The two short stories "Red Cranes" by Jacey Cho and "The Firefly Hunt" by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki each have two characters, Mie and Sachiko, who each have a deep desire to pursue their dreams. However, despite their similarities, the two authors have different approaches to developing their characters. In “Red Cranes,” the main character, Mie, is very adamant about achieving her dreams. She wishes to see a red crane and climb the mountain of Fujisan. Mie's determination is clear, as shown in the scene where she excitedly asks her mother questions about what her ambitions were when she was a child. “Of course, Mother. But I mean, did you ever dream that you would be a famous puppeteer, or a rich merchant that traveled the oceans, or maybe a poet whose poems were written in the Man’yoshu? How about an artist that painted beautiful landscapes?” (Cho 12). …show more content…
Mie wishes to remain idealistic despite her mother's dismissiveness at the time, she advises to Mie to read, but when her mother leaves the room, her imagination takes form once again. “Mie glanced up and stared out the window. She watched her father working in the fields, and the mountain, Fujisan, far in the background [...] She imagined herself at the peak and, like a red crane, flying into the sky. With these thoughts, a peacefulness, a serenity, traveled through