THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTIMACY
OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS AS SEEN IN SOSEKI’S
MON
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CHATERINE PUTERI CHARISMA
Student Number: 044214045
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTIMACY
OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS AS SEEN IN SOSEKI’S
MON
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CHATERINE PUTERI CHARISMA
Student Number: 044214045
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
vi
My heart to you is given: Oh, do give yours to me; Well lock them up together,
And throw away the key
Frederic Saunders
Men always want to be a woman’s first love.
Women have a more subtle instinct.
What they like is
to be a man’s last romance
.
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To accomplish this undergraduate thesis, I have spent a lot of energy. I have spent my time in it and I have taken out all of my thoughts in it. So, I want to thank for the precious time that I spend with successfully. I would like to express thanks to all people who help me in completing this thesis.
First, I want to thank to my God because I have found a way out from my trouble. Jesus also has given me a lot of strength in finishing this thesis.
Second, I would like to show gratitude to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum. and Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum., who had helped me a lot in my thesis and had spent her time for helping me in finishing my thesis.
Third, I would like to be grateful to my beloved parents and my dearest brother. They have spent a lot of time to guide me and to support me especially when I feel confused. I love them very much.
Fourth, I also want to show my appreciation to my grandpa and my cousin. Because he and she have supported me a lot to finish this thesis. He and she have given me support by praying to my Lord Jesus Christ so I can finish writing thesis.
Lastly, I would like to thank to the people whose names are not mentioned here for their supports for me during the process of completing this thesis.
viii
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ..………. 7
A. Review of Related Studies ……… 7
B. Review of the Related Theories………. 8
1. Character and Characterization……… 8
2. The Importance of Intimacy………... 10
3. The Role of the Intimacy for Japanese and Mixed Couple………..
A. The Description of the Main Characters in Mon……….. 25
1.Sosuke ………... 25
2.Oyone ………... 30
B. How the Main Characters Maintain Their Intimacy……….. C. The Importance of the Intimacy Seen in the Main Characters………. 32 48 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ……….. 54
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………... 57
ix
ABSTRACT
CHATERINE PUTERI CHARISMA (2009): THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTIMACY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS AS SEEN IN SOSEKI’S MON.
Yogyakarta: English Letters Department, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses the Importance of the intimacy of Japanese couple seen through the main characters as seen in Soseki’s Mon. The writer chooses this topic because the writer thinks that the intimacy of the Japanese couple is an interesting issue to learn and the writer wants to know more about it.
In order to find out the Importance of the intimacy of Japanese couple, there are three problems that are formulated. They are: (1) How are the main characters characterized? (2) How do the main characters maintain the intimacy? (3) What is the Importance of the intimacy seen in the main characters?
This writing applies library research method and socio-historical approach. The writer tries to find all the data and other supporting references from the library. The writer also tries to find sources from the internet because the data that the writer has from library is not sufficient enough to help the writer to answer the three problems that the writer have.
This thesis concludes that the Japanese couple that is told in Soseki’s Mon
x
ABSTRAK
CHATERINE PUTERI CHARISMA (2009): THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTIMACY OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS AS SEEN IN SOSEKI’S MON.
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Thesis in membahas pentingnya kemesraan yang ditunjukkan oleh pasangan Jepang yang dapat dilihat melalui tokoh utamanya dalam novel Soseki, Mon. Penulis memilih topik ini karena penulis berpikir bahwa topik mengenai pentingnya kemesraan yang ditunjukkan oleh pasangan Jepang merupakan topik yang menarik untuk dipelajari dan penulis ingin mengetahui lebih dalam mengenai topik ini.
Untuk dapat mengetahui lebih dalam lagi mengenai pentingnya kemesraan yang ditunjukkan oleh pasangan Jepang ini, penulis merumuskan tiga pokok permasalahan. Mereka adalah: (1) Bagaimana tokoh utama digambarkan? (2) Bagaimana tokoh utama mempertahankan kemesraan mereka? (3) Apa saja pentingnya kemesraan yang ditunjukkan oleh tokoh utama?
Penulisan thesis ini menerapkan metode studi pustaka dan pendekatan sosial-sejarah. Penulis mencoba untuk menemukan semua data dan referensi yang mendukung dari perpustakaan. Penulis juga mencari beberapa sumber dari internet karena data yang didapat penulis dari perpustakaan kurang memadai untuk menjawab tiga pokok permasalahan yang telah penulis rumuskan.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
This is one of the outstanding works that is written by Kinnosuke Natsume. He is known at Japanese literature by his pen name, Natsume Soseki. He is considered as the greatest novelist of the Meiji era and one of Japan’s finest modern writers. He is also regarded by Nobel laureate Oe Kenzaburo as Japan’s “national writer” among Japan most gifted literary artist (Timothy
Hoye)<http://www.artsci.lsu.edu/vogelin/EVS/2004%20Papers/Hoye 2004.html>.
Soseki resigns from his teaching at Tokyo Imperial University in 1907. Then, he joins the Asahi newspaper. He dedicates himself to write fiction. He makes a trilogy novels so that it will be published by the Asahi Newspaper (the distinguished publication). He writes Mon in 1910, Sanshiro
in 1908 and Sorekara (And Then) in 1909
<http://www.culturalprofiles.net/japan/Directories /Japan Cultural Profile/-13234.html>.
First, as the married couple, their living condition are poor enough (away from prosper). Their house that is settled down on a high cliff, away from the street. There is always a fear of a landslide (Soseki, 2000: 70). There is only a narrow passage between the house and the cliff (Soseki, 2000:79).
Second, as a civil servant, Sosuke’s salary is not big to pay for the rent of the house. They have difficulty in reaching a proper life. They choose to live in modest way or simple life. They could not even afford to buy new shoes and the material for a dress. So, they sell Hoitsu screen (the property of Sosuke’s father) (Soseki, 2000:71).
Third, as a common married couple, they do not have any children that could make their life more comfortable or even happy. Sosuke brings home a pleasant feeling after realizing that Sakai’s house (the landlord) is cheerful because they have children (Soseki, 2000: 124). In contrast to Oyone and Sosuke who are childless. Oyone’s heart fills with a feeling of emptiness and regret as she listens to the voice of children from the landlord’s house (Soseki, 2000: 55).
3
purge his burden, he asks one of his acquaintance in his office whether he knows about Zen. His acquaintance gives him a letter of introduction to enter Kamakura temple that is inhabited by Gido (a monk).
Their intimacy could become an ideal pattern for not only the young Japanese married couple but also all the young married couple over the world including Indonesia. Because they can keep their intimacy at all kinds of living condition. Though, this family faces their cruel fate that makes them being abandoned by the outside world (relatives, friends, neighbours and society). Even, Sosuke should resign from his university, they also face the reality of their being childless situation, they face their inner troubles and they live in inadequate income. This lesser living condition could not destroy their intimacy. In their mind, there is no reason to break their intimacy moreover to get a divorce, though they face so many problems.
