The Samurai's Garden Quotes

According to the Mental Health Foundation, “Friendship can play a key role in helping someone live with or recover from a mental health problem and overcome the isolation that often comes with it.” This displays how amity is an important factor when people are facing with obstacles in their lives. In the novel, The Samurai’s Garden, Gail Tsukiyama portrays the same idea through the character, Sachi who is an old woman with leprosy. Sachi becomes friend with Matsu, a house caretaker of the main character. Later on, she befriends Michiko, another woman with the same disease. With the help and encouragement of Matsu and Michiko, Sachi learns to overcome hardships due to her sickness of leprosy; through this, Tsukiyama demonstrates that companionship

In the middle of Sachi’s journey to the village, she tries to run away but trips over and fall. Shortly after Sachi wakes up from her falling on her head, she is in a little house where Michiko “knelt down beside [her] and gently wiped [her] face with a wet towel” as Sachi doesn’t “think [she’s] ever felt anything more soothing” (141). Michiko is like a complete stranger to Sachi yet instantly cares for her at first sight. She “knelt down” to wipe Sachi’s face rather than just giving Sachi a towel to clean by herself. Through Michiko’s actions, Sachi realizes how she has never been through “anything more soothing” than having someone clean her face. Sachi probably views Michiko as her mom who is watching out for her. Without Michiko’s caring for Sachi, Sachi could’ve been lonely by herself without anyone’s help during those tough nights. At times where both Michiko and Sachi are alone in the little house, Michiko would tell stories where Sachi “thirsted for every word as if [her] life somehow grew on them”(144). Aside from just taking care of Sachi, Michiko goes beyond and tells stories to Sachi as a way to keep her company. Sachi not only like them story but “thirsted for every word” when she hears the stories. This phrase strongly indicates how Sachi deeply values the words in Michiko’s stories and wants to hear more of it. It also keeps her alive as it her life “somehow grew on them.” Even through her toughest time, Michiko is able to bring something to Sachi that makes her feel so alive again. Through this close relationship, it helps make it easier for Sachi to know that someone cares for her and likes to spend time with her. Overall, Michiko’s presence to keep Sachi company really assist her to face her