Ono is trying to arrange a marriage for his younger daughter. The previously respected elders are blamed for sending young men to their deaths needlessly. “the new spirit of Japan was not incompatible with enjoying oneself: that is to say, there was no reason why pleasure-seeking had to go hand in hand with decadence.”įollowing the war what had seemed to him a step forward for his country is viewed, particularly by the younger generation, as traitorous. Under the new regime, traditional pleasure seeking came to be frowned upon. “a patriotic spirit began somewhere further back, in the routine of our daily lives, in such things as where we drank and who we mixed with” Ono wished to make a difference through his work. This went against the views of many of his peers who believed art should focus on beauty – not be political. He advised those now in power – regarded as loyal to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor. Ono subsequently enjoyed influence and respect, particularly from his own students. Can you imagine any of the Western powers allowing such a situation?” Meanwhile the businessmen get richer and the politicians forever make excuses and chatter. And yet we allow our people to grow more and more desperate, our little children to die of malnutrition. “In the Asian hemisphere, Japan stands like a giant amidst cripples and dwarfs. He wished to highlight the injustices wreaked by wealthy businessmen and their puppet politicians. He came to prominence, however, when he changed his style to support the rise of militarism.
He and his fellow students indulged in the drink, drugs and sex on offer. Ono is a retired artist who trained with traditional painters – producing works featuring geishas and hostesses visited in the pleasure district.
Resulting changes in the country are a challenge for the older generation as they watch their offspring embrace more western ideals. It is narrated by Masuji Ono, a widower with two grown up daughters. An Artist of the Floating World, by Kazuo Ishiguro, is set in Japan in the years just after the Second World War – which ended with the country’s surrender.
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