They get closer one to another as they share so many troubles that they should overcome. They do not surrender because they will find the way to overcome their difficulties. Koroku gets a job by helping around at Sakai’s house (Soseki, 2000: 164). At the end, Sosuke makes a feast to celebrate the rise of his salaries (Soseki, 2000: 212). This better living condition is the result of their forbearance in dealing with their problems.
This thesis discusses Natsume Soseki’s novel, Mon. Mon is a Japanese word. In English, it can be translated into the gate. Firstly, the writer wants to bring the thesis to describe in detail the characteristics of the main characters. It is important to know the characteristic of the main characters. The writer will not decide whether the characteristic is bad or good. Because by knowing the characteristics in depth, we will know kind of the main character itself. By showing the characteristics, it needs an elaborate read so it will be developed into a better analyzing. It can be gotten by reading the speech of the main characters and their attitudes or their behaviours. So that, this problem later, will help next problem.
The next discussion is on the way of the young married couple handle their difficulties and on how they could maintain their intimacy towards various problems that are obstructed their intimacy.
The central point of this thesis is to discuss the importance of the intimacy. This is clearly seen through the relationship of the young married couple. This point will explain more on how they interact to one another. This might be seen in their affection and a feeling of intimacy that are felt by one another. This couple is aware of their feeling but this awareness makes them finds troubles in confronted with their life.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to limit the study, the writer will raise some questions that are related to the topic that will be discussed. They are:
5
2. How do the main characters maintain the intimacy?
3. What is the importance of the intimacy seen in the main characters?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objective of the study is to answer the questions that are stated in the problem formulation, which deal with the importance of the intimacy of the main characters. The first objective is to find out how the main characters are characterized. For knowing the characters of the main characters is through the methods of characterization: showing and telling.
After dealing with the first objective, there will be appeared next question and it is about the way of the main characters maintain the importance of the intimacy especially if they face so many problems.
The last objective is to find out the importance of the intimacy of the main characters. This is meant that to find out the importance of the intimacy is through the explanation of the first objective. Because their attitude, speech, and behaviours will tell us how they can interact one with another to respond over their limitness, how they deal with the others and the world.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding in understanding this thesis, some terms (such as Mon, intimate and main character) need to be explained further.
1. Mon
meaning in English is ”the gate”. This word represents the entrance of the holy place (temple) for Budha’s religion (Dewanto, 2008: 183).
2. Intimacy
This is a part of the element from the triangular theory of love. As said in the Human Development, it is the emotional element that involves self disclosure, which leads to connection, warmth and trust (Papalia, Olds and Feldman, 2004:501). Self disclosure is the important element. It means to reveal the important information about one self to another so that people become intimate through shared disclosures, responsiveness to another needs and mutual acceptance and respect. Intimacy may or may not include sexual contact. It also include a sense of belonging in order to form strong, stable, close, caring relationship (Papalia, Olds and Feldman, 2004: 500).
3. Main Character
7
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
The writer finds some reviews on Natsume Soseki’s work, Mon or The Gate. The reviews are written by people in their blog and the newspaper. The reviews give comments on the attitude of the main character and the main theme of the novel.
Ken M., in his blog, writes about his experience that is nearly close to the main character in the novel, Mon. This man also lives in Tokyo but in Koenji area. After pondering his trips around Tokyo, he runs into the passage in the Natsume Soseki’s novel, Mon where the main character (Sosuke) takes awalk on his Sunday off, Sosuke never feels that he has figured out Tokyo. He has that conclusion as he feels that he never really sees Tokyo though he really lives in Tokyo. He always feels strange sadness. The blogger also feels that way because when he trips through many neighbourhoods of this city, he hardly feels that he ever really knows the place because Tokyo is big and ever changing <http://japanlive.blogspot.com/2008/12/nyt-on-koenji-tokyo.html>.
The writer also notices the review in Correspondence. It is said that the impossibility of love is a consistent main theme for Soseki’s works, such as Mon
(The Gate), Sorekara and Koijin(The Wayfarer). In these novels, the protagonist seeks the pure love that he knows he can not achieve. He ties himself instead to
eventually tormented by an even deeper sense of guilt. These novels seem to be the tragedy of love <http://www.cfr.org/../correspondence.html>.
This thesis will discuss how the intimacy works and how the couple will show the intimacy or even interact with another to face their daily life. As the young married couple there is so many irresolvable matter that they have to be dealt with. In order to release their trouble, this couple will overcome it with their intimacy.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Character and Characterization
9
Characters themselves, according to Abrams in his book A Glossary of Literary Terms, are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do-the action. A character may remain essentially ‘stable’ or unchanged from beginning to end of a work, or may undergo a radical change, either through a gradual process of motivation and development or as the result of a crisis (1981: 23)
Characters can be described as major and secondary ones. Major character is the most important and also complex character in a novel. It is the major character that performs as the key structural functions in the character from whom the readers will get the messages that the author implies in the story and can build a big expectation and desires (Henkle, 1977:92). According to Abrams, it can be mentioned as a round character that is complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity; such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life, and like real persons is capable of surprising us. Secondary character is a character that performs more limited function. According to Abrams, it can be mentioned as a flat character that is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without much individualizing detail (1981: 24).
of these actions. In the other hand, a static character, or it can be called as secondary character is one who changes little or not at all. Things happen to such a character without things happening within. The pattern of action reveals the character rather than showing the character changing in response to the actions. (Holman and Harmon, 1992: 83).
There is a broad distinction is frequently made between alternative methods for characterizing the persons in narrative: showing and telling. In showing, the author presents the characters talking and acting and leaves the reader to infer what motives and dispositions lie behind what they say and do. In telling, the author intervenes authoritatively in order to describe, and often evaluates, the motives and dispositional qualities of the characters (Abrams, 1981: 24).
2. The Importance of Intimacy
Intimacy is a cornerstone of a good couple relationship and facilitates the health and well being in intimate interaction. The positive thing in the intimacy is when the partners reveal their private selves one with another, sharing parts of themselves that are ordinarily hidden. The other is, the couple receive one another personal revelation with nonjudgmental acceptance and experiences <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
11
In contrast, the people whose the intimacy needs are not met they will feel lonelier and their relationship are more fragile <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy .html>
Intimacy is both the ability and the choice to be close, loving and vulnerable. Intimacy requires the identity development. The spouse needs to know themselves and their inner selves in order to share themselves one with another. Knowing the inner selves makes it possible to establish the intimate relationship without taking over the other or losing yourself to the other <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
Intimacy is to know someone in depth, every spouse has to be familiar one with another (share the interest). To know many different aspects of a person or knowing how would they respond in different situations because of the many experiences that shared by each spouse <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/
Intimacy.html>.
