The Samurai's Garden Suffering Quotes

Cheerful Beings in a World of Darkness Stephen, Matsu, and Sachi all have suffering in a world of hate, violence, and broken hearts thus forming a bond. Stephen even becomes “the musuko we lost so many years ago” (205). This bond is shown throughout the novel The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama. It is a realistic fiction novel. The pressures and suffering vary between for example Sachi has massive pressure to honor her family by killing herself due to contracting leprosy. Stephen has his loved ones in danger and seeing others suffering. Finally Matsu has much of his past congested in suffering. Throughout the novel there are still instances for the trio of characters where cheerfulness is present in a world of hate, pain, and suffering.

His suffering is in his past yet it finds itself into his present and even future. When he found the lepers he wanted to make his life better by helping them and became “ the one who carted every piece of wood and stone up the mountain, when no one would come in sight of [them]. Many of [them] would have perished without him” (128-129). This quote focuses on the people of Yamaguchi but also gives Matsu the satisfaction of helping these people. Matsu not only gave himself joy but joy to others as well by telling Sachi “ it takes more courage to live” (139). What is meant by this is that there is still something to live for in such a dark world. Matsu is also able to block out darkness with bursts of happiness now and then like beams of light shining through the dark

We see some light in darkness when she is bidding farewell to Stephen but Stephen asks if she will be fine and she responds by saying “ You don’t have to worry about me Stephen-san. I’ve had a good life” (205). She means that even though she has had the majority of her life consumed in suffering due to leprosy she has still had enough happiness shining through the holes in darkness. She also shows gratitude by telling Stephen “ You have brought me more than that, you have brought me the sea” (42). She is grateful to be with the ones she values most in the world and be at ocean for the first time in a while.People may claim that Sachi has no happiness at all but the quote just a mere few lines above immediately proves that theory wrong though it may still be argued. Nonetheless Sachi shows the most examples of happiness even though she also has the most suffering. She has the brightest light in the darkest sky. The brightest light being the the strongest source of happiness and the darkest sky meaning the most painful