Coping with the Uncontrollable in A Tale for the Time Being Anonymous 12th Grade

Japanese culture differs significantly from culture in the Western world. In Ruth Ozeki’s novel A Tale for the Time Being, these differences are prevalent as Nao visits bathhouses, discovers manga, and witnesses the significance of suicide in her country. But perhaps most importantly, Nao learns the principals of Zen Buddhism from her grandmother Jiko who preaches acceptance of the inherently uncontrollable aspects of life. Throughout the novel, various characters experience a lack of control in their lives and react very differently. In A Tale for the Time Being, Ozeki utilizes symbolism to represent the uncontrollable and demonstrate how the inability to exhibit power over a situation affects different people.

The author utilizes the auction of Nao’s panties as a symbol of powerlessness. When Nao’s father discovers the auction, he attempts to bid on them in order to prevent other hentais from violating his daughter’s privacy. To his dismay, Haruki lacks the money to be the highest bidder and consequently loses the auction and the ability to protect his own daughter, eventually deciding to take his own life. Before he attempts suicide, Haruki leaves a note saying “I should only make myself ridiculous in the eyes of others if I...