Intimate interactions can be characterized on the basis of the behavior, feelings and thoughts that participants have during and following their interactions. Intimate behavior includes openness and self disclosure. Self disclosure related to the greater emotional involvement, fulfillment needs and relationships satisfaction. Some intimate interactions are characterized by emotional support, in which one partner shares difficulty and the other offers comfort, reassurance, confidence building and alternative perspectives for thinking about the problem <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
Intimacy in a model of intimate interaction that begins when one person communicates personally relevant and revealing information. Another person and the second person respond to the speaker in a sensitive manner. An interaction is intimate if a discloser perceives that his or her listener conveyed understanding, acceptance, validation and caring towards the discloser and her or his communication. This responsiveness contributes to daily experiences of intimacy in couple relationship <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
The expression of positive loving feelings towards one partner’s is an important aspect of intimate communication both as a disclosure and as a response to disclosure. Partners who communicate positive regard one with another maybe in a better position to sustain intimacy in their relationship. Expressions of positive feelings contribute uniquely to couple’s relationship partners’ daily experiences of intimacy <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
13
knowledge and understanding of the partner that goes beyond understanding a particular message or communication. As two people become more in intimate, partners come to perceive one with another as each perceives him or himself, in a more positive light. When a deeper richer knowledge of the other is accompanied by acceptance and respect for the partner’s interests, preferences and proclivities, the partners have formed an intimate relationship <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
Disagreement and irresolvable conflicts about intimacy create thorny problems in couple relationship as there exist the individual differences in the inevitable balance of pleasures and risks that intimacy offers. People whose intimacy needs are compatible are more likely to have their needs met and less likely to encounter conflict. The quality of attachment for every people varies in every relationship as they have different expectations of it and the result later is also different (it turns out to be happy, secure, abandoned or smothered). Secure individuals are more sexually exclusive and less likely to engage in behavior destructive to their relationships <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy. html>.
between them, so it is a matter of intimate times (balancing time alone and time for separate interest) <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
We find it difficult to keep our thoughts of this other person. We recreate the image of our lover in great detail and envision new meetings and what might happen. Once we have “accepted the package” this other becomes an intruder. We think about him or her most of the time (Anzia and Durkin, 1980:17).Our fantasies about our lover when he or she is absent are our way of compensating for the loss and emptiness we feel when the object of our new lover is no longer present (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 17).
When we are really in love, the other person looks pretty terrific. We may find it difficult to pick out what things make the person so attractive. We are too busy concentrating on the positive aspects of our beloved. We have no time for worrying about minor deficiencies (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 19).
When we are in love, the goodness, beauties, intelligence of our lover are exaggerated. We hear it said,”Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but we know that our beloved has qualities that neither he nor anyone else has discovered (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 19).
Just as in faith, we find that love precedes knowledge and is nonrational. And just as the unbeliever can not deny the existence of faith in the believer, we can not deny the existence of this tendency for a lover to enhance the qualities of his beloved (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 20).
15
we will be as nothing, but we are forced to admit that the control of our own future is no longer centered only in us. It now depends, to a large degree, on the respond of the other (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 23-24).
As falling in love subverts and overturns our world, like the merchant in parable, we have found new life in the beloved, but we must sell the harmony and isolation of our previous self centeredness and buy into salvific power of the other. When we fall in love we “experience” the truth of our inability to achieve completeness of our own (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 24).
Many of us reach a point in a romantic love relationship where we are able to declare mutually that we love each other so much that we are ready for the “long haul” together. We enter marriage with the belief that we share is more than enough to sustain us. We have reached the point of mutuality and empathy (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 25-26).
Most of us know without being told that our own pleasure in love is entirely dependent on the pleasure we bring to our beloved, the good of our romantic fantasies is mutuality of passion. As new lovers we instinctively try to sense what the other is feeling (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 26).
Each must have times of giving and receiving, of being supported and lending support. It takes considerable empathy to understand our lover’s needs when or own which might be opposite are so insistent (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 35).
To get into a better marriage, the spouse needs to follow the triangular theory of love. As stated in Marital Intimacy, the three elements of the successful marriage is by fulfilling the intimacy, commitment and passion. Loosing one of these three elements will make the horrible marriage. The marriage will turn out to be unhappy, unsecure, and abandoned. Though, it will not always make a divorce (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 35).
3. The Role of the Intimacy for Japanese and Mixed Couples
The relationships of the young Japanese married couple which are not sustained by the intimacy do not become marriage dissolution. Every element of the successful marriage can be a tool to maintain intimacy. The components that should be noticed in successful marriage are romantic love (the element of successful marriage that consists of commitment and passion in which there is an existence of a deep ineffable feeling of tenderly caring for another person) and psychological love (intimacy). So the basic reasons for getting married that are based on social respect and raising children are followed by the intimacy so the marriage can be occurred.
The institution of marriage in Japan is different from other cultures. Japanese women go to college and find the future husband. Once they graduate they will get married. This is done in order to have social respect <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/married.htm>.
17
middle aged man does not look for the pleasure outside. Neither through onsens
nor other entertainments. Though there is no children in their marriage their marriage can be cheerful. Because their marriage are based on romantic love and intimacy.
There are any Japanese couple in which the Japanese bored middle aged man can not satisfy their partner. The man looks other entertainment by watching young fresh Japanese women through onsens, so the woman looks for the young student who need extra cash to fulfill their physical needs. They still look satisfied with their marriage as they still meet socially acceptable standards <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/
married.htm>.
If there is the relationship in which the husband ignores his wife. For instance: a husband gets busy (have many activities outside) and seeks to other entertainment for himself. They can get divorce. So the loyalty is needed. The couple also has to make a greatest effort to maintain their commitment with raising the intimacy (strong love and trust) in their relationship so the marriage can become solid. The couple is not always to look for their own pleasure and satisfaction.
Related the business activities and other activities outside the business (playing golf), husbands make their wives lonely, depressed and unhappy with their marital lives. So the rate of divorce is going up (this is woman liberation and the culture of America has influenced it) <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/married.htm>.
(January 30, 2009).
A 32 year old man gets the information that Japanese villagers’ women go to other countries (China and The Philippines) to find partners. They would not talk and have relation with farmers. He says:
"I live in the countryside in a tiny village. It seems that all the young women in my village have disappeared. When they do visit they have changed so much and would not even speak to someone who they think is a farmer and not worthy of them anymore." <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>.
