Motherless Brooklyn

by

Jonathan Lethem

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Motherless Brooklyn makes teaching easy.
The Fujisaki Corporation is a collective of characters: six Japanese businessman-cum-Zen-monks who have chosen to live part-time in America in order to operate within the lucrative trade of sea urchins, prized widely for their delectable eggs but overfished heavily in Japan. The Fujisaki Corporation, headquartered at a giant and imposing apartment building of interconnected mansions at 1030 Park Avenue, uses the Yorkville Zendo as a front for their trade while reaping the benefits of the urchin-rich coastal waters of Maine. Powerful, deadly, organized, and firmly of “One Mind,” the Fujisaki Corporation stands in stark contrast to the Minna Men’s distrustful, disorganized mode of operation. The Fujisaki Corporation represents a host of contradictions: men who live engaging spiritual lives yet desire vast wealth and power, they seek to have their cake and eat it too as they spread their influence across not just New York City but indeed the world. Lionel is envious of Fujisaki’s coordination and cooperation, even as he resents the role they have played in the death of his mentor Frank, whom Gerard had killed as a “sacrifice” to Fujisaki after being caught conspiring with Frank to skim money away from the corporation.

The Fujisaki Corporation Quotes in Motherless Brooklyn

The Motherless Brooklyn quotes below are all either spoken by The Fujisaki Corporation or refer to The Fujisaki Corporation. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mystery and the Futility of Answers Theme Icon
).
Auto Body Quotes

“Will you take my order, Julia?"

"Why don't you go away, Lionel? Please.” It was pitying and bitter and desperate at once. She wanted to spare us both. I had to know from what.

"I want to try some uni. Some—orphan ocean ice cream!—some urchin eggs. See what all the fuss is about."

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Julia Minna (speaker), Frank Minna, The Fujisaki Corporation
Related Symbols: Food
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:

It all happened at once. There were six of them, a vision to break your heart. I was almost glad Minna was gone so he'd never have to face it, how perfectly the six middle-aged Japanese men of Fujisaki filled the image the Minna Men had always strained toward but had never reached and never would reach… […] They were all we could never be no matter how Minna pushed us: absolutely a team, a unit, their presence collective like a floating island of charisma and force.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, Gilbert Coney, Tony Vermonte, Danny Fantl, The Fujisaki Corporation
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:
Good Sandwiches Quotes

Ullman? Never met the guy. Just like Bailey. They were just guys I never happened to meet. To the both of them and to you I say: Put an egg in your shoe, and beat it. Make like a tree, and leave. Tell your story walking.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, The Fujisaki Corporation, Ullman
Page Number: 311
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Fujisaki Corporation Quotes in Motherless Brooklyn

The Motherless Brooklyn quotes below are all either spoken by The Fujisaki Corporation or refer to The Fujisaki Corporation. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Mystery and the Futility of Answers Theme Icon
).
Auto Body Quotes

“Will you take my order, Julia?"

"Why don't you go away, Lionel? Please.” It was pitying and bitter and desperate at once. She wanted to spare us both. I had to know from what.

"I want to try some uni. Some—orphan ocean ice cream!—some urchin eggs. See what all the fuss is about."

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Julia Minna (speaker), Frank Minna, The Fujisaki Corporation
Related Symbols: Food
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:

It all happened at once. There were six of them, a vision to break your heart. I was almost glad Minna was gone so he'd never have to face it, how perfectly the six middle-aged Japanese men of Fujisaki filled the image the Minna Men had always strained toward but had never reached and never would reach… […] They were all we could never be no matter how Minna pushed us: absolutely a team, a unit, their presence collective like a floating island of charisma and force.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, Gilbert Coney, Tony Vermonte, Danny Fantl, The Fujisaki Corporation
Page Number: 274
Explanation and Analysis:
Good Sandwiches Quotes

Ullman? Never met the guy. Just like Bailey. They were just guys I never happened to meet. To the both of them and to you I say: Put an egg in your shoe, and beat it. Make like a tree, and leave. Tell your story walking.

Related Characters: Lionel Essrog (speaker), Frank Minna, The Fujisaki Corporation, Ullman
Page Number: 311
Explanation and Analysis: