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32. Spring: April 22, 1938
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Samurai’s Garden, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Time, Nature, and Continuity
External Beauty vs. Internal Strength
Shame, Honor and Survival
Political vs. Personal Allegiance
Loneliness, Loss, and Memory
Summary
Analysis
While Matsu prepares to rebuild Yamaguchi after the fire, Stephen hears more bad news about Japan’s encroachment on China. Stephen decides he should return home, but before he can do so, he gets a letter from his mother encouraging him to stay in Tarumi, as Hong Kong is too unstable. While Stephen rereads the letter, he hears Matsu sharpening something on a grindstone: his father’s fishing knife.
Despite the spring peacefulness, violence lurks at every corner, whether it is bad news from the war or the metallic sounds of Matsu sharpening his knife. Still, the fact that Matsu cares for this object—despite the role it played in his sister’s life and death—suggests that holding onto memories, even when they are painful, is an important part of honoring lost loved ones.
Active
Themes