Paul Wright, who is 55 years old, and has a Japanese wife tells that he does not look at his wife’s physical attractiveness but he loves his wife style (elegant and fashion manner). He also adorns her because she is tall, slim and has a wonderful skin. Their lovemaking and desire do not diminish. He tells to MYNIPPON:
"When I first met my Japanese wife in Tokyo several years ago it was not her physical beauty that initially attracted her to me but her style; elegant in manner and fashion. When we decided to marry I still did not expect anything special from our married life. I have to say that my wife is sensational. She is tall and slim with wonderful skin." <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>.
John, who lives in the UK, and has an 18-year old Japanese girlfriend, Ryoko, falls in love with her because she experts in bed. Both of them are satisfied with their relationship.
"I TOTALLY agree with Paul Wright. Relationship with a Japanese girl is mind-blowing. AND, as he says, the best bit is the noise she makes. Ryoko is incredible. She is very petite, but makes a lot of noise - groaning and wailing as we make love - especially as she approaches climax." <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>.
19
Nagasaki. In contrast to foreign women who are difficult to find Japanese lovers. Jack confides:
"I am not exceptionally good-looking but I am some kind of celebrity in this little town outside of Nagasaki. I am the only gaijin around and life couldn't be better for me." <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>. The attractions towards the residents in Japan because of the culture. Japanese have a greater sexual satisfaction (sex in bed). Bob Keaton has some incredible experiences in Japan/Asia and tells MYNIPPON:
"I do believe that oriental ladies are the most adventures creatures on earth (in bed). And I'm sad, that the new culture is taking a heavy toll on this most incredible culture in the world. But for any gaijin, an advice: DO NOT GET MARRIED UNLESS YOU MAKE LOVE IN JAPAN" <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>.
The foreign women (a Canadian lady) have low expectations on Japanese men’s size and performance. But she is not disappointed with her relationship. Because her partner is better in bed than a lot of Canadians.
"I was pleasantly surprised when I made love with a Japanese man one week ago. I have never been attracted to an Asian man before. I had low expectations of his "size" and performance. Wow! He is amazing! No disappointments anywhere. I am his first foreign girl. Now, each time we do it, it gets better and better. He is better in bed than a lot of Canadians! Damn!" <http://www.mynippon.com/romance/sexinjapan.htm>.
C. Theoretical Framework
In answering the formulated problems, the writer would like to apply theories of character and characterization. The writer uses general psychological theory like: the importance of the intimacy. The writer also uses socio-historical theory like: the review on the role of the intimacy for Japanese couple. Because the topic deals with the analysis of the depiction of the main characters and how they pursue life by considering the role of intimacy.
First, the writer uses theories of character and characterization to find out the attitude, behavior and manner of the main characters. The writer uses this theory to identify whether or not there is an intimacy throughout their interaction.
Second, the writer uses theory of intimacy to know whether it will work through the main characters. This theory is also useful to know whether the application of it will reveal the discussion of the main point in this thesis.
21
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
In this thesis, the writer chooses Natsume Soseki’s entitled Mon. It was a commercial success when published in Japan. This novel is originally written in Japanese language and published in Japan by The Tuttle Publishing. The first edition is on 1972 published by Peter Owen and the ninth printing is on 2000 translated into English language by Francis Mathy. This novel is one of the outstanding works of Natsume Soseki’s later years telling a lot of an intimate story of a young Japanese married couple named Sosuke and Oyone as a husband and a wife. This novel consist of XXIII chapters and 213 pages.
Times Literary Supplement mentioned the author of which as one of the most important Japanese writers of the modern period. As stated in the introduction of Damian Flanagan, this novel, that is published in the name of The Gate, highly prized for the beauty of its description of the understated love between Sosuke and Oyone, the novel has nevertheless remained in many ways mysterious (Soseki, 2000).
health and their inability to have children. Life of the couple is very so prudent, that is why they tend to isolate themselves from their relatives, friends and neighbours. Their life is changing a bit since Sosuke’s much younger brother, Koroku had come to their lives. Koroku provides the impetus for Sosuke to finally reexamine his place in the world. He takes a bold step and decides to spend ten days at a Zen temple searching for satori or the enlightenment.
B. Approach of the Study
The writer chooses the socio-historical approach to analyze and answer problem formulation. Socio-historical approach is the approach that reflects the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people which is called as civilization. So that the literature is the work that shows or even refers to the civilization that produces (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 9).
The relation between literature and society is usually discussed by starting with the phrase that is derived from De Bonald. He said that literature is an expression of society. It is undoubtedly said that literature represents and expresses life. An author inevitably expresses his experience and total conception of life in which has the ‘representativeness’ and ‘social truth’ (Wellek and Warren, 1956: 95).
23
(something that makes an impression for a reader after being read). The ‘representativeness’ and social truth consider to be a result and cause of artistic value (Wellek and Warren, 1956: 95).
Much the most common approach to the relations of literature and society is the study of literature as social documents. It can be assumed as the pictures of social reality. It also can not be doubted that some kind of social picture can be abstracted from literature. People can see the ‘world’ from the literature (Wellek and Warren, 1956: 102-103).
The writer considers the socio-historical approach as the most essential approach in her thesis. Because the writer gets the central point of the discussion from the socio-historical approach. To analyse the main point of the thesis, the writer seeks into the role of intimacy of the young Japanese married couple and mixed couple. This is a kind of tradition or even culture that presents as the concept of the love kind relationship of the young married couple which exists in Japan.
C. Method of the Study
To analyze this novel, Mon, the writer used library research, read some books that are related to the topic in the library and at home. In addition, in order to complete the sources that are needed for writing this thesis, the writer browsed the related topic through the internet.
problem formulation that had to be solved after read and reread the novel. The next step was to find out the objectives of the study. The writer also figured out some terms that were unexplained in the novel. Then, the writer wrote it to be the definition of terms.
After finishing Chapter I, the writer worked on the next chapter (theoretical reviews). The writer looked for some studies on the novel by searching at the internet. After finding the reviews of related studies and wrote it on the thesis, the writer collected the reviews of related theories that are applied for answering problem formulation and wrote it in the thesis.
After that, the writer worked on the methodology of the thesis. In this step, the writer described in detail the object of the study. The writer also wrote the approach of the study that was used in analyzing the novel. The next step, the writer described in detail procedure or steps that were taken to analyze the novel and this was called as the method of the study.
25
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer wants to answer the problems that already stated in Chapter I. It consist of three parts. The first part is the description of the main characters in Mon. The second part is to discuss the importanceof the intimacy seen in the main characters. The last part is the illustration of how the main characters maintain the intimacy.
