The Roles Of Light And Dark Imagery - 1384 Words

Analysis of the roles of light and dark imagery in Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen In the novella Kitchen, Banana Yoshimoto uses light and dark imagery to develop realistic characterization and to support her fantastical style, while effectively projecting pathos upon the readers. Throughout the story, Mikage unveils that life is a process of healing where grief and sadness are needed to truly appreciate happiness. Such abstract ideas and emotions are detailedly brought about by Yoshimoto’s usage of the four seasons of the year to provide a main timeline of the events concerning Mikage’s encounters with death, as well utilizing cosmos as a form of pathetic fallacy during the more miniscule experiences. In the grand scheme of the story, there†¦show more content†¦Following Spring was the â€Å"one summer of bliss† (59) occurring â€Å"in [the Tanabe’s] kitchen’’ (59). This period containing longer, bright days of joy and fullness d emonstrates to the readers the extent of Mikage’s contentment through the motif of nurture brought by cooking in the kitchen, especially in the Tanabe’s kitchen. In face of the season of death and preparing for an end, â€Å"Eriko died late in the Autumn.† (44) Much grief and despair fell upon Mikage and Yuichi as the dark Autumn imagery clearly reflects these negative emotions. There was a discrete transition from Autumn to Winter as death and preparing for an end goes hand in hand with voidness and despair. The four seasons of the year which range in different exposures to lightness are perfectly used by Yoshimoto to express the continuity of the cycle of grief and joy as time advances. Yoshimoto provides an overall transition between darkness to lightness from the beginning of Kitchen to the end, which demonstrates Mikage’s developmental journey in discovering that time will constantly move despite any abruptions in life and no one will be capable of preventing it. Proceeding the death of Mikage’s grandmother, she is once again stuck with a â€Å"hollow in [her] heart† (56) the following Winter as it was the grieving period for Eriko; however, now she has developed a philosophy that â€Å"[she] wants toShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Light And Dark Imagery In Oedipus The King1316 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ masterful work, Oedipus the King, exemplifies the significance of imagery within literature. The perpetual presence of light and dark imagery effectively strengthens the dramatic aspects of catharsis, anagnorisis and mimesis. These factors continually impose the audience to establish a personal connection with the literary work. 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