Bheela’s Blog -016
06 March 2021
Oshin’s story — Episode 16
Episode 15 Recap
Lumber mill owners send Gensuke, the agent, to Oshin’s place with his men. They take away the sack of rice which was given to the family as Oshin’s wages. They also return the 50 cents coin to Fuji. Grandma and Fuji are puzzles. Fuji wants to look for Oshin, but she stops as she has a new-born baby.
Oshin is getting adjusted to life in the mountain. Shunsaku falls ill, Oshin serves him, and he gets cured. He is extremely thankful to Oshin for saving his life. He decides to teach Oshin reading and writing. Oshin is delighted with the joy of the prospect of learning.
Episode 16
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin cared for Shunsaku while fever plagued him. Shunsaku realizes that Oshin is no ordinary child. Oshin’s devotion opened up his mind to help Oshin learn reading. He began teaching Oshin how to write. They arrange a makeshift ‘paper’ made of stem skin and use charcoal sticks to write. Oshin started learning alphabets. She was happy with the expectation that she would be able to read books. Besides, she was delighted that Shunsaku was willing to teach her. As she finished writing one set of alphabets, Shunsaku appreciates her saying ‘perfect!’
She has learned to write the letters for na, ni, nu, ne, no. Shunsaku teaches her the words which begin with the letter ‘na.’ He gives an example and says that the name that starts with na is ‘flax blossom.’ Immediately Oshin gives three more examples — words that begin with ‘na’ for eggplant, greens, and pots.
Shunsaku gives another example of a word that begins with na as ‘Cry-baby.’ He playfully points to Oshin, and both laugh.
Oshin is very happy to learn, and she returns to the present time.
PRESENT TIME
Oshin is staying at a hotel near this place with her grandson Kei. The location is somewhere close to the downhill of the mountain. So many years ago, the two men were hiding atop the mountain somewhere inside the forest. Kei and Oshin are having breakfast, and Kei says that it looks impossible to find the hut’s exact location where Oshin was staying with Shunsaku. Oshin replies that she isn’t planning to go up the mountain. Oshin, as a child also, never knew its location. Kei asks her that finally, she must have come down from that mountain hut to reach her home. He asks Oshin if she could see Mount Kassan from the shed? It must be around the same place.
(I could not find Mount Kassan in Google, but I found Mt Gassan, which is in Yamagata prefecture in Japan. So, I guess Kei and Oshin are talking about the Mount Gassan -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Gassan)
Kei thinks they can locate the place somehow. He wants to see the hut where his grandma stayed with the strange men and learned to write. Oshin tells him that it is not essential to find the exact place; instead, the memories are important. Oshin continues that those were perhaps the happiest days of her entire life.
Kei argues with her that how a primitive life like that can be the happiest? Oshin agrees that life was indeed primitive. She had nothing to write with. She used bits of charcoal on a bark piece (skin of the stems of forest trees). She would wipe the surface with a rag, and the sheet will turn black. Kei now understands why his grandma got upset when they would waste pencils and pens as kids. He shares with Oshin that when she scolded him for wasting pencils, the employees used to think that she is too miser and tight with her purse. The others used to criticize her for this. Oshin just laughs off, saying that she is accustomed to people criticizing her.
She starts remembering those days with Shunsaku; she was so happy for just writing some words. At that time, she was not thinking even about her mom, her grandma, who must be worried.
She finishes her tea, walks to the dining hall window, and looks out, remembering her past. She recalls that Shunsaku taught her many things apart from reading. One of the lessons was that we could be happy having much fewer material things with us. He also guided what is meant to live life fully without complaining.
FLASHBACK RETURNS
Oshin is learning hard. She picks up one of the books of Shunsaku and tries to read the words. Those are tricky words that she has never heard of. Shunsaku enters the hut and asks Oshin to have a look at his hunting bounty. Oshin shows him the book which she tried to read. She tells him that she can read the book now. Shunsaku snatches the book from her hand.