A. The Description of the Main Characters in Mon
In Mon, there are many characters who play their own roles in that novel. The writer’s topic is the importance of the intimacy of the main characters, in which the writer will focus on discussing how the main characters as the major characters are characterized. According to the writer, there are two major characters in Mon. The two major characters are Sosuke and Oyone as the main characters in Mon for whom their own characters are characterized.
1. Sosuke
Sosuke is an employee of government institution. Sugihara is the person who recommends him to get this job. Sugihara is a section head of his office (Soseki, 2000: 111).
Sosuke only said, “What wonderful weather!” Since Sosuke too was not eager, seemingly, to start a conversation, they fell back into silence (Soseki, 2000: 5). He had never really taken a good look at the city (Soseki, 2000: 12).
As an uneasy going man, he has a difficulty for socializing with another person. He even does not want to make a close relationship with his friends, relatives and his neighbors. Besides, he will not make a visit to other people if there is no particular business. When he wants to be socialized, he has special preference and he will choose someone like Sakai because he is smart and also easy going. He disliked to make a visit to other people. He was also did not want to show his face at a social gathering if he could possibly avoid it. But, Sakai was an exception as he was one of the most sociable people that Sosuke was ever likely to meet. He would meet Sakai though there was no particular business (Soseki, 2000: 161).
Sosuke is a nice husband. Sosuke is an understanding husband. Knowing of their condition of being childless, Sosuke did not want to hurt Oyone‘s feeling. He is worried about the fragile condition of his wife so it is better not to respond frankly or even not to discuss the matter that might make his wife unhappy or that remind her of being childless.
Something in Sosuke recognized the truth of what she said. But out of consideration for her, he could not freely speak out the blunt truth. His wife had just recovered from a severe illness. To set her mind at ease, he thought it would be better to make a joke of the matter “I suppose you might call our home a bit gloomy.” (Soseki, 2000:125).
27
When she spoke in this way Sosuke felt as if the poisoned tongue of fate were making use of his wife’s heartfelt words to taunt him. He would say nothing, but only smile bitterly (Soseki, 2000:35).
Sosuke shows his sense of caring and loving. When Oyone is sick, he looks after her very carefully and guards her. He even feels afraid of leaving her wife unattended when he goes out to seek a doctor for curing her. Sosuke tries to cheer up her wife when she shows her uneasiness on Koroku’s hatred. He makes a greater effort until Oyone can forget her uneasiness on Koroku’s hatred so he tries very hard to convince her for not thinking of her uneasiness anymore.
Sosuke continued to bear down on her shoulder. Occasionally he would ask if it felt a little better, but she would answer faintly that it still hurt. Sosuke was at his wits’ end. He thought of running to fetch a doctor but fearing what might happen in his absence, he could not summon the courage to move towards the door (Soseki, 2000: 112). “Your imagination’s running away with you again. Besides, what does it matter what Koroku thinks … as long as I’m around (Soseki, 2000: 66)?”
Sosuke is a man who lacks of diplomacy skill. He could not manage his way of speaking to his relative, uncle Saeki. He did not have the courage to bring up the Koroku’s matter in their conversation as it needed diplomacy’s skill.
“It seems a bit a strange to bring the matter up formally at this time. If I have a chance to put the question to him casually, I’ll do so. I ought to be able to find an opening before too long (Soseki, 2000: 38).”
Sosuke is a reasonable man. He was being realistic by convincing his wife not to trust superstitious things especially when she was frustrated. He did make sense by convincing his wife that she was not the one to be blamed for the reason of their being childless.
Sosuke is a hardworking man. He concentrates on his working. He does his job extra hard and with a great effort until he misses another things outside his job that is also important to do and he also misses his leisure time that is also important to take as it can refresh his energy. The hardest he works, there will be no time to get his leisure time. He works with great care and great energy for fulfilling the needs of his family.
Since Sosuke always left the house in the early morning and did not return until after four, he seldom had the leisure to view the top of the cliff at this time of day with the sun high in the sky (Soseki, 2000: 8). He always late in getting home, and he could seldom summon the energy to go out again once he had returned (Soseki, 2000: 27).
He is very diligent. He shows that he is really persistent in doing his work. He always presents at work. He has shown his commitment so that he never takes a day off when he is ill.
Since coming to Tokyo, strange to say, he had never once been ill, which meant that he had not missed even a single day at work (Sosuke, 2000: 111).
He is a workaholic man. He has so many activities to do especially when he does not take a holiday. He has to work for six days from early in the morning until evening. He works very hard and when he does his work he does it without taking a rest. He might work overtime until he almost can not have a leisure time. With so many activities, he becomes very tired physically and mentally.
He regretted that he would have to wait a full week for another half day like this, and the remaining six days of exhausting work with no mental relaxation struck him all of a sudden as extremely cheerless (Soseki, 2000: 16). But he always so fatigued in mind and body that he travelled in a daze, completely unaware of his surroundings. (Soseki, 2000: 12).
29
all the things. He does not have an interest to enter a bookshop and buy one. He has no slightest desire to own one of the jeweler that are on display after scanning each price tag. He is also unwillingly to buy a stylish new cravat in order wearing it on the next working day. He is thought that to buy an elegant scarf for his wife was meaningless now (Soseki, 2000: 14). He is being anticipated of his checking on a dentist because it needs so much cost (Soseki, 2000: 59). He wears his shoes that are soles worn through in several places (Soseki, 2000: 67). He is thought of the buying of a new overcoat for heading on the cold weather but he then feels that it is no longer needed (Soseki, 2000: 65).
Sosuke has a self esteem. He was embarrassed asking his old friend (Sugihara) for helping him out of his financial problem. So, it will be a humiliation to meet a person like Sugihara who was as the same student as him before. He felt shameful as Sugihara was a successful man than he was.
He would not want to bow his head for a success like Sugihara, he would be like a loser so he whished to avoid a meeting with Sugihara. Sosuke swallowed his pride and met Sugihara (Soseki, 2000: 36).
Sosuke is a skeptical person. He is always reminded by his bad impression to his late uncle Saeki’s behavior. His uncle is a possessive person who was not having a good care of his quite young nephew suffering from inadequate money for continuing his life which as emphasized by the following quotation:
“From the beginning Sosuke had not placed much expectation in the property his uncle had sold for them (Soseki, 2000: 35).”
sends a letter to his aunt Mrs. Saeki and sees her directly in Naka roku bancho as the following quotation:
“Then he opened the lid of his inkstone case and began to write a letter. He finished the letter, sealed it and paused in thought for a moment. At any rate, let’s try a letter first even if it ‘s useless. If that fails, I’ll go and have a talk with her (Soseki, 2000: 9).”
