The loss
In spite of the fact that Keiko is a rather antisocial personality, who doesn’t seem to bother herself with cordial family relationships, her death doesn’t leave anyone indifferent. Etsuko is compelled to admit that not every decision she made brought her elder daughter happiness. At the same time, she learns to live with a thought about a tragedy of her daughter and an image of her dead body hanging from a ceiling.
Freedom of choice
Hanada, a colleague of Jiro, is mocked by everyone, because his wife refuses to vote for a party he wants to support. He even threats to beat her if she doesn’t change her mind. The characters in the story are rather surprised to find out that a woman can have her own opinion. Many of them believe that it is impossible and wrong, that it violets old Japanese traditions and blame it on Americans.
Alcohol addiction
Frank, Sachiko’s lover, promises her that he can take her to America where they would be able to start a better life. However, when Sachiko manages to earn enough money for tickets to America, Frank drinks all their money away. He drinks so much that Mariko, Sachiko’s daughter, starts comparing him with a pig. Alcohol proves to be stronger than Frank’s will.
Child cruelty
Child cruelty is a theme which is adeptly depicted in the story. A reader sees how Mariko fights with other children, because they call her mother different unpleasant names. One may say that children often quarrel and fight with each other, but one can hardly argue that children, who kill a cat of other child are not cruel.
Conflict of generations
Ogata-San is not satisfied with American influence on Japan, the way the educational system changes and how a traditional style of life is replaced with a new one. He doesn’t find support of his thoughts either in his son, or in his daughter-in-low. The ideas he used to believe in are despised or mocked now.
Mother-daughter relationship
Etsuko blames herself for her daughter's death. She creates/ recounts the narrative of her time in Nagasaki and the relationship between Sachiko and Mariko to alleviate her guilt and come to terms with the past.
