disbanded as of May 1. We’ll be dispersed to bases all around the country. Some of us may undergo training in ground combat, though, again, probably as a part of a special attack force. It doesn’t really matter, but still I want to die in the sky, if possible. It seems our recent military gains are far too small, given the number of radio messages that come into the base. What’s more, considering what we do hear, the enemy force doesn’t seem to be at all weakened. Their landing force has advanced up to four kilometers on Shuri. (Agawa, 1956:203)
Enemy’s attack on Japan is advancing to the main island where the Japan
militarism is centralized. The time when the enemy reaches the main island is and
destroyed all the Japan military power is just a matter of time. Everyone in the island
is being told about the recant condition announced by the radio, at this time, situation
in Japan is getting worse; a wrong information may cause needless damage in Japan
side. The main character of the story, Jiro, tells that some enemy’s B-29s are raiding
the Japan territory and it kills some Japan military personnel and injures more
Japanese soldiers.
Japan militarism is in danger, enemy’s attack comes in all direction, the
information announced by the radio is not anymore trusted by the Naval District that
causes a misunderstanding, it creates many losses whether building and life loss.
Japanese soldiers have to leave their barrack and move to the safer place to hide.
Kure Naval District, after the enemy’s attack will be disbanded, there is nothing left
there. Japan has no more bomber airplanes; there is only one attack carrier bomber
that has to be transferred from one district to another in order to keep it safe from
enemy’s attack.
An enemy task force of fourteen aircraft carriers has been sighted at Okinawa. All I can do is pray for the country. We live in the cave now, a dark, smelly, dank existence. Our clothes get damp within a day’s time, and it is quite chilly at night. It seems I caught a cold, as my temperature approached thirty-nine degrees. (Agawa, 1956 :207 )
Japanese soldiers are seemed to lose their hope on the victory of this war,
from the main character point of view the writer of this thesis find that Japanese
soldier are more concerning on how to defend their own life and Navy rather than
fight and war to defeat all the enemies in front of them. The country passion to win
the war is very contrast with the soldiers and society demand of peace. They are tired
of war and try to avoid greater damage that cause many people killed. The words “All
I can do is pray for the country” indicates a depression, disability, added by logical
thought that there is no possibility for Japan to win the war.
B . Nationalism Value of Japanese Navy Revealed through the Narrator’s Point
of View toward the Navy
In Japan, almost all schools are closed and were converted into soldier’s
Barracks. Every activity related to study is prohibited; because all men in
war-qualified age should join the Japan army and will receive short training before
officially joins to war for the country. Not only that, the teachers on Japan schools
mostly the professors should also participate in war. Their ability in teaching will be
used as an indoctrination tool towards the young men so that they will be more loyal
to the country. The civilians who are not joining the war cannot study anymore since
their schools are used by military. Schooling is stopped; civilians must take the
disadvantage of war by leaving school.
Mr. N. reports in his letter that he will participating in ‘rites of purification” and other such things at the Training Centre of Doctrine in Koganei-cho, Kitama, Tokyo, trough February 9. I hardly know what to think about that. He says each high school is to send one teacher to study these rites, but I have to wonder: could this sort of thing possibly help usher in new era? Is it really worth the bother? If you ask me, instead of abandoning their vocation for “rites of purification”, I would much prefer that teachers and students put their heart into their studies just as they did before the war-no, even more diligently than they did before the war, so as to make up for absence. (Agawa,1956:21)
This ‘rites of purification’ is a method that is applied by military to
indoctrinate not only the young man but also the teacher. They will be given many
lesson and theories to strengthen their nationalism. After joining the Navy all soldiers
have to leave their studying activity because the only thing they should know is war
strategy and discipline as a soldier. If a soldier violates the prohibition to study
anything which are not related to Navy materials teaching, they will receive physical
