The Samurai's Garden By Gail Tsukiyama

850 Words2 Pages

Family structure builds a foundation for one’s life. Without a healthy, supportive relationship, an individual can fall apart and lose all passion in life. In Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai’s Garden expresses the importance of family and how new bonds can be obtained. Stephen, a Chinese Native, is a young man who is diagnosed with tuberculosis in autumn of 1937. After his health worsens, his family decides to send him overseas to his father in Kobe, Japan. He resides in his family’s vacation house in Tarumi, due to harsh weather conditions in Kobe. While resting in Tarumi, he meets kind individuals like Matsu, Sachi, and Kenzo. Stephen finds love and gains wisdom from Sachi and Matsu that his broken family could not provide.

Stephen’s family falls apart from distance and his …show more content…

As Stephen grows apart from his father after he finds out about his mistress, he begins to view Matsu, the caretaker of his grandfather’s house in Tarumi, as a father figure. Matsu is filled with wisdom and knowledge, is often silent with his words: “With Matsu, everything is in what he does not say” (59). Sachi, a friend of Matsu for over 40 years, notices his quiet personality and informs Stephen. As Stephen talks to Matsu more, he sees Matsu as more of a father figure than a friend because of his knowledge and openness. He sees Matsu as the father he had once had. Much like a father, Matsu gives advice with kind words to Stephen: “Whether you see Keiko-san or not anymore won’t take away from your having known her. If she is important, she will stay with you” (193). Like any father should, Matsu converses with Stephen through the rough times, and pushes him to do well. Stephen is attracted to a young Japanese girl from Tarumi, Matsu notices and takes action to guide him through confusion. Matsu helps Stephen with his words and actions, and sees Stephen as a son instead of a

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