Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Tale for the Time Being, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Time, Impermanence, and the Present
The Difficulty of Communication
Life vs. Death
Coincidences and Connections
Sexual Perversion and Violence
Summary
Analysis
(1) Nao writes that Jiko lives on the side of a mountain, in a tiny temple near the coastline. Nao’s father agreed to take Nao there by train, and Nao could see that he was stressed at the idea of going out in the daytime. They finally reached Sendai, transferred to another train, and then took a bus to get to the beautiful countryside.
Ruth is worried that Jiko and her temple were obliterated by the tsunami—and Nao’s description of the temple suggests that this was almost certainly the case, since the temple was near the coastline.
Themes
Finally, the bus stopped in front of “an ancient stone gate […] covered with dripping moss, and stone steps that […] disappeared into the darkness. As Nao and her father exited the bus, Nao realized that her father was soon going to leave her in this lonely place with Jiko, whom she barely knew. Nao began to cry, but her father didn’t even notice—he was gazing up the mountainside with a look of excitement that Nao found surprising, since he rarely looked that happy anymore.
Nao’s description of the temple gate makes it seem like the gateway into a mysterious, magical realm. Already, it seems that the temple will be a place of peace and transformation for Nao. Haruki, too, seemed to recall the wonder of the place as he gazed up at it, suggesting that he also had wonderful experiences here with Jiko.
Themes
(2) Many of Nao’s classmates in California took medication for their mental health—but Nao didn’t because her Japanese parents didn’t believe in psychiatry. However, Nao thinks that she might have all sorts of syndromes like ADHD and manic depression, as well as suicidal tendencies. Jiko told her that zazen meditation might not cure her, but that it would help her to be less obsessed with her ailments. Nao says that since she hasn’t killed herself yet, it might really be working.
Jiko thinks of zazen meditation as a tool to focus on the present moment and pay close attention to how one spends one’s time. Being obsessed with an illness means being worried about how it might affect one’s future and how it has affected one’s past. Zazen would help with this by encouraging the meditator to focus on the present. Notably, while Nao didn’t talk to anyone else about her problems, she freely discussed her worries with Jiko.
Themes
(3) After climbing up the steps for a long time, Nao and her father finally saw the enormous temple gate at the top. Muji came running out to greet them. Nao’s father looked so happy at the temple that Nao hoped that he’d decide to stay there for the summer too. She thought it would be better for him than seeing psychologists. After dinner, Jiko invited Nao to have a bath with her. Nao felt immense compared to Jiko’s ancient, tiny body. However, Jiko didn’t even seem to notice, and Nao began to relax. She says that this is one of Jiko’s “superpowers”—she can make a person feel good about themselves.
The temple was a welcome respite after Nao’s cramped, unhappy life in Tokyo; Haruki seemed immediately changed and happy too. Jiko’s unjudgmental love and acceptance of everyone seemed to permeate the temple, immediately putting Nao and Haruki at ease. Jiko’s spiritual practice as a Buddhist nun seemed to give the place its magic.
Themes
Get the entire A Tale for the Time Being LitChart as a printable PDF.
Over the next few weeks, Nao observed Jiko and Muji following all kinds of “crazy routines,” even when it came to washing their face or using the toilet. They constantly said prayers of gratitude before everything they did— they even “bowed and thanked the toilet,” which Nao found hilarious. However, this began to rub off on Nao too, and one day, Nao caught herself saying thank you to the toilet—it felt quite natural to her. Initially, though, Nao didn’t speak much to Jiko. She was upset at her father for abandoning her at the temple, and she was convinced that she’d be bored there.
Jiko and Muji’s sense of gratitude and humility, which Nao initially found strange and hilarious, began to rub off on her—a change in herself that surprised her. Despite the “crazy routines” at the temple, Nao never feels isolated or out of place, like she did when she moved back to Japan after living in America. This suggests that unfamiliar customs are easy to get accustomed to when they are accompanied by a spirit of generosity and love.
Themes
(4) One day, while Nao was scrubbing Jiko’s back in the bath, Jiko asked her if she was angry, and Nao didn’t answer. Then, when Jiko scrubbed Nao’s back, she gently touched one of the scars that Nao had gotten at school. Jiko said that Nao must be very angry. Nao made a huge effort not to cry, and she ran out of the bath as soon as she could.
Jiko’s reaction to Nao’s scars was very different from Tomoko’s. While Tomoko insisted on her own solutions for the problem and didn’t listen to Nao when she spoke, Jiko actually asked Nao about her feelings. Nao wasn’t used to speaking about her troubles, so these questions overwhelmed her.
Themes
The next morning, Nao went to Jiko and admitted that she was angry. Nao went on to give her “an executive summary of [her] crappy life,” and Jiko listened quietly. Nao said that she was undoubtedly angry, and that it was “a stupid thing” for Jiko to ask. Jiko agreed that it was stupid, but she said she asked the question because she wanted Nao to hear her own answer. After that day, Nao began talking to Jiko about her life, and Jiko listened while she fingered her juzu (Buddhist prayer beads). Nao knew that every bead Jiko moved was a prayer for Nao.
Whenever Nao spoke to Jiko about her life, Jiko always listened, which invited Nao to trust her and confide in her. Jiko was unfazed by Nao’s rudeness when Nao called her question “stupid,” and Nao could tell that Jiko would lovingly accept everything Nao said or did. She was also certain that Jiko wished the best for her, since she said prayers for Nao as she listened to her problems.
Themes