Sosuke is an honest husband. He is not shy and afraid of being humiliated by his wife Oyone by telling frankly that he forgot or has some difficulty to recall even a simple thing such as he forgot to write the simple character as quoted in the following statement:
“The other day too I had a hard time recalling the character for the kon of konnichi (Soseki, 2000: 7).”
2. Oyone
Oyone is a talkative woman. She always has a subject in her mind to talk about especially with his brother in law, Koroku. She always talks first especially when the conversation is stopped. She deals with the pause in the conversation by making some short conversation especially when he has to confront with the person who is not eager to speak.
After a time it was Oyone who spoke. “Why don’t you go for a walk (Soseki, 2000: 5)?” After a long pause she broke the silence to urge Koroku to eat the cake she had placed before him, then abruptly got up and left the room (Soseki, 2000:23).
31
there was still not any decision for solving Koroku’s financial problem (Soseki, 2000:50). She arranged the room for Koroku. She released her little closet room for being a place to stay for Koroku. She also provided the clothes for Koroku (Soseki, 2000: 53). She told Sosuke to go to bed when he wanted to read a book (Soseki, 2000: 62). While she was ill, she treated Sosuke very well she even did her job as a housewife very well (Soseki, 2000: 64). She really loves her husband. She shows her empathy to her husband. She asked him to buy a new overcoat in installments as her husband really wanted it (Soseki, 2000: 65). Oyone shows an empathy to Koroku by paying attention to his health as the weather is not so good (Soseki, 2000: 86). Oyone cares to Koroku as he might not get a good food at his lodging (Soseki, 2000: 88). Oyone speaks to Koroku with an empathy when they are talking about Sakai’s student era which is cheap and easy to enter the college (Soseki, 2000: 89). Oyone shows her empathy to Koroku as he feels desperate of his own future but Oyone convinces him that her husband will be able to help him (Soseki, 2000: 66).
could not solve Koroku’s problem. Doubting and untrusting Saekis, Oyone was lazy to meet them in order to solve Koroku’s problem (Soseki, 2000: 39).
“But it’s impossible for you to go there now. There’s nothing to be done about it (Soseki, 2000: 32).” “It’s no use thinking about it. Still, I have absolutely no trust in your uncle (Soseki, 2000: 34).” “He probably got the impression that you were giving him the house and the land I return for the money (Soseki, 2000: 35).”
Oyone is a critic person. She sometimes criticizes her husband for his being the one who is completely entrusted the whole things to his late uncle Saeki as shown in the following quotation:
“Oyone would smile sadly and remonstrate the property again! Don’t you ever think of anything else? Aren’t you the one who entrusted the whole matter to your uncle (Soseki, 2000: 35)?”
She always makes a judgment or even the fault finding of Saekis. She also becomes hypercritical to Yasu’s act when it is related to Koroku’s problem (Soseki, 2000: 25-48).
Oyone is a sensitive woman. Her feeling is easy to get hurt especially if the conversation is related to the children. She is in a greater worried as she is the person who makes Koroku hesitant to come to their house.
“I wonder if Koroku doesn’t still hate me (Soseki, 2000: 66).” Then her words became very distinct: “There’s no chance that I will ever be able to have children,” and she burst into tears (Soseki, 2000: 126).
She is a feminine woman. She has motherly feeling. She felt very guilty for having lost her third baby. She thinks desperately over her mistakes for being an irresponsible mother (Soseki, 2000: 130).
B. How the Main Characters Maintain Their Intimacy
33
Mon is a portrait of the intimate married couple who experiences their life day by day by sharing their caring and loving each other either in a good fate or in a bad fate.
According to Anzia and Durkin, the intimacy can be maintained if the married couple has a notion of sharing the personal or innermost aspect of the self involving both verbal and non-verbal sharing, so the intimate interactions between them can be materialized which is also enhanced by their intention of self openness and self disclosure especially to the most crucial matter for instance in favor of perceiving the minor deficiencies rather than the positive thing for their married’s partner (1980:19).
We are too busy concentrating on the positive aspects of our beloved. We have no time for worrying about minor deficiencies (Anzia and Durkin, 1980: 19).
In order to maintain the intimacy in their daily life, the main characters as a married couple should show their mutual responsiveness by communicating their personal matter including the secret thing with their partner in a responsive and sensitive manner. As the married couple they have to be a nice listener and a wise speaker, if that notion of intimate interaction happen to them day by day they will always experience the intimacy . Do Sosuke and Oyone exert it in their daily life? Partners who communicate positive regard one with another maybe in a better position to sustain intimacy in their relationship. Expressions of positive feelings contribute uniquely to couple’s relationship partners’ daily experiences of intimacy <http://family.
jrank.org/pages/949/Intimacy.html>.
comfort as well as in giving a mutual reassuring and building one partner confidence for resolving his or her problem.
Some intimate interactions are characterized by emotional support, in which one partner shares difficulty and the other offers comfort, reas-surance, confidence building and alternative perspectives for thinking about the problem <http://family.jrank.org/pages/949/
Intimacy.html>.
The intimate interaction is shown well in this part in which Oyone acts as an ordinary wife. Oyone shows her responsiveness to her husband action in which Sosuke does not really care of his own health. The action of the soulmate to show his caring and loving as a married couple respectively (to remind her husband not to sleep outside his sleeping room). The couple has maintained their intimacy by showing caring and loving one another.
“If you go to sleep there, you are sure to catch cold,” she cautioned (Soseki, 2000: 6).
The action of intimacy in which Sosuke’s openness is accepted by Oyone without taking over the right of Sosuke’s revelation. Oyone does not want to hurt her husband’s feeling. The intention of Oyone not to break the conversation into a dispute or quarrel with her husband about his revelation has a notion her being an understandable wife. Accepting whatever their partner say as a married couple and respecting one another means that they have maintained their intimacy.
He spoke emphatically, and when his wife did not reply, he added, ”That ought to be good enough, don’t you think?” Oyone did not seem sure enough of her opinion to contradict him and she did not press her objection (Soseki, 2000: 9).
35
intimate relationship can be shown well in their notion of having sexual intercourse. In which there is the fulfillment of intimacy through their passion. This is the notion that the romantic love exists in their relationship. The romantic love is the essential things in maintaining intimacy (Soseki, 2000: 126-128).
The action of intimate interaction has proven their ability to show their needs to share everything with their partner. Oyone shows her best regards to her husband by not teasing Sosuke that has forgotten in writing the simple Japanese character kin in kinrai. Oyone shows her respectfulness to her husband’s openness. This shows the notion her being a respectful wife. The ability of the couple to share everything with their partner and respect one another is also a good point in maintaining their intimacy.
Oyone showed no surprise that he should have forgotten how to write this simple character, nor did she laugh the shrill laugh peculiar to young woman (Soseki, 2000: 6).