Oshin is sorry to have read the book without Shunsaku’s permission, and she apologizes to him. She was curious to read the book as she observed that Shunsaku reads the book repetitively and enjoys reading. Oshin tells Shunsaku that she tried to read the pages where he had marked with a leaf. She apologizes again, promising never to repeat this.
Shunsaku calmly explains to her that she is too young to understand that book. Oshin tried to read the words joining the characters with their phonetic sound. She could manage to form the names, but she had never heard of those problematic words. Shunsaku explains further that the book is a book of “Shi” poetry. The meaning of Shi in Japanese is death. Oshin knows this word. Shunsaku neither confirms nor denies the ‘death’ poetry. But he clarifies that this book is a book of songs made of poetry. Oshin gets enthusiastic, and she asks Shunsaku if he liked those poetry songs? She requests him to recite those poems. Shunsaku agrees to read the lyrics of one of the poems. He starts reading from the book,
My younger brother, I love you so,
Yet they have placed a weapon in your hands to kill,
At the age of 24, they told you to kill and then to die…
You are to run our family business in Sakai,
So, do not go and die,
It matters not if Port Arthur falls or not…
It is not our family tradition that young men die in war…
O Brother, do not die…
Our Emperor does not wish to go to fight…
Do not shed blood, do not become a beast,
Our Emperor does not wish his sons to die.
As Shunsaku is reading the poem emotionally, Matsuji enters the hut. He is surprised that Shunsaku is reading the poem to Oshin. Shunsaku continues ignoring Matsuji…
Do not make your young wife weep if you still remember her and love her…
You are my brother. And I wish you to live.
Do not die.
Throughout the recitation, Oshin is mesmerized. She listens to the whole poem attentively. In the end, she exclaims that she is impressed that Shunsaku could read those tricky words. Matsuji tries to stop this discussion, but Shunsaku continues that this poem is written by… Matsuji interrupts and tries his best to stop Shunsaku from reading further. Shunsaku tells him that Oshin will have to face war one day. According to him, Japan could not continue the current practices. Japan is continuously seeking resources from abroad; there will be scarcity resulting due to the war. Matsuji tries to be reasonable and asks Shunsaku to stop since it is too hard for Oshin to understand.
Shunsaku replies that he is not teaching the subject; he just wants her to remember his words.
Shunsaku then completes what he left halfway. He says, ‘the poem is written by Akiko Yosano for her brother at the war front.
The author tells her brother not to kill or be killed. She explains that war is such a foolish expenditure that mankind cannot afford. She did not raise her younger brother to go and kill. She reminds her brother that he had a young wife waiting for him. Her brother is precious to her. She cannot allow him to go and die. It does not matter who wins or loses the war! She just wants him to come home safely.’
(Akiko Yosano was the pen name of famous Japanese poetess Sho Ho. She is one of the most noted and most controversial, post-classical woman poets of Japan. She was also a social reformer. Through her poetry, she tried to bring awareness of war wrong-doings. Read more about her on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosano_Akiko)
(The poem also refers to the battle of Port Arthur. The Port Arthur battle is famous for the most prolonged and most violent land battles. It was also known as Siege of Port Arthur — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Port_Arthur. The war was also fought at the Naval base at Port Arthur, currently at Lushunkou District of China. The battle was fought between Russia and Japan. The Japanese had won the Port Arthur battle, but they lost thousands of their soldiers and created sufferings for their families)
Shunsaku asks Oshin if she understood the meaning of the poem. Matsuji is unhappy; he chides Shunsaku that how could Oshin understand, she is just a child. Oshin may not know the importance of war, or she hardly would care about battlefields. Oshin asks Shunsaku if he went to war too? She has seen the bullet mark on Shunsaku’s body. Now she understands that Shunsaku must have taken the bullet during the war. Shunsaku gets upset with Matsuji for telling this secret to Oshin. Oshin replied that she saw all the scars that he has. Matsuji regretfully says that he couldn’t help speak the truth as all his wounds were visible when he fell sick. He pleads to Oshin never to tell anyone else about those wounds. Oshin is surprised to hear this. She knows that to get wounded in a war is a big honor. A man from her village lost a leg in a battle, and he was very proud of it. She is puzzled again why these men want to hide the facts of their life, especially those which other people usually are proud of.
