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Post by Alan Wong on Nov 26, 2015 23:21:53 GMT
Honestly, I was confused by this story. I wanted to have more closure regarding Tsuyuko and a more definite answer about the meaning of the ending of this story. That said, this is my interpretation of it. While I don't know what the term used in the Japanese version of the story was, in English, bow wow is typically used as onomatopoeia for a dog's barking. Mamoru said this in response to his mother's question of where he had gone with his father that day. However, Mamoru is said to be eleven years old, so he's slightly past the age at which children say strange things. I think that Mamoru was referencing how "Shiomura had never permitted Mamoru to keep dogs, cats, or pigeons because he didn't want the house to get dirty" (p.336). Although never explicitly stated, it seems as if Mamoru knew the motivation behind his father's visit to Shiinamachi. Keeping with the commentary of the dog causing the house to get dirty, it looks like Mamoru is actually giving a roundabout answer: he was with his father who, by visiting and lingering in places where Tsuyuko used to be, was digging up history he really shouldn't have. As a result, Mamoru is aware that his father has tracked this "dirt" into their home. Although not in such a physical sense, by having an illicit love affair outside of his marriage, Shiomura brought upon their household the very thing he had been so adamant in preventing by not allowing a dog.
Discussion Question: It is said Shiomura thought about Mr Carp that, "I'll treat him well so that he lives a long long time, but if I can't I'll take him to Kasumigaura and let him go...Shiomura thought that if it did come time to let Mr Carp go, he would just take Mamoru with him and leave his wife and daughter behind" (p.342). Why do you think he would only take Mamoru and leave his wife and daughter behind?
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Post by I Lam on Nov 27, 2015 5:14:49 GMT
The first thing that comes to mind is 'because he's a son'. I don't actually know what time period this story is set in, but it feels at least some decades old, so that's the first reason, I think. He's not all that fond of Miwako and doesn't seem to respect his wife all too much, so if he ever left, he'd only take the kid who can continue his family name...
But actually, when I was reading it I'd simply thought that he meant he'd only take Mamoru along for the day trip, not actually leave forever, so I didn't really think any of it considering that Mamoru's the one he brought to the place where he'd met Tsuyuko.
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Post by Airy Yeh on Dec 1, 2015 4:05:26 GMT
I agree with your interpretation of bow wow. It could be that there is no latent meaning behind the bow wow because maybe Mamoru just wanted to bark, but I have a hunch that Mamoru knew something about his dad doing something wrong. Mamoru may not have known exactly what was going on between his dad and this woman, but I think he could sense something odd about his dad. It is definitely possible that he knew about the affair between his father and Tsuyuko and I also think Mamoru was affected by it. As for him barking at eleven years of age, it could be that he was regressing to a prior developmental age because of the psychological distress from knowing about his father's odd actions and affair. Regression is a coping mechanism to stress. If it were true that Mamoru knew about this affair, perhaps Shiomura knew or sensed that Mamoru knew something and wanted to show him that he is willing to let go of the fish (latent meaning is the affair/Tsuyuko). Or perhaps he identified more with Mamoru because he is a male like himself and coupled with a subconscious thought that he might also cheat in the future, wanted to throw away the fish with him.
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Post by Hiba Rashid on Dec 3, 2015 17:47:56 GMT
I interpreted the "bow wow" more of a response to the mother's possibility of killing Mr. Carp, rather than Mamoru signaling something about his father's secrets. Also, I don't understand the connection between the quote you mentioned and him knowing about Shiomura's intentions -- how is the fact that he did not let Mamoru keep pets related to Tsuyuko?
To answer your question, I think he would take only Mamoru because Mamoru has helped Shiomura care for Mr. Carp so that he can live a "long long time." Mamoru is the only person in the family who wants to keep and care for the fish. Perhaps Mamoru is helping Shiomura get rid of his guilt towards Tsuyuko. His wife and daughter don't do that. I also see some connections between Tsuyuko and Mamoru in how they both care for the fish and their order of soda at the coffee shop. This leads me to believe that Shiomura is not afraid to expose his past secrets to Mamoru (perhaps when he's older) and feels Mamoru would understand him to some extent.
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