The intimate interaction is shown well in Oyone’s behavior in which she shows her great attention to Sosuke. The action of Oyone as an ordinary wife which serves her husband by making dinner and even storing his clothes daily. The action of caring towards another in every condition has proven their effort to maintain the intimacy.
She took the lid off the rice and began to serve her husband(Soseki, 2000: 20). Oyone, as usual, gathered up the clothes he had just removed and went into the next room to put them away (Soseki, 200: 64).
Oyone pays an attention to Sosuke’s habit in communicating. Oyone is eager to make a good conversation which also satisfies her husband (realizing her husband taste in making communication, for ex. the discussion about Ito assassination). This shows that Oyone is an understandable wife. The existence of mutual respect one another especially in their intimate communication proves how they maintain their intimacy.
Since it served no good cause to bring up the Ito assassination in evening conversation with her husband, she made no further effort to draw him out on a topic he did not wish to discuss (Soseki, 2000: 22).
The mutual respect is also shown well in their intimate communication. Oyone argues with the childish action of her husband (Sosuke takes dharma balloon in his tip finger) without being a resister. This shows the notion of being a respectful wife that leads to the existence of mutual respect one another which is an important thing in keeping their intimate communication as a prove how they maintain their intimacy.
“She was laughing at you buying that toy and getting such a kick out of balancing it on the tip of your finger. Just like a little boy (Soseki, 2000: 23).
They share everything together especially when they talk about Koroku’s financial problem in which Oyone criticizes her aunt and tells Sosuke to solve it as soon as possible by meeting with Saekis. As the married couple, they show that there is the notion their being an understanding couple. To share everything together especially in dealing with their difficulty has proven their maintaining intimacy.
37
In dealing with their family difficulty (financial problem), they keep their intimacy by relying one another (Oyone assured that they will be able to pass the difficulty by looking forward to seeking a better time someday. For this reason, Sosuke wants to accomplish their difficulty by meeting his uncle who sells Sosuke’s father property in reducing his father debt). As the married couple, they show that there is the notion their being an understanding couple. To reach the point at which they can solve their difficulty, they have to show their mutual understanding by which they have maintained their intimacy.
“We have the right to look forward to better times.” “With the present state of the market, even if my uncle sold the property for almost nothing, the money he got for it would still be at least twice the amount he raise to pay off the debt (Soseki, 2000: 35).”
In confronting Sosuke’s inability to talk straightforward towards his uncle, Oyone does not blame him. She only gives a support to him by smiling and advice him for not giving up though uncle Saeki has passed away. This is the notion Oyone’s being a responsible wife. Taking their duty as a married couple together without showing their ego or to be self centered especially in facing the uneasy condition is an excellent means for maintaining their intimacy. Oyone has done her duty as a responsible wife in order to maintain their intimacy.
“Oyone uncle died finally without my ever speaking to him,” said Sosuke. “Were you still intending to ask him about that? You never give up, do you?” answered Oyone (Soseki, 2000: 40).
when they have to confront their problem that can not be materialized, because they have an intention of maintaining their intimacy.
“I wonder if your aunt is thinking that we should provide for Koroku,” Oyone remarked. “It’s beyond my power to put a boy through college.” Sosuke made clear that he was not up to such a feat (Soseki, 2000:43).
The action of emotional support to another partner is shown well in this part. Finding out some of the furnishing has gone, Sosuke feels regretful. But Oyone’s makes him relieved by saying that it does not make a difference if they could come to Tokyo at that time. This is the notion Oyone’s being an understandable wife. Doing their duty as the married couple by giving emotional support when they face the uneasy condition is one of their effort to maintain their intimacy. “This is all because I wasn’t able to come, it no longer made any difference.” “And when you were able to come, it no longer made any difference (Soseki, 2000: 48).”
The action of intimacy in which the couple pays attention to one another. Oyone pays attention to Sosuke who complains of his teeth that needs to cure. This is the notion Oyone’s being a caring wife. Being caring one another can be their effort to maintain their intimacy.
“Oyone, this tooth looks pretty bad.” Oyone laughed and said, “It’s old age creeping on (Soseki, 2000: 57).
39
Husband and wife took their usual place beside the lamp. It seemed to them that in this wide world only the place where they sat was light (Soseki, 2000: 61).
The action of caring and loving feeling given to Oyone. Looking his wife that is pale, Sosuke sounds worried and unable to concentrate. He tries to reduce a depressed situation by asking her to have fun and making humour. Finding out the apprehension that is felt by Oyone, he would like to make her cool down. Being caring and to show their loved one another especially when one of them is not in a good health has proven that they can maintain their intimacy.
“I wonder if Koroku does not still hate me.” “Your imagination running away with you again. Besides, what does it matter what Koroku thinks… as long as I’m around?” “Did you find that in Confucious?” Oyone was the kind of woman who could make a joke at a time like this. “Yes, I certainly did,” Sosuke answered (Soseki, 2000: 65).
They confront their financial problem patiently and toughly (they can not buy the wet shoes in rainy days and repair the leaking roof in their house). There is no complaining and the couple shows their toughness and mutual understanding in dealing with their difficult problem. This is the notion that their being a tough couple is also the way for the couple can maintain their intimacy.
“It’s not only the inside of my shoes. Even the inside of the house is wet,” said Sosuke. That evening Oyone put some hot coals into a foot warmer and dried her husband’s socks and trousers over it (Soseki, 2000: 67).
Once only she had said, “ And this is supposed to be a fine painting (Soseki, 2000: 68)?”
The intimate interaction between the main character is expressed in the mutual understanding of the married couple. As an understandable wife, Oyone always accepts whatever condition they have. She never complains about the money she gets from Sosuke’s salary. Even, the money is not enough to live conveniently as ordinary family. When their way was stuck, Oyone suggests her husband to try to sell the Hoitsu screen to get an extra money to buy a new shoes and the material for dress. Not complaining with their limitation when they are unable to fulfill their needs means that they has shown how they can maintain their intimacy.
Thus he made no effort to supplement his meager wages so that they might be able to lead a more leisurely life. When he asked what she herself thought about it, she explained that with the money he could have the new shoes he needed and she could buy material for a dress (Soseki, 2000: 71).
The action of intimate relationship happens in this part in which the married couple shows their being a romantic couple. They fasten together in the winter night by sitting together in the kotatsu, they enjoy the united and they recall the warmer winters of Hiroshima and Fukuoka. Oyone feels that they are like Hondas, the old couple. As they lock each other embrace, they make some conversations related to their surroundings (gossiping Hondas and Sakais). Being united as a romantic couple who are facing inconvenient weather (winter season), this couple has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
41
The action of protecting the couple from the danger. This is done by Sosuke when he has to reassure the imagining sounds that come from outside their house. The sound makes Oyone afraid. Sosuke shows his being a protective loving husband. Protecting one another as they have to deal with a dangerous situation has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
Sosuke stepped out on to the veranda and peered into the darkness. But there was nothing to be seen.(Soseki, 2000: 76-77).