Shunsaku is philosophical; he tells Oshin that it is not an honor. In a war, the side that kills the most that side usually wins! He asks Oshin, what did she think, to kill or to get killed? Are they so great? If she had a fight with someone, will she kill him? Oshin, with her infinite wisdom, instantly replies that she would never do such a thing. Shunsaku explains to her with this analogy that even in small fights, one should not kill or injure someone. Oshin innocently tells him that if she did, then the policeman would take her to jail. Shunsaku continues that if that happens, she will be punished. But in a war, Shunsaku says, the armies do just that, and no one is punished for killing in war. They are applauded for killing. This is how wars are won. He asks Oshin if she thought winning by way of killing is an honor? Oshin wisely shakes her head sideways in negative.
Shunsaku says that Matsuji’s two sons died honorable deaths, but his grief is deep beyond tears. He asks Oshin if she thought that the war is ethical? Oshin again answers in negative. Shunsaku explains that families shed tears and suffer grief forever for those killed or wounded in a battle. He also asks Oshin if this is fair? Oshin replies negatively again. She gets some understanding of the horrors and futility of war.
Now, Shunsaku wants Oshin to remember this very well all her life that no one should fight wars. He wants Oshin to promise that if Japan ever goes to war, Oshin must resist. One person could be powerless, but if everyone gets together on an idea, they can change national policy! Individual opinions are critical. Oshin memorizes all the words spoken so far by Shunsaku, although she could not comprehend all of this.
Shunsaku is pleased that he could convince the child of his idea of the wastefulness of war.
He gives the book of the poems to Oshin, saying that she will understand everything this book contains when she grows.
He asks her to remember him when that happens. Oshin is speechless at the turn of these events.
The weather is getting clearer; Shunsaku goes to the forest for hunting. This time, he takes Oshin with him. She follows and points to the rabbit she spots. She covers her ears with her tiny hands to avoid the gunshot sound. It gives her excitement when a rabbit is shot. She tells Shunsaku that he must have learned to shoot well in the war. She asks him if he shot people?
Shunsaku replies affirmatively, saying that he killed countless people. He confesses to Oshin that he has quit the Army and is no longer a soldier.
Meanwhile, at Oshin’s village, everyone is asleep at home, covered in woolens to fight the cold winter. Fuji, Oshin’s mom, suddenly gets up. She wakes her husband telling him that Oshin is calling her Mama! Mama!! She wants to help but is unable to reach her. Oshin’s Dad tells her not to bother as this must be a bad dream. Fuji now feels that Oshin is dead; Oshin is unable to rest in peace. She is buried somewhere in the snow. Oshin is calling her; she cries and tells all these to grandma. Oshin’s father gets angry and rudely asks her to stop. She suggests to grandma that they better hold a funeral so that Oshin’s soul rests in peace.
She cannot wait for Oshin; with a heavy heart, she tells grandma that she has given up on Oshin. She continues to cry, remembering Oshin, her goodness, her uniqueness. Why did she have to die? She blames herself. Unable to neither believe nor share Fuji’s sorrow, grandma turns around and covers her head with the quilt.
Unaware of her home’s condition, Oshin is happily picking up dry wood for the kitchen fire. The forest is still covered in snow. Oshin recites the poem Shunsaku taught her about a sister asking her brother not to go to war. As she is learning the poem, she gives the words a mild tune. In the background, Shunsaku plays harmonica, and his music synchronizes with the phrase Oshin is reciting.
What will happen next? It appears that Shunsaku is a deserter from the Japanese Army; hence they hide in the mountain. Will they be caught by the police?
Oshin mother’s decision to hold a funeral for Oshin before her body is found is very odd. Will she still go ahead and perform the ritual?
Episode 17 is coming soon, and we will know some answers.