The Influence Of Murakami In The Samurai's Tale

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Relationships are important. Whether in real life or in a story, they shape everyone and everything. This is the case in The Samurai’s Tale by Eric Haugaard, when the relationships that Murakami makes over his life influence him and shape him into the person he became. For example, two of his friends; Togan and Yoshitoki. Togan was the cook for Lord Akiyama’s servants. He cared for Murakami as a child. When Murakami is complaining about his lowly position, Togan tells him, “The little cloud up there knows that it is not big enough to hold thunder or rain within it, but it is not unhappy because of that.” (20) What Togan is trying to teach him is contentment, to be happy with what you have instead of unhappy with what you don’t. Murakami is