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Spring Storm

By Mori Yoko

Synopsis

In Spring Storm, it tells the story of how Midori Natsuo received an acclaimed role as an actress and the thoughts as it is eventually revealed to her husband. Due to this tensions rise in their relationship, leaving a desire of separation from the husband.

Dominance

Japan, which is where the story is set, is a mostly male dominant country. Meaning that traditional roles of males were to money providers as well as securing the family in general,

Female roles were that of taking care for the household and the family within. They were seen as the internal provider and were not treated as an equal of that of their husband because of the set society roles.

West meets East

Japan, once a country of isolation, opened up after the United States forced the to open up in the 1850s.

Japan’s culture became predominantly mixed with the West after World War II when they were under United States sanction.

In this story, Western culture comes in the form of having the leads in the entertainment industry as well as having the main character Natsuo be ties to cigarettes. There are also other references such as “You were trembling like a drenched cat, but your face was lit up like a Christmas tree.” (Yoko, 342)

Natsuo

“Can’t a husband be happy for his wife’s success?” (Yoko, 341)

The main character, her conflicted emotions are exposed as she struggles with her happiness between this new founded success and the relationship with the husband. She understood that her husband would not be on the same level of excitement of proudness as she avoided telling him at first. She knew that there will be something to regret if she did, but she didn’t know what it was until after his little comparison.

Proof of her avoidance can also be evident of her husbands current position as a screenwriter.

Yusuke

“Our situation would be even worse.” (Yoko, 341)

The second character of the story, the male lead. He can be the cause of the tension as he is the one bringing up the comparison of his and Natsuo’s relationship to that of other famous couples. Either in fear or jealousy he calls off their relationship so that she may experience her success. Fear that the love they have may be over as he put his status next to her. Jealous that she found success before he has,

The Relationship

The relationship is the main conflict in the story. It is the cause of the tension as Natsuo struggles if she wants to keep the relationship that Yusuke wants over if she goes through with the role.

This ties back to the characters feelings and motivation as Natsuo isn’t afraid of the change, just the speed that it was coming as she worked hard for it. Yusuke can be afraid of the change as in a way he may be losing his wife to a success/ change that he cannot stop. Similar to that of a spring storm.

The meaning of Spring Storm

In the story, a storm was present at the beginning. Representing an unexpectedness; harsh but calming,

“The words, perhaps romantic, well described the heavy, slanting rain, driven by a wind that had retained the rawness of winter.” (Yoko, 337)

This is a metaphor to the relationship between Natsuo and her husband Yusuke. Raw, and heavy; their relationship is crowded in tension of the changes that were going to occur. Though in the end a calming comes and that is when the truth of their love is exposed.

The Cigarette

“I’ll be experiencing all kinds of new things from now on” (Yoko, 337)

This is shown through how she smokes; before her success she would sit down to smoke, now she stands. As if she is a new person, having the opportunity to experience new things. The symbiotic relationship she has to a cigarette is also one of the signs that her husband had noticed a change in her, meaning a change he cannot stop.

Cherry Blossoms

“When this spring storm is over, I expect the cherry blossoms will suddenly be bursting out” (Yoko, 341)

Cherry blossoms can represent a new life. This is more evident as Yusuke ends the relationship in the end and how their husband and wife relationship is related to that of the spring storm. So he is referencing to after the confrontation of the truth of their relationship is revealed as both head into a new life.

The Apartment

‘Of, is it for the last time?” (Yoko, 342)

The apartment is a symbol of a shared space that both characters share, though mostly belongs to that of Yusuke as this is where he works. For her to see it from the last time can be a consideration that she is ready to leave on for something better. THe same can be said for Yusuke as he can be represented by the apartment.

Reference

Mori, Yoko. Spring Storm. 337-343.