Saig Ngo Movie Vs Book

Saigō is the “last samurai” in both Ravina’s book and in Zwick’s movie. The main question remains “was Saigō the last samurai “or is it simply a good title for his deep attentiveness to the “way of the warrior”? Algren acts as if he is the last Samurai, in the movie with the Saigō. Based on historical events there was no Algren and there was a deeper reflection on how Saigō became such a charismatic warrior. This paper will make comparisons from the book and the movie to decipher accurate characteristics and parallels from both the film and the book. Saigō embodies the qualities: knowledge, patience, and understanding in both therefore he has proved to be the last “samurai” that is known to most of the world. Saigō’s lineage dated back

Ravina also talks about his mission as a samurai and after his suicide attempt “his quest for a grand gesture of loyalty.” (78) It was believed that his survival was not an accident and he was meant for something greater. This demeanor is displayed when Saigō finds out about the Native Americans that Algren has seen. He see’s that he has seen the “despotic rule.” In this part of Ravina’s book I see similarities between Nathan Algren and Saigō because the difference between the higher civilized people vs. natives inhabitants is incomparable. When Ravina writes, “Saigō was touched by the poverty of the islanders and was angry that his own domain could act so brutally. His sympathy for the islander’s coexisted uneasily with his own sense of loss. “ (83) In the movie he has flashbacks and represses the thoughts of killing his own native inhabitants through sake. Zwick uses this parallel to help viewers understand the hurt that is felt on both sides, but the more technologically advanced, politically advanced, and the government with the most money will win the battle ultimately, and the weak will be defeated or forced into society. In the movie, Saigō reassures Algren,“ His army will come it is the end...I have failed them (his people),” he is telling Algren that his white trained army will come and that he knows 900 years of his ancestry is going to be taken over through the world’s hegemonies and turned into a new