The action of Oyone criticizing Sosuke in order to make him sure for his being not alert at night. The couple tries to remind each other so that they will be alert. This is to show that Oyone is a critic person. Completing the other deficiencies has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
“You’ve got nothing on your mind. You fall asleep within ten minutes of lying down, said Oyone (Soseki, 2000: 77).”
The intimate interaction that is shown well through the couple’s behavior (giving personally relevant information) on the factual of their neighbor such as Sakai (he has beard and not stingy and has all the time and the large world). The other gives their judgments or their responds to the discloser. This is to show that the married couple maintain their intimacy by showing their being a tolerant couple.
He can’t be so stingy after all, if he sends over such a nice gift. That story about not letting the neighbours’ kids use his swings can’t be true.” “I’m sure it isn’t.” Oyone also defended Sakai (Soseki, 2000: 91).
Their being respectful and patient one another has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
She set up makeshift kotatsu. There she sat waiting for her husband to come home from work (Soseki, 2000: 95).
The need of the existence of Oyone (regarding the existence of their spouse) as Sosuke asks whether his brother at home or not though he does not have a need with him. Then, Sosuke talks about Sakai’s Hoitsu screen that belongs to them before. He shares it with Oyone on the right time and this really shows his respect to Oyone as his wife. Sosuke shows his being a respectful husband. Regarding the existence of their couple has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
“Is Koroku in?” Oyone rose to call him, but Sosuke stopped her, saying that he had no particular business with him. Oyone said only, “He did?” and looked for a time at her husband. “It must be the same screen. I’m sure of it (Soseki, 2000: 95-96).”
The action of caring to Oyone also shows the intimate interaction. Sosuke lets Oyone to get a rest as she really tired and restless at that time. He even notices the dropping of Oyone’s condition so he plans to take her out (Soseki, 2000: 97). Sosuke shows his being a caring husband. Caring one another condition can be an instrument for maintaining their intimacy.
43
It was then Oyone asked, ”Couldn’t you persuade Koroku to stop drinking? ”Is he drinking enough to have to speak to him about it?” Sosuke made a wry face (Soseki, 2000:104).
The moment of sacrificing when Oyone is sick. Sosuke gives his affection to her. In married couple, showing the empathy or giving and receiving a support will be the moment of sacrificial. The moment of sacrificing when Oyone is sick, she has shown that she does not want to be a burden for her husband. She shows the action of nonverbal sharing because she only keeps silent when her husband worries about her even her condition becomes worse. In this part, Sosuke acts as a caring husband and Oyone as a sweet wife. Becoming care one another and not becoming a burden as a married couple has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
Sosuke, knowing the delicate balance of Oyone’s health, as only husband could know it, had not wanted to further complicate matters by introducing another member to the household. Oyone only smiled and answered, ”It’s all right. You needn’t worry about me (Soseki, 2000: 108).”
The notion of giving spirit one to another that is given by Oyone to Sosuke to welcome the New Year. So, he shall have a haircut as told by Oyone. As the result his spirit is renewed. When the other needs a support, another spouse will give it. Oyone gives her husband support and confidence building so Sosuke’s spirit is renewed. Oyone shows her action as a caring wife by giving spirit one another and to be a caring couple, they have shown how they can maintain their intimacy.
The positive thing in the spouse that is exaggerated as the couple gets married. Oyone made the spring light coat for Sosuke. She has shown her capability in sewing and this shows her positive aspect as a good wife. This could make her to be more attractive. This is to show that Oyone has become a nice wife. Applying the skill with the aim at satisfying their couple they have proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
Oyone had just completed, at long last, the light spring coat she had been making for him. Instead of pressing the seams in place, she folded the coat carefully, placed a cushion over it, then sat down on the cushion (Soseki, 2000: 124).
The notion of not thinking himself or herself. Sosuke gives the clothes that he has bought from the pedlar. This action made Oyone happy. This shows Sosuke’s love to his wife. Sosuke has shown his being a generous husband. The intention of preventing self centeredness and making their couple happy has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
She looked long and lovingly at the cloth he had bought for her, repeating over and over again, “Very cheap, very cheap (Soseki, 2000: 124).”
45
Sosuke remembered having made some such remark, but he hadn’t meant to apply it to their situation, much less to draw Oyone’s attention to the fact of their being childless. “I suppose you might call our home a bit gloomy,” but then he was stuck: he could think of nothing amusing to give a jocular turn to his words. All he could say was, ”It’s certainly nothing to worry about (Soseki, 2000: 125).”
As the intimacy happens in this married couple, their relationship will keep on moving. The spouse has the health and well being in intimate interaction. As Oyone acts so unreasonable of being very desperate by not having a child, she then meets the fortune teller. So, Sosuke forbids her for not doing this foolish things anymore. He guards her as she is in stress condition so as she will not be absolutely depressed. Sosuke acts as a protective husband. Protecting one another especially when they are hopeless has proven how they can maintain their intimacy.
“In your nervous condition you should not have done such a foolish thing. Paying out money to hear stupid words! Did you go back to him later (Soseki, 2000: 134)?”
when they recently tie in a new relationship has proven how they can maintain their intimacy. Sosuke shows how love precedes knowledge in which he adorns his partner very much and this makes him to give his empathy to his partner so they can get married.
Sosuke couldn’t help trying to imagine the young woman who must be hidden somewhere in that silence. Oyone meeting Sosuke for the first time, showed little of the excessive shyness. She seemed to be just an ordinary person, but more than ordinarily silent and circumspect in her speech. Sosuke finding her as relaxed before a stranger as if she were still concealed in the next room, deduced that the reason she kept in the shadows of the house was not simply that she was shy and tried to avoid meeting people (Soseki, 2000: 147).
As the meeting continues over and over, the more he thought of the image of Oyone. As their meeting becomes intense, Sosuke never forgets their meeting. The way she hold the parasol in her hand and her reflection in the wall. He also remembers the way he speaks to Oyone even in every detail, his words shows the simple good natured remark a man will address to a woman in the attempt to be sociable, as shallow and fleeting as water. This exchange words makes them to be so intimate so they can be a romantic couple. This is a proof that the couple still remembers the memory of their first date. In which the figure of each other has been an intruder as it is still engraved in their mind. At that time they also imagine their new meeting and what might happen. This is the notion of the person that falls in love with another person in which to maintain an intimacy in their new relationship they pay a great attention to every detail of their way of speaking and their attitude.
