Night Fires

“Night Fires” by Shiga Naoya highlights the importance of fire as a guide in life, especially when it’s dark. Darkness leaves people in fear as what is ahead or around is unknown. Darkness makes it difficult to traverse whatever field one is in. When the narrator’s wife mentions how low Mt Kurobi looks, K-san replies “Mountains always seem lower in the dark.” In this way, darkness can also create illusions. Perhaps he responded that way because he had experienced climbing a mountain during a snowy night. He felt he could climb all the way but each step he took the snow got deeper. He struggled on until he felt drowsy, which, according to the story, is the first step in dying in the freezing cold. However, as he labored through the mountain he saw two lanterns. This eventually led him to his brother. The lanterns acted as a guide for him. A lantern’s sole purpose is to contain fire so that it can be used as a light. This contained fire helped K-san in his arduous journey.

Bonfires are also ways of containing fire. They help people in life by allowing a space for reflection. It is after the characters set up the fire that K-san recalls his story. At this point, we learn much more about him, including his family history. His story even put the narrator’s wife to tears. This is a sharp contrast to the beginning, where the characters were bored playing cards inside a room. At the bonfire and even during the journey to the bonfire, they learn more about the mountains and their friends.

Question: It is clear that the darkness creates illusions such as making mountains look smaller, can light also create illusions? If so, what are some examples